At a Glance
A solo recon ride to scout Ocean Parkway near Jones Beach as a stoplight-free time-trial route — a pancake-flat 15.5-mile strip that’s great for tempo work, though still under repair after Hurricane Sandy.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Scouted Ocean Parkway, a flat 15.5-mile out-and-back with no intersections
- Workout: 15-min warmup, 2×10-min tempo intervals at ~244 watts, 20-min cooldown
- Rode with a 15mph tailwind out and 15mph headwind back
- Parked at Field 6 due to construction closures between Meadowbrook and Wantagh
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Ideal for time trials: the flat, signal-free road is perfect for uninterrupted tempo efforts
- Check conditions first: post-Sandy reconstruction left uneven pavement and lane closures
- Don’t forget the lap button — fused intervals make it harder to review the data afterward
- Best after Memorial Day: worth waiting until more lanes reopen before riding it
Sunday Funday
The last time I stepped foot on Jones Beach was probably two summers ago. This time around, I wasn’t here for the beach. Instead, I was here to recon some new cycling training routes, especially for time trialing where I don’t need to worry about stop lights and intersections. This is where Ocean Parkway comes into play. This strip is road is 15.5 miles long from end to end. However, Hurricane Sandy (October 2012) trashed the parkway!
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| Wantagh soutbound approach to Ocean Parkway |
Ocean Parkway is currently under around the clock reconstruction so that the road is repaired by Memorial Day weekend. The section from the Meadowbrook Parkway to Wantagh Parkway was closed this morning, so I had no choice but to park at Field 6
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| view of Jones Beach Theater from Field 6 |
The Slice took a nap on the way to Jones Beach
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| side sleeper |
The ride was simple, an out and back on Ocean Parkway. 10 miles +15mph tailwind & 10 miles+15mph headwind. I did a quick 15 minute warmup below 140 BPM. Then I did 2×10 minute tempo intervals. For the first 10 minute interval, I managed average 244 Watts. 6 minute easy spinning in between and then did the second 10 minute interval against the wind, averaging about the same wattage. I forgot to press the lap button so those 16 minutes of easy & tempo riding were fused together. The rest of the ride was 20 minutes easy cooldown at 181 avg watts. This was definitely a good test ride, despite some uneven pavement and construction along the route.
If you ever need a pancake flat route, this is a great option. However, due to the current construction, I wouldn’t recommend riding on ocean parkway until more lanes open up.
Post ride photo op |
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