Crystal Ride

[KLizotte]

If Curtis ordered you the seatpost thingee (that’s a technical term) for the rack, it should be in before the end of the week. Mondays is when they place their orders and the stuff arrives on Thursdays or so I was told.

I’ve never done or see the Crystal Ride so can’t comment on refreshments. I may or may not join depending on my time availability; it will be a last minute decision. If I decide to go, I’ll let you know.

The route is very flat except for the long hill up to the Air Force Memorial along Columbia Pike. It’s not a killer hill but will probably seem progressively worse with each lap if it is hot out. I’d be more worried about negotiating the downhill with less than experienced riders but if they close off all lanes it may be fine since it is a rather wide road (4 lanes). I suspect BikeDC is far harder to negotiate the packed conditions.

Wear lots of sunscreen and bring water since most of the ride will be in broad sun without any shade. Too bad this cool weather isn’t supposed to extend into the wknd.

I need to check the route to see if ya’ll are going right by my apartment bldg.

[PotomacCyclist]

http://www.airforcecyclingclassic.com/PDF/2012/ARL012_CrystalCityMap_51812.pdf

The map shows two separate Hydration Stations, two medical stations and a Technical Support station.

“Revolution Cycles City Hub in Crystal City will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., Sunday June 10th, to accommodate any last minute needs of cyclists participating in the Crystal Ride.”

As for the number of laps, there’s no minimum. You can start any time between 7:30 and 9 am. Everyone has to be off the course by 11 am. During that time, you can ride as fast or as slow as you want, but I think you still need to ride at least 2 laps to get the bronze finisher medal.

I would plan on bringing at least one water bottle and some gels or carb chews. I may bring 3 water bottles (water only, no sports drink for me) and several packets of carb chews. But that’s because I’m planning to ride fairly hard. (That depends on how quickly I recover from a 5K race on Saturday morning in D.C.)

This will be my first year on the Crystal Ride too. I watched some of the pro races over the last two years. I never did the Crystal Ride because it was scheduled the week before the Washington DC Triathlon and I didn’t want to wipe myself out for that race. The WDC Tri is no more, so now my riding calendar has been freed up to do the Crystal Ride (6 laps, hopefully).

[vvill]

I signed up for my first ride this year to get some catch-up/riding time with a ex-colleague I don’t see much anymore (who also commutes by bike). Not really sure what to expect, but I know there are at least a few others on here who’ve done the ride before.

I expect the first lap will be slooow to get started and then it will thin out.

I’m sure there will be water but not sure what else will be catered. For 3.5 hrs I’ll definitely need some top-up calories.

[consularrider]

This will be my fourth Crystal Ride. I only remember having one water area, somewhere between 18th and 14th Sts. One time it was on the way out (east side) the other was on the way back (west side). Volunteers handed out closed screw top half liter bottes one year, and open ones last year. Makes for fun as riders try to grab them as they ride by. I went through the two 24 oz bottles I brought, plus one half liter bottle I picked up after my sixth lap. I don’t remember any food being provided at the start, during the ride, or after.

As was already said, you just ride as many laps as you can, they will pull you off the course at the starting line if it looks like you won’t have time to complete a full lap as 11:30 am approaches.

There are a couple of issues. This has been a mass start event, so if you want to be near the front, you need to get out on the street early. I haven’t seen how they intend to handle the start this year, and it is something I will ask as I pick up my ride packet on Friday. Last year they had some riders (corporate challenge and maybe team sabre I think) start up at the Air Force Memorial, and two years ago they allowed team sabre to get to the front of the starting group. Otherwise it is a free-for-all. I encourage riders who know they are slower to not line up near the front. The second is to also remind everyone that this is a ride for everyone, regardless of ability or stamina, so please stay to the right unless passing. This is especially important on the turns and on the climb up to the Air Force Memorial. I’m not real sure what the standard is for calling out passes in this type of event.

[Mark Blacknell]

Consularrider gives good advice. My additions:

• Unlike BikeDC, there will be many pacelines of riders who are *really* dedicated to getting the fastest time possible. Leave the left side of the road to them.
• When you pull over to get water, move slowly to the right and be aware of what’s behind you before you stop.
• Just spin spin up to the Air Force Memorial, and def stay to the right on the way down if you’re not going to bomb it.
• The course should be a bit more friendly this year – that really awkward hairpin turn is out.

You’ll have great time.

