Staten CX- the best DFL

It's taken a good long while, but i think i needed some time to reflect on the race.

Staten CX ripped through NYC on November 30th. Jed, myself, and John put everything into this race and it paid off. I've never been prouder to be part of something like this. This whole event speaks volumes about the New York 'Cross scene, my friends, and the people that came together to make this race the awesome new nyc tradition that it will surely become.

I'm wary of taking too much credit for putting this race on (and that's rare coming from me,) but this race happened because of my friends and the greater cycling community here. this race was everyone's baby. We had incredible sponsors, fantastic press coverage, amazing volunteers (i owe you all big time...), fantastic music, great food, a killer course, awesome photos, and great racers all come together for a good cause.



putting this race on made me realize that if you really like what you're doing, you can do great things. it doesn't feel like work. you want to do it. we did so much work for this, but it didnt feel like a chore. Weeks after the race, i'm left with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, and i want to do it again (and we will).

I'm going to pull a move usually reserved by hip-hop grammy winners- time for long winded thank you's (its' a long list)

Jed



jed got the idea of putting on a cross race. we've been partners in this through and through. putting this race on together also made us close friends. i'm totally pumped to put more races on with him next year.

John Cutler



the lone ranger in the full CRCA kit and (kind of) matching 14-year-old-girl rollerblade helmet, john jumped in to help the cause out of nowhere. he's was responsible for getting us a ton of sponsors, including the FREE belgian wafels (more on that later), and also getting the race course equipment to staten island.

The Sponsors

Honest Tea showed up and supplied their great beverages.



Schaller & Weber Provided sustenance in the form of amazing sausages.



Wellshire Farms accosted us with 25 lbs of delicious, dry-rubbed bacon (drool).



Thomas Degeest, owner of Wafels & Dinges, sent some waffle men over to give out free waffles.



The waffles were free thanks two two great sponsors: Visitflanders.us (thanks Elke!), and Velo Classic tours (visit belgium! ride the cobbles!). Visitflanders and Velo classic also came to the race and added some belgian culture to our race village.

Chef Matt Sigel made sure the brats and bacon were nice and hot.

Kendra dropped furious beats and put on a euro-trash techno party in between races.



Cadence sent their team of crack mechanics (complete with Fu-manchu mustachio) to make sure the bikes survived the epic course conditions. they also came with 6 BMC demo bikes, which allowed for a ton of people (like Lisa Force!) to try out cross for the first time.



thanks to their bikes, a ton of people are going to buy a bike next season and race cross!


Claudette Lajam from orthochick.net made sure the ladies were taken care of and put in for Ladies-only primes. Robert Dvorin was another great sponsor and put in for additional Food and i believe some primes.

Jan from Sportique sent me a ton of great chamois cream and embrocation to give out as prizes.



Andrew crooks from NYC Velo donated a ton of great schwag to the prize list, as did Tandems east and Toga! john's friend Gus was a huge help and brought over Myles' Step ins and barriers all the way from Southampton. Myles did us a big favor by lending us his cross course equipment- a buttload of step ins and a pair of barriers.



Friends



The best thing i took away from this race was the affirmation that i've got the best friends in the world. they all helped in so many ways- whether it was gathering Step-ins in wet 35 degree rain after the race, getting the word out about the race, bringing in bacon sponsors, etc. So, i owe a beer and one (1) lewd act to each of the following people:



Kendra- DJ extrardinaire/Trophy assistant/podium girl


Kyle Peepo- He's Prussian, you know
Evie - sandbagging step-in-gatherer
Patrick littlefield- announcer/wino
Jason Gay- bacon intermediary- also did the write up for velo news
Rich bravo, Hott sam, Beth Renaud, Tony Slokar, Jed's Parents, brian gatens- (course setup)



Austin Horse, Evan Chalfin, Bret Vaughan- HUGE. course breakdown
Heidi Reijm- registration ALL STAR.
Lindsay Paluska and corinne Karmiel- podium girls, etc
Alan Atwood- officiating and facilitating USA cycling permit stuff. also helped with course logistics
Patrick wilder- PDX transplant! helped design the course- added some PDX flava'
Josh Creem- donated a sweet cyclosportif winner's jersey (which roger aspholm now owns- obviously)
the paparazzi: Maria Q (sweet video!), Anthony Skorochod, Liam Quigley, Kevin Dillard, david Chomowicz, Claudette Lajam, Jerry Kapkow, Eloy Anzola, and Harry Zernike
Colin Prensky- sandbagger extraordinaire
Lauren Zucker- for lending me her crazy Yellow Pickup Truck
The CRCA (notably Mike Green, Ken Harris, "Evil" Matt Howard)- for backing the event- this race was as much a CRCA event as it was an NYC event!


I want to thank the racers that showed up- we had over DOUBLE the pre-reg of any race that day in the north-east- 119 pre-reg'ed and a bunch more same-day. you guys braved the elements and came out to race in perfect, miserable Belgian weather. you made the race fun and duked it out on the course. Nice job to everyone- Especially to those who tried 'cross for the first time- what a day to try it! you experienced 'cross at its best and worst: the mud, the wind, the rain, the cold, the people cheering, the food, the music, and the attitude. The whole scene is what its all about. As Barry Wicks said- anyone can put on a 'cross race. But for it to be fun, you've got to embrace the right atmosphere. We had just that on November 30th, and it was thanks to all of the people i mentioned above



and a BIG thank you to the NYC Parks department- Sarah Frazier, Sandra Fernandez, Vincent, and Laurie. the parks department was a HUGE help, and this race could not have happened without their support. their willingness to help and their level of accommodation was astounding. From the entire new york cyclocross community- THANK YOU!



