My first-ever criterium — the Branchbrook Park Spring Series in Newark, NJ — where I raced safely in the pack and took 10th in the Cat 4/5 field, getting boxed out in a hectic sprint finish.
HIGHLIGHTS
Result: 10th place in the Cat 4/5 race — his first criterium
Held with the main pack behind a two-man breakaway and two-man chase
Found an outside line in the sprint but got boxed out by five riders
Raced at Branchbrook Park in a new ISM Saddles race kit
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Safety first in a debut crit: prioritizing staying upright over risk paid off in a clean first race
Positioning wins sprints: getting boxed out cost places at the line — a clear area to improve
Crits are a different beast: pack dynamics and finishing tactics differ sharply from triathlon
Embrace the fun: a hectic, close finish made for an exciting new kind of racing
Guess what I just did? My first criterium race! 😎
The race took place at right across the Hudson River. Well not really, but it was close enough, at Branchbrook Park in Newark, New Jersey. I made my best effort to get some snapshots before and after the race.
Special thanks to ISM Saddles for the super race kit!
Here are the results via USA Cycling – I got 10th place in the Cat4/5 race. There was a 2 man breakaway, with a 2 man chase, followed by the rest of the pack. Clearly, I was in the pack. Being that this was my first race, safety was my main concern. I found an outside line during the sprint finish, but was boxed out and outsprinted by 5 others. It was such a fun experience!!!
Our lead vehicle was a VW Beetle! How cool!!
Post race shot. Thank you ISM!!
The CAT4/5 results are in!
I don’t remember what the race director said, but I guess it was funny…
At a Glance A spontaneous entry into the NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K — NYRR’s first race of the year and my last as a 24-year-old — turned into a personal best 35:27, run as a negative split around a full loop of Central Park. HIGHLIGHTS Result: personal-best 10K of 35:27 Negative split: reached 5km in…
At a Glance Just 8 days after my DC half PB, I ran another personal best of 1:16:54 at the United NYC Half — a gritty, positive-split effort where I got dropped in Central Park, ground alone up Harlem Hill, and dug deep to break 1:17 down the West Side Highway. HIGHLIGHTS Result: personal-best 1:16:54,…
At a Glance A busy start to 2013: through a brutal Northeast winter, I built base indoors, tackled the Tour of Sufferlandria, studied for the GMAT, and traveled to Hong Kong for a trio of races — including a trail win and pacing my dad to a marathon PR. HIGHLIGHTS Completed the Tour of Sufferlandria…
At a Glance A preview of the Leadville 100 MTB — a bucket-list race falling just 13 days after Ironman Lake Placid — and the tight recovery plan (fast recovery plus single-track practice) I used to bounce back and toe the line fresh. HIGHLIGHTS Racing the Leadville 100 MTB just 13 days after Ironman Lake…
At a Glance A brief March 2020 update: with the COVID-19 situation unfolding, all of my scheduled races were canceled or postponed as of March 15. Alongside the schedule note, a few reflections on staying calm, staying connected, and taking things one day at a time. HIGHLIGHTS All 2020 scheduled races canceled or postponed as…
At a Glance March 2014 training totals: a breakout month with big jumps across the board and an unexpected dive into road racing — six bike races (two doubles and a criterium) after signing up for just Battenkill. HIGHLIGHTS Duration: 58:08:48 (+27.82% vs February) Distance: 784.18 miles (+31.26%); TSS: 2241 (+25.84%) Raced six bike events…
![United Airlines NYC Half Marathon [2016]](https://chanthony.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_0538-768x1024.jpg)
