Is There Enough Room for Multiple Races During the Same Weekend in MABRA?
Maybe. Maybe Not. Yes and No.
The BIGGEST race this upcoming weekend for MABRAians should be the Tour of Page County Stage Race and by all accounts, it is. However, it's not without a little overlapping of new bike races as well as some pretty prominent local teams racing in other spots around the country. More on that on Friday. First, we kick a dead horse.
If you are a member of the MABRA listserve and have the stomach to check it out, even on an occasional basis, you might recall a big bashing of Joe Jefferson. Yes, the same guy who, along with his club, has put the Sugar the Honey and the Ice Tea in dozens upon dozens of races over the years throughout Washington County, Maryland. His reasoning, which didn't seem to come soon enough for some, was a financial one. Women, historically, weren't producing revenue. Still, that wasn't good enough for some and a few got upset and said they'd boycott races. One female rider, who is not even located within the Mid-Atlantic and whose presence here was a just a blip on the radar, went so far to tweet to a main sponsor of Tour of Washington County:
Ky Hunter @RambaKy Apr 8
@SRAMroad very disappointed you choose to be the title sponsor of ToWC, a race that is taking HUGE steps backward and excluding women.
What? How does THAT make things better?
I dunno, rather than complain over social media and call for a boycott of races from a promoter publicly on a listserve try to do something positive about it. Find a company that might be interested in sponsoring women's races, come up with some positive ideas that can be executed or host a women's clinic much like is being done at the Dawg Days course this upcoming Sunday.... THE WORLD OWES YOU NOTHING.
Speaking of the world, I know it isn't perfect and that promoters are often held hostage by the dates that they can actually host the events so I'm not assigning blame here to anyone. If the world was perfect, the Melford Circuit Race, The Salisbury Twilight Crit and the Page Valley Circuit Race would not be held during the same weekend.
Thankfully for Page Valley race promoter, Chris Gould, who seems to pour his heart and soul into hosting races, Page Valley looks to have pretty standard registration numbers with Cat 3/4, 4/5 filled and about 40 women total signed up for the races. That's not that bad. I'm assuming the 17 or so women signed up for Melford are more interested in a learning experience than the stage race experience. That actually works.
However, a new race busted onto this year that almost nobody signed up for. Most likely because people DID want the experience of a stage race rather than a downtown twilight criterium experience...which is also pretty freakin' sweet.
I do remember the Salisbury Festival Twilight Crit was announced. It had a 1/2/3 race with a pretty nice payout. With very low registration numbers, that seemed to have changed and the 1/2/3 field was eliminated and now the Cat 3/4 race is the main event.
I feel bad for the promoters of this event because it seems to be an example of them probably only having ONE DATE to choose from since the event was to take place the same weekend as the town's festival. Speaking of a festival in Salisbury, I'm not sure what they celebrate besides Frank Perdue. It's the gateway town to Ocean City for most. My guess is that some people would take advantage if it were summertime; hit the beach, do a crit, and then knock back a few mind erasers at Seacrets in Ocean City. Race promoter dudes..convince the town to have their festival in the summer, when the stench of industrialized chicken is at its highest, do the crit, then head over to Ocean City to check out all the celebrities on the boardwalk.
I just hope that this race can eventually happen because it does sound really cool. See you out on the tarmac!
Joe Jefferson Baby!!
I wish everybody would get off Joe's tip about no women's fields at Tour of Washington County. Joe has been promoting racing in our region forever and usually has offered fields. I think with his track record, he should be given a break. I can't find any evidence of him not supporting women's bike racing OR promoting racing just for the sheer dollars. You go Joe!!!
Bow Down to the Cycling Gods
I grace you with non-freezing temps.
Those that rode throughout the winter will be rewarded. Those that did not will feel the agony of droppage.
My Off-Season
March has been here for over a week. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, I think Mother Nature is finally getting the word from Spring but she's been pretty damn fussy and is threatening at least one more flurry before she's done. If you are in SoCal, the Southwest, Florida or another place it's been warm all winter, we all hate you but would appreciate an invite next year.
Me? I'm okay with the cold weather I guess. I wish you got upgrade points for hours spent outside in weather under 30 degrees by themselves..but they don't.
