NYC 47K report - my first skate race

I got a great workout and learning experience, skating in the New York City
Skate Marathon on Saturday.
http://www.empirespeed.com/

Friday evening I was searching the web and discovered there was this race
the next day. I figured since I've been on inlines for a full six weeks, I
must be ready for a marathon, so . . .

I succeeded on finishing 42 km on the loop in Prospect Park in Brooklyn
borough of New York City. The way I got to 47K was by mis-counting my laps
on the 5.3K loop. My time was "below average", but I didn't finish last.
The _big_ race was the 100K, and they had some big-name racers in town for
that.

I liked the camaraderie with the other racers: You get _closer_ on inlines
than on skis. I went faster on little wheels than ever in my life there on
the smooth fresh pavement -- with the aid of a supporting hand on my butt
from another racer drafting behind me on the long downhill.

My legs were so sore and tired that afternoon after the race, I could hardly
walk. Maybe a good race is the cure for those complaints about "can't get a
real workout on inline skates" (or fast-wheel rollerskis)

I want to do that again.

Observations:

-- most racers were on 5-wheel skates. Only a few on 100 mm wheels in
4-wheel frames. (I felt satisfaction in passing a guy with 100 mm wheels on
the big climb)

-- I got lapped a couple of times by 11-year-old girls. (What is this
sport? elite swimming?)

-- the winners skated 100K in just under 3 hours.

-- a 12-year-old boy finished the 100K in 4 hours. (and I didn't know
12-year-old boys could do _anything_ for fours continuously)

-- after I finished, I went to the big hill and sat on the side there to see
what technique the pros use for climbing. Answer: Pretty much like on the
flats -- maybe they didn't think it was a real hill.

-- Prospect Park is a fun course.

-- At the vendor booths: In next year's product line, Salomon again has
some inline skates that look like Pilot ski boots (they'll be called
"Pilot").

Ken

An OT post:

On Sunday a bunch of friends did the Mid Hudson Bicycle Club Century that
started at the rail trail in Amenia, NY which also happens to be where a
group meets regularly to do long roller ski sessions.

The 100 mile bicycle route was extraordinarily beautiful, and on roads that
were for the most part without cars. The roads seemed to be designed for
such an event.

At the end of the ride I asked a couple of club officers how they ever
figured out such a perfect course that went through three states- NY, MA,
and CT.
They said they had no idea, but a guy from New Jersey, Ken Roberts came up
with the course.

Thanks Ken.

Gary Jacobson
Rosendale, NY

"Ken Roberts" wrote in message
...
I got a great workout and learning experience, skating in the New York
City
Skate Marathon on Saturday.
http://www.empirespeed.com/

Friday evening I was searching the web and discovered there was this race
the next day. I figured since I've been on inlines for a full six weeks,
I
must be ready for a marathon, so . . .

I succeeded on finishing 42 km on the loop in Prospect Park in Brooklyn
borough of New York City. The way I got to 47K was by mis-counting my
laps
on the 5.3K loop. My time was "below average", but I didn't finish last.
The _big_ race was the 100K, and they had some big-name racers in town for
that.

I liked the camaraderie with the other racers: You get _closer_ on
inlines
than on skis. I went faster on little wheels than ever in my life there
on
the smooth fresh pavement -- with the aid of a supporting hand on my butt
from another racer drafting behind me on the long downhill.

My legs were so sore and tired that afternoon after the race, I could
hardly
walk. Maybe a good race is the cure for those complaints about "can't get
a
real workout on inline skates" (or fast-wheel rollerskis)

I want to do that again.

Observations:

-- most racers were on 5-wheel skates. Only a few on 100 mm wheels in
4-wheel frames. (I felt satisfaction in passing a guy with 100 mm wheels
on
the big climb)

-- I got lapped a couple of times by 11-year-old girls. (What is this
sport? elite swimming?)

-- the winners skated 100K in just under 3 hours.

-- a 12-year-old boy finished the 100K in 4 hours. (and I didn't know
12-year-old boys could do _anything_ for fours continuously)

-- after I finished, I went to the big hill and sat on the side there to
see
what technique the pros use for climbing. Answer: Pretty much like on
the
flats -- maybe they didn't think it was a real hill.

-- Prospect Park is a fun course.

-- At the vendor booths: In next year's product line, Salomon again has
some inline skates that look like Pilot ski boots (they'll be called
"Pilot").

Ken

Thanks, Gary -- Sharon and I rode that MHBC Century route also on Sunday,
but with some shortcuts and variations. It was a wonderful day in some
wonderful country in the Hudson valley and southern Berkshires -- and we
sure noticed how little car traffic there was.

Some of those roads could also make nice rollerski or skating routes -- like
around Sheffield MA and Ancramdale and Copake, NY.

Actually Ron Gall had the vision for riding thru all three states, and was
in charge of the routes -- I gave him some ideas for roads.

Ron told me afterward that the riders of the 100K route were if anything
even more enthusiastic when they got back. You might want to consider going
back with your friends soon to ride (not rollerski) some of the roads from
this route:
http://roberts-1.com/bikehudson/r/ea...aic_copake/map

Ken
________________________________
Gary Jacobson wrote
On Sunday a bunch of friends did the Mid Hudson Bicycle Club Century that
started at the rail trail in Amenia, NY which also happens to be where a
group meets regularly to do long roller ski sessions.

The 100 mile bicycle route was extraordinarily beautiