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The Adventure of Grand Fondo NYC 2017

Carolyn PiperCarolyn Piper
in Races & Places 🏁⛺
Every year I set a New Years Goal, not a resolution but a goal.  This year I decided to do more group things.  So when I got the text to do Grand Fondo NYC I agreed. 

For those that do not know this is a 100 mile ride starting on the George Washington Bridge up Bear Mtn and back to Fort Lee.  It has about 8,000 feet of climbing and descending, 16 cat 4 climbs, 3 cat 3 climbs and 1 cat 2 climb.  There really is no flats just up and down.  Both of which I am not great at, especially climbing.  But I agreed; after all group things are my goal for the year. 

So a friend of mine (a bike mechanic) came up with the idea to convert my 10 speed 2012 Pinarello Paris with about 10K of miles on it, into an 11 speed.  To do this on a budget he used my rear cassette, derailleurs and shifters from my cyclocross bike, while the big and small ring was from my Pinarello which was a 52/36.  This turned out to be a decision that I am super thankful that was made.

My training was the Nov out season, which I hated but appreciated on this ride, the intermediate marathon plan than on April 1st the intermediate IM plan.  My training leading up the race was ok, I was on the trainer or mill 90% of the time due to weather and laziness.  My longest ride outside ride was 60 miles in heavy wind, two weeks prior to the race.  Right or wrong my taper was simple I'll just cut the run out one week prior.  As for the fueling plan I decided to follow the same one I used for IMMT.    

Six days to race day and I get a text from my friend she was in a horrible car accident and was not able to go.  Which meant her boyfriend and his friend bailed.  After some thought I decided I'll go anyways, after all I paid for the race entry fee, the hotel was nonrefundable and of course there is the race jersey to think about, which is really nice by the way. 

What was suppose to be a group event turned into a solo adventure.  The whole trip now made me nervous, primarily leaving my bike on the back of my car somewhere for it get stolen while I picked up my race packet and than there was the solo 100 miles to think about. 

I decided to bite the bullet of nerves and drive into New York City.  I used Spot Hero the day before to locate and reserve my parking space next to Central Park.  I then would ride my bike to Penn Pavilion 3 miles away to packet pick up, with the intent of returning and riding through Central Park.  I memorize the streets I would take so I can pay attention to traffic and pedestrians.   

Off I go and 500 feet from the garage it was super crowded and I got squeezed by a car and another cyclist onto a storm grate.  The best way to explain it is that the holes are in the same direction as the direction of the traveling bike tire and I had to bunny hop out of it.  I kept it up right and continued on not realizing the damage done until I return back to Central Park for my exploratory ride. 

My front tire looked like Christmas ribbon but somehow it was still holding air.  It was 4'oclock.  I did not bring a spare tire only tubes as a result I needed locate an open bike shop close by, I find one just a mile away, thank you Google.  I walked there since the tire was now hissing air.  I made it to the bike shop in time before they close.  Both the front tire and rear tire were destroyed and had to be replaced.  It was now close to 6, I was determined to ride Central Park well worth it, super awesome.  However it seemed a little tough.  I must just be tired its been a long day, I did not give it another thought. 

I returned back to my car to head to the hotel.  On 5th ave. just past Trump Towers I get rear-ended at a stop light by a red mini van, hard.  I pull over to exchange info and he drove off with what appeared to be a strange hole in his front bumper.  The bike was still on so I continue back to hotel in New Jersey.  Once I got there I got there I noticed the bike stand on the bike rack was ripped off.  What I believe I saw in the front bumper of the mini van was my bike stand.  No real damage to my car or bike so I shrug it off for now and check in.

Race Day:

When I left the hotel I saw a penny heads up and so as my mother taught me I chanted "penny, penny wish me luck because I didn't pick you up".  I knew right than no matter what that the day would be ok. 

The hotel was 20 mins from the start and I parked in the Guntzer Municipal Lot in New Jersey.
The parking meters are slow to read the credit cards which was causing a lot of backup of riders trying to pay.  What we learned was when it says remove card quickly what it means is wait until it says paid, than pull out your card.  When you enter your time do not hold increased time button otherwise you will pay more than you need as there is no decrease time button.  You can hit cancel but there is an mob of nervous riders behind you worried about making it to the bridge before they close the corrals off.  

Now the cool part.  I get to ride over the George Washington Bridge and through another portion of the city where you loop back to the starting point.  Normally my bike is really responsive and rolls super easy.  Yet it seemed to take a bit of an effort to keep it rolling, I am just over thinking it.  Once on the bridge I had an 1 hour wait before the start which is way to long on a bridge with a full bladder and watching other cyclists with bikes that cost more than my car. 

Then there were the bike shoes.  Oh the shoes! I have never seen so many different types, some even had laces.  I was so jealous, mine are at least 2 years old and more than 7K of miles on them and boy did they look it.  Than the riders.  They had muscles that gave birth to other muscles, including the women!  Now I wonder what have I agreed too and am I in the right corral.  I casually look for riders that looked more like me.  Finally I find them and I feel better about the corral I am in.

Finally I hear the announcer say that we are starting.  As I push my bike forward it is not rolling all that smooth, I check to see if I am being bumped from behind, nope. Spin the wheels nothing, okay maybe its just me.  I hop on and go.  Right away downhill I am going a whopping 13 mph, it must be really windy going into this tunnel. 