As for my race, well there's not way to sugar coat it: i came in DFL in my own race! DFL! I know. apparently 2 hrs of sleep has an effect on my performance. instead of coming in 3rd to last, i came in dead last. and of course colin prensky had to win the damn thing.... Next time i'm putting that guy into the tape...



By the way, i love how different his blogging is from my own. He reports from the front of the pack, I report from the middle/back. He waxes poetic on the spirit of competition and winning, i make fart/bacon/poop jokes. i think it's awfully complimentary...

Putting this race on was a great experience through and through- i made some great contacts, new friends in the cycling scene, and i was able to spend time in a borough that i had barely visited! Staten Island is a mythical, elusive, and funny place. it was the perfect setting for our race, and hopefully will be for years to come.

As for next year, watch out. We've got big plans. cool stuff is on the way. i think you're goin to like it...

Making the race- Staten 'Cross

It's totally my fault, but i forgot to mention on my blog that I'm organizing a cyclocross race! Between racing, work, and organizing the damn thing, i never got around to posting it on here! Well, here it goes.

There had been a ton of talking within NYCX community about putting our own race on. everyone was into the idea, but actually following through is a completely different story. there were just so many variables to consider. Where would we have it? would we get permission from the Parks department? was there enough interest? was there a date left in the 'cross season that didn't conflict with a big, established race?

Little by little, it started falling into our lap. Jamie Bogner from NYCMTB had found a small gem of a park in Staten Island. He went to check out Wolfe's Pond Park and thought it was a great spot. Now all we needed to do was get permission from the parks department. I really was prepared for that to be a total waste our time. From what i had heard in the past and with CRCA races in central park, the parks department was pretty strict and extremely sensitive about their lawns. Obviously they would have no problem at all with letting hundreds of cross bikes tear up park land! We decided to give it a shot anyway and reached out a new acquaintance i had made in the Parks Department (Thanks Michael and Marjory!) Although i was prepared to deal with a bureaucratic nightmare, i was instantly proved wrong. Getting a permit for the even was easier than i ever thought it could be.

We drove over the the park last thursday to meet with the Park's Manager and the event coordinator. The manager was a Staten Island native named "Vincent" who had a pristine S.I. Accent and had worked in the park's department for years. we started to carefully explain that bikes would be ridden on the grass, but that we would make every effort to not damage it and use well-traveled parts of the lawn. Vinny Smiled and said "There is nothing you could do on those bikes that would mess up my lawn."

oh, it's like that. That's a Challenge.

Moral of the story: Vinny is awesome. The Parks People were so accomodating that we were a bit taken aback. where was the bureaucracy? where was the hard time? They have pretty much given us carte Blanche to put on an awesome race!



The Park itself is perfect for a 'cross race: TWO Parking lots, Bathrooms, Hoses, Electricity, Grass, Mountain Bike trails, and a Beach. this course is going to have it all, and its going to bring it.

Here's the deal on the race:

Date: Sunday, November 30th

The race is on Staten Island- a mysterious and magical place, easily accessible from New Jersey, Long Island, and the rest of the Metro area.

The race is on November 30th- the weekend right after Thanksgiving, and the Day after the New Jersey 'Cross Championships. This will be one of the last race weekends you can double up on before nationals come around!

Why come to our race?

* Come and support the growing 'cross scene in the NYC area. Every year, more and more people get into cyclocross, making it more popular than ever. NYC has been without a cross race for far too long, so be a part of something historic!

* Come for the awesome course we put together. With the help of some Portland CX expertise, the course we've designed promises to be challenging- we've got something for everyone: A 100 Meter Beach run (the course is right on the water), a Circle of Death, barriers, a rooty-rutted-leaf covered run up, and some good old-fashioned tree-slaloms. Here's the Map:

* Come for the Prizes- Awesome trophies, Cash for Elite men/women/masters, and great merchandise from NYC Velo, Cadence Cycling and Multisport Centers, Sportique Skincare, and Honest Tea, as well as some "Staten Island ONLY" Premes.

* Killer jams by DJ Kendra, who will be dropping beats all day.

* The Park is easily accessible by car or public Transportation- Take the Ferry to Staten Island then take the Staten Island Rail to the Prince's Bay Stop. The Ferry allows bikes, and you should be good to go on the Staten Island Rail.

* Any profits from the race will be donated to Ichallengemyself (http://ichallengemyself.org/) - a nonprofit dedicated to fighting childhood obesity and getting disadvantaged youths on bikes.

* Come work off the marathon binge eating session you will have just gone through after T-day. We know we'll need to…

All info can be found on BikeReg.com:

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=7298

REGISTER!! Do it for BACON! Do it for GLORY!

Big Thanks to the CRCA, Alan Atwood, The NYC Parks Department (thanks Vinny and Sarah!), Cadence Cycling and Multisport Centers, NYC Velo, Sportique, and Honest Tea. This race would not be happening had it not been for the support of these people and sponsors. buy their stuff if they sell it!