Chris Thater Memorial Cycling Races

Aug 20, 2012 at 05:52 PM

I've heard nothing but good things about this race. I just reg'd for the 2/3. I'm pretty psyched about it.

Saturday (8/25/12) in Binghampton. Pros race Sunday on a slightly modified course.

Anyone else going this year?

p.s. might do the 35+ too

mugwump

Aug 20, 2012 at 06:22 PM

While I haven't been to Thater for years, it has always been well-organized. The course is also brutal.

You go slightly downhill from the start to the first turn. From turns one to two, the course rises and then drops. the road out of two I remember to be narrow and a false flat to three. Three was narrow-ish as well and flat to four. Four to five is narrow and fast, and from five to the finish goes by really quickly.

You need good strength to stay at the front at the start, and then good bike handling and pack awareness for the entire race to succeed. The rise wears people down.

the only thing I don't like about it is the drive.

vlad

Aug 26, 2012 at 03:03 AM

This is a GREAT race. This is a KILLER CRIT... which I blew.

The drive up is long. It took us around seven+ hours round trip from Brooklyn. All that for a 35 mi 2/3 race. Do it!

Rule of thumb: when the race pays 20 deep, it's going to hurt (bad)

40 laps. Let's go! The course is challenging enough to weed out the weak right off the bat and stick it to you at the end. Screaming and strung out from the start. It's hard to move up when you're going that fast (and you can't corner that well).

A group of about 10-15 got off the front a few laps in and stayed away. The pack kept them in sight and, with 8 to go, we had just about reeled them when, going into turn four, a compound crash put an end to that.

Entering that turn, I looked up to see two guys skidding out ahead of me. There's something really cool about seeing a tire skid mark being laid down fresh right in front of you. I looked past those guys to see that three other guys had crashed out in front of them. I'm on the brakes and I get around it.

THAT'S WHEN I BLEW IT. I saw guys just chilling. No urgency. I, on the other hand, sprinted to get back in the shattered field. I couldn't get back on. I just couldn't close it. Too spent. Too far ahead of me. I wound up getting lapped with 2 to go, first by the break and then by the field.

The field was a lot larger than the one I was trying to bridge to after the crash. That's because about 10 guys took the free lap after being 'involved' in the crash. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE FREE LAP. I fucked that up royally. I would have been fresher. I would have been able to work with guys.

Instead, I finished a lap down. Oh well, next time I'll know better.

I'm not so bummed about that error. Rookie mistake. I'm such a noob. Despite that, I am very much enjoying my progression as a racer. This was a tough one physically. One of those "holy shit that hurt" immediately after the end ones. It's a privilege just to mix it up with those guys. A 16 year old won it by the way.

Free bottled water and free Chobani after. Lots of cool things going on around the race. It's a good time for everyone.

It's legit. Don't be scared. It's probably one of the best crits of the year.