People are super jumpy to get going and three miles in we hit a little hill and quite a few people are dropping their chains.  At mile 5 in Fort Lee, the couple I spotted that looked like me, well her husband crashed and was knocked unconscious in the middle of the pavement.  I felt bad 2,000 riders behind me in coming in pretty fast.  It was a dangerous position for them to be in.  I hope he is okay and ride on as I know help is on the way. 

Mile 14 is somewhat flat and for some reason I can't seem to go any faster than 17mph and I can't stick to any wheel.  Than its quite there are no other riders around me.  I hear it, something is rubbing, so as I am riding I loosen up the brake pads, nope still rubbing.  I check my watts on my Garmin head unit and I am blowing 200, which made no sense so I check my 920xt 0 watts and 0 cadence.  For some reason the watch is not picking up the powertap pedals.  I ride on and stop at the first aid station. 

Finally a bathroom and a clean unused porta pot to boot!  Super awesome!  I go back to my bike and now I notice it.  I have 28s on and not 23s, the tires can't clear the frame.  I am in luck, thank you penny, a bike service station is set up and I head over. 

I receive a small lecture what I can only assume is in Italian on how dangerous this is and for $200 I get a pair of 23s.  I did not want leave behind the 28s after all I now I am in for $400 in tires in just two days, not to mention the new set I put on last week for the ride.  I told them I'll just wear them, 1930's Tour de France style.  Another lecture in what I believe is in being ridiculous, they agreed to mail them home to me.  So with really with no effort at all rolled out of the aid station nice and smooth. 

Climb after climb the beauty of the ride unfolded itself.  We were along the Hudson River and than above it for mile after mile.  The climbs were steep and long and with my new gearing I passed rider after rider going up and than on the descents they passed me.  Once I got close to Bear Mountain I saw what must have been the middle of the pack on the return trip, they were at least 10 miles ahead. 

The climb up Bear Mountain was really nice with a few switch backs and a couple of nice overlooks.  The top however was a crowded party, with the most disgusting porta pot ever.  I got more fluids, took a photo, saw that my powertap battery died and headed down fairly slowly compared to others buzzing past me and that's okay.

Mile 63ish was a beast of a climb, 19% at one point and on the corner there was an ambulance tending to people with what appeared to be mostly muscle cramps.  Further up the climb there was people off the road and scattered about, one even looked like he was taking a nap.  I swear he was snoring.  On I ride. 

Mile 68 is another stop, with a very nice bus to take you and your bike to Fort Lee.  They announced last call for Fort Lee.  I thought about it for a split second on how easy would it be.  I did a self assessment legs, feel great, stomach, doing great, allergies awful, but normal.  On I ride.

Mile 68 to about 89 is mostly rollers except for one nasty climb in the middle of a some out of the way residential community, they added it just to be mean.  Mile 87 is a ice cream parlor!  I wanted to stop so bad for a chocolate milkshake, now I am hungry.  I eat yet another gu but its not the same as a Chocolate Milkshake.

Mile 90 for the first time all day I catch someone and ride in his draft for a mile or two.  It was glorious.  There was this nasty headwind and I was doing maybe 17 on my own but he was able to hold 18.5 or 19 so I just stuck just to try and to coast a bit.  Boy he was not pleased with me.  He even tried to shake me off, but to no avail I hung on.  I would have taken a pull but I could not maintain his speed.

Mile 98 was the worst climb of the day, it was 1 mile long and was posted at the beginning of the climb for an average of 6%, um they lied.  My Garmin had it a 10% and some spots 11% most of the way with a few switch backs.  My only thought was just get through this and get a Chocolate Milkshake.  Over and over again milkshake, milkshake, and before I know 7 minutes had past and I am at the top with a mile to go to the finish.  I come to the finish line at 18 mph and I hear the announcer say Carolyn Piper from Plymouth Ma steaming in all alone.  If he only knew.

My advice for this race:

1.)  Put on new tires.  The roads are crappy and there were a lot of flats in Fort Lee in the first 10 miles.
2.)  Be cautious on the descents as there were quite a few accidents especially after mile 50.  Most of which occurred at the bottom of hills with turns
3.)  Make sure you have the right gearing and it has recently been maintained.  There was a lot of grinding and one guy broke his rear derailleur off on the climb up Bear Mtn.
4.)  Make sure you stick to your nutrition plan as best as you can especially after mile 60.  There was a ton of people on the side of the road with muscle cramps who are fitter than I am.

My Biggest take ways:

1.)  Before a big event take a day off from work to organize and prepare.  Then take the next day to travel.  Or vise versa.  Doing it all in one day is too much.
2.)  Have a little faith in my training.  The whole time I though I was not doing enough to prepare, especially when I saw everyone else.  The only thing sore is my hands, left shoulder and neck all from descending, but it is really not bad at all. 

My overall time was 8 hrs 35 mins with a little more than an hr lost at aid stations.  Of which 35 mins was at aid station 1 with the tire changes.  In my opinion that was an acceptable amount of lost time versus an accident, however I could have moved through the other stations a little faster even with the crowds. 

Next up for group events:  Volunteer for RAAM   

Thanks for letting me share my adventure.     

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