[Megabeth]

I’ve done it every year and every year is slightly different. However, one thing has remained the same – you’ll see fast riders out there and you’ll see slow riders. On the straights, there is plenty of room for the pacelines to pass on the left. Just stay to the right and they’ll do their thing. As you get further into the lap, it does stretch out a bit so the “crowd” feeling in the beginning (through Crystal City proper) but it does go away soon after.

There was a hinky hair-pin last year, on a climb over a ramp, that caused some issues but, again, with anything like that, if you hold your line and remain predictable, folks passing shouldn’t a problem. Doesn’t look like that’s included in this year’s course.

I did enjoy the liquid refreshment hand-off last year. Intrepid volunteers stood out in Crystal City and handed out water and flavored water (Vitamin Water? Gatorade? Can’t remember.). I made sure to have my own snacks/chewies/bars/etc. with me.

Sunscreen = yes, it’s a must.

Oh, finally, at the top of the Air Force Hill there are bathrooms and water fountains so if you’re low on water in your bottle you can fill up there. And, take a breather before heading down again. (Best part of that climb is usually there is music or some sort of MC calling out and cheering on folks as they crest the hill. I was called out as, “Hey, it’s Georgia Peach again!” on each pass when I wore my yellow Tour of Georgia jersey one year.)

[thucydides]

I’m glad to hear they axed the hairpin this year. I saw someone go down hard there last year and needed medical treatment. I’m doing the Richmond Xterra on Sunday so will miss it this year. Oh well, have fun and be safe everybody.

[eminva]

Thank you for the excellent advice, all. Sounds like my biggest concern — water — should not be an issue.

@Mark Blacknell 21487 wrote:

• Unlike BikeDC, there will be many pacelines of riders who are *really* dedicated to getting the fastest time possible. Leave the left side of the road to them.
• When you pull over to get water, move slowly to the right and be aware of what’s behind you before you stop.
• Just spin spin up to the Air Force Memorial, and def stay to the right on the way down if you’re not going to bomb it.
• The course should be a bit more friendly this year – that really awkward hairpin turn is out.

You’ll have great time.

I don’t know, Mark, your first three bullet points make it hard for me to envision your last sentence. 😮 But I’ve been passed by pacelines on the local MUTs, the local MUTs have sometimes been so crowded that I had to look over my shoulder before doing an emergency pullover and I’m well aquainted with the laws of gravity carrying many cyclists down hills faster than me. So perhaps my “lone wolf” commuting has prepared me better than I anticipate.

Thanks again!

Liz

[PotomacCyclist]

What was the first year that the Crystal Ride was held?

[Megabeth]

I believe it was 2008…?

[consularrider]

@PotomacCyclist 21503 wrote:

What was the first year that the Crystal Ride was held?

According to the website, 2008. I missed the first one because I think I was traveling in Africa for work.

[PotomacCyclist]

I had the impression that it was around for longer than that. Interesting.

I don’t think I knew about it until 2010. I wouldn’t have participated in 2008, mostly because I didn’t have a bike and I wasn’t riding then. I caught the triathlon bug in summer 2008 after watching the Summer Olympics on TV. Then I promptly got myself injured that fall by doing too much on the run. (No running injuries since 2009 though.) I did a lot of stationary bike workouts that winter but I didn’t get my first bike as an adult until summer 2009. Before that point, I hadn’t ridden an outdoor bike in well over a decade.

[vvill]

Anyone figured out these timing chip thingies yet?

There was an older gentleman in front of me in the queue remonstrating that his bike shoes didn’t have laces and he wouldn’t be able to attach the band easily.

[eminva]

@vvill 21666 wrote:

Anyone figured out these timing chip thingies yet?

There was an older gentleman in front of me in the queue remonstrating that his bike shoes didn’t have laces and he wouldn’t be able to attach the band easily.

I was wondering the same thing. Does it have to be affixed to our shoe? Can we put it on our bike (like loop it around the seat tube)? Or somewhere else on our person?

I thought if all else fails, I will wait until I get there to put it on and see what others are doing.

Liz

[KLizotte]

@eminva 21670 wrote:

I was wondering the same thing. Does it have to be affixed to our shoe? Can we put it on our bike (like loop it around the seat tube)? Or somewhere else on our person?

I thought if all else fails, I will wait until I get there to put it on and see what others are doing.

Liz

I suspect they show a shoe since these are mostly used by runners in races who obviously have fewer places to attach them to and organizers need a consistent way to measure when people cross the start/finish line.

Anyway I got in as a walk in so I’ll be participating tomorrow. Getting up that early is gonna kill me.

[Author]

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