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 last-minute entry into the Tobay Triathlon to jump-start my training block before the IRONMAN World Championships. Racing on heavy legs from a 23-hour training week, I posted the race-best bike split and held on through the run to finish 3rd overall in 60:37 — exactly the morale boost I needed. HIGHLIGHTS…
At a Glance A quick tip on building bike-handling skills that road and TT miles don’t develop: hit the technical, rocky single-track at Stillwell Woods and Cunningham Park to sharpen balance, adjustment, and recovery. HIGHLIGHTS Recommends Stillwell Woods and Cunningham Park for skill-building Both feature rocky, rooty terrain and one-way single-track Technical trails that test…
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…
At a Glance This year I experience Ironman Florida from the other side of the fence — spectating and serving as a Sherpa for a teammate — on a wild day when dangerous rip currents forced organizers to cancel the swim and turn the race into a bike time-trial duathlon. HIGHLIGHTS Ironman Florida’s swim was…
At a Glance February 2014 training totals: another cold, snowy month of mostly indoor work that went right on plan — slightly less volume than January but higher intensity, a 2nd-place 5K, a new FTP, and much more time in the pool. HIGHLIGHTS Duration: 46:55:08; Distance: 597.43 miles (-10.77%) Average HR: 143 bpm (+3.62%); Work:…
At a Glance A recap of my January and February 2017 training as I built toward my first Boston Marathon, sharing four races in and around New York City — the NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K, pacing the Fred Lebow Manhattan Half, the Gridiron 4M, and the PPTC Cherry Tree 10M — each used strategically as…
![Tobay Triathlon Race Report [August 28, 2016]](https://chanthony.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/img_5094-768x576.jpg)