Anyways, now is about the time you start seeing people that you know (not professional bike racers) post pictures of them in exotic training locations or doing massive miles between races. Good for them. I'm hear to tell you to not stress. It's March. They are eager. They beat you in training in March. Sure, they probably will be better than you for most of the year too but whateves. Also, oftentimes people say that those going well early will burn out by so and so date. Sometimes that happens. Usually not.
I'm going to switch things up a bit this year and not give a shit. I'm going to 'race into shape'. I'm going to get my ass dropped so often this spring that I will actually consider quitting this stupid sport and spend more time with my family. Nooo, we wouldn't want that, would we? I spent the most time off the bike than I ever have since I started bike racing this offseason. Hell, MY off-season consisted of at least two IN-SEASONS for other people I know. You know what? It was awesome. Let me exsplain.
I ate whatever I wanted. People would ask me if I wanted more just to be polite and when I said 'Yes' a shock was felt around the kitchen table. I had ice cream. A lot. I had beer. A lot. It was good. I shared these things with 'normal' people at normal events while often times STANDING. You know the 'normal people' i'm talking about right, the kind that aren't obsessed with a power to weight ratio of handlebar tape or how your power numbers cannot be accurate because of calibration issues.
My free time opened up. I learned that I didn't have to make the group ride every day. By letting go of that, people in my life who depended on me could depend on me. I worked around their schedules rather than the other way around. Who knew other people wanted to do stuff other than let me ride my bike? I got bonus points. Bonus points lead to other happy things.
I got into other things besides biking. I learned to fix things. I picked up my guitar and played songs I haven't played well in years, I binge watched Netflix shows (while not on the trainer), I beat Grand Theft Auto. My life was full.
Life was great. I was actually considering not racing next year. Hell, SUP paddleboarding looks preety rad, right? I mean, CrossFit too!
But then one day I struggled. Struggled to button my 'loose' fitting pants. I knew things were getting bad earlier in the week while shopping for shoes and I was only considering slip-ons.
Nope. I call bull-shit. That ain't happening to me. Time to stop having fun and get things going. No more beer. No more ice-cream. Track the calories. Ride the bike. Log the miles. Intervals. Groups. Strava. KOM. PR. Wko. Compete. Win. Loose. Have fun on the bike.
Routine. I was missing cycling from my routine. Without it, I was turning into your everyday average suburban dude who didn't want to miss the grill sale at Home Depot. But with it, I'm a fucking SUPERMAN. With the cycling, my body fat percentage is in the single digits. I look younger than my neighbor's kids. When I got to the doctor, they freak out about my heart rate. I eat better. I feel better. I have more energy. I'm more tired too. With cycling, I have something in my life that is constant, that takes me away from the stress of everyday life. I get creative ideas on the bike..like this blog.
So 2014 is here and bike racing is upon us. I say BRING IT. I might not start strong this year but I'll figure it out and we'll all have a gay time enjoying my own droppage, which I will post here if I get caught.
How was your off-season? Who is the next big thing? We want to hear it. Comments. Below.
Me? I'm okay with the cold weather I guess. I wish you got upgrade points for hours spent outside in weather under 30 degrees by themselves..but they don't.
Anyways, now is about the time you start seeing people that you know (not professional bike racers) post pictures of them in exotic training locations or doing massive miles between races. Good for them. I'm hear to tell you to not stress. It's March. They are eager. They beat you in training in March. Sure, they probably will be better than you for most of the year too but whateves. Also, oftentimes people say that those going well early will burn out by so and so date. Sometimes that happens. Usually not.
I'm going to switch things up a bit this year and not give a shit. I'm going to 'race into shape'. I'm going to get my ass dropped so often this spring that I will actually consider quitting this stupid sport and spend more time with my family. Nooo, we wouldn't want that, would we? I spent the most time off the bike than I ever have since I started bike racing this offseason. Hell, MY off-season consisted of at least two IN-SEASONS for other people I know. You know what? It was awesome. Let me exsplain.
I ate whatever I wanted. People would ask me if I wanted more just to be polite and when I said 'Yes' a shock was felt around the kitchen table. I had ice cream. A lot. I had beer. A lot. It was good. I shared these things with 'normal' people at normal events while often times STANDING. You know the 'normal people' i'm talking about right, the kind that aren't obsessed with a power to weight ratio of handlebar tape or how your power numbers cannot be accurate because of calibration issues.
My free time opened up. I learned that I didn't have to make the group ride every day. By letting go of that, people in my life who depended on me could depend on me. I worked around their schedules rather than the other way around. Who knew other people wanted to do stuff other than let me ride my bike? I got bonus points. Bonus points lead to other happy things.
I got into other things besides biking. I learned to fix things. I picked up my guitar and played songs I haven't played well in years, I binge watched Netflix shows (while not on the trainer), I beat Grand Theft Auto. My life was full.
Life was great. I was actually considering not racing next year. Hell, SUP paddleboarding looks preety rad, right? I mean, CrossFit too!
But then one day I struggled. Struggled to button my 'loose' fitting pants. I knew things were getting bad earlier in the week while shopping for shoes and I was only considering slip-ons.
Nope. I call bull-shit. That ain't happening to me. Time to stop having fun and get things going. No more beer. No more ice-cream. Track the calories. Ride the bike. Log the miles. Intervals. Groups. Strava. KOM. PR. Wko. Compete. Win. Loose. Have fun on the bike.
Routine. I was missing cycling from my routine. Without it, I was turning into your everyday average suburban dude who didn't want to miss the grill sale at Home Depot. But with it, I'm a fucking SUPERMAN. With the cycling, my body fat percentage is in the single digits. I look younger than my neighbor's kids. When I got to the doctor, they freak out about my heart rate. I eat better. I feel better. I have more energy. I'm more tired too. With cycling, I have something in my life that is constant, that takes me away from the stress of everyday life. I get creative ideas on the bike..like this blog.
So 2014 is here and bike racing is upon us. I say BRING IT. I might not start strong this year but I'll figure it out and we'll all have a gay time enjoying my own droppage, which I will post here if I get caught.
How was your off-season? Who is the next big thing? We want to hear it. Comments. Below.
Socks for sale...get your socks for sale
Even though it snowed today in DC, it's almost the end of February. I hate February. It's the month I am most likely to crack due to cold weather. Plus, Valentine's Day sweets. Get past those in the office.
To celebrate the end of my least favorite month, sock prices have dropped (see that there?) to 7 bucks a pair.
If you want more than a couple pair, email me at yougotdropped@gmail.com and we'll work it out. Love to see a whole team of crazies rocking these.
Store link is top right of this page. Yours in winter suffering.
To celebrate the end of my least favorite month, sock prices have dropped (see that there?) to 7 bucks a pair.
If you want more than a couple pair, email me at yougotdropped@gmail.com and we'll work it out. Love to see a whole team of crazies rocking these.
Store link is top right of this page. Yours in winter suffering.
Please sign this national effort to reduce bicyclist deaths
A sad day for cycling advocacy. This past Friday, a grand jury decided traffic tickets suffice in the case for mother & bicyclist Trish Cunningham, whose life was taken by a motorist while riding. Please participate in the national effort to reduce the number of bicyclist deaths on our roadways. Share this post & Take Action here:
SUPPORT BICYCLING SAFETY HERE:
www.bikemd.org
SUPPORT BICYCLING SAFETY HERE:
www.bikemd.org
Polls Regarding Doping in Amateur Cycling: Please Vote
The more I look at comments listed on this blog as well as on the YGD Facebook page and other sites around the internet, the more questions I gather regarding doping on the amateur level within the sport of cycling.
I'm not putting these polls up for shock value or to be simply to be negative. I truly am trying to understand, on a very basic level, what our cycling community's perception is regarding this stuff.
My first question dives back to debate that the Mid-Atlantic community had last year regarding the hiring of USADA to come out to some random races and do some random testing. A shit-storm erupted on the local listserve with everybody having a comment. This is Washington, D.C. For my poll, let's pretend that there NO COST IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RIDER OR THE PROMOTER. Let's assume that 5 zillion dollars magically appeared from a settlement with Lance Armstrong and all that money would be given to clean up the sport starting with the local levels but on a national scale. So...with all the money in place, is it okay to test amateurs? This includes Masters, Cat 4s...everybody.
The second question in the poll is simply what we think our collective perception is towards one another on a regional level. What's the worst spot around the country? Is doping happening everywhere? Poll note: you can vote for your own region if you think it's the worst.
Who knows? People who make decisions might actually come across this site and might glean something from a totally unofficial internet poll. Maybe this is our way to be heard. I'm trying.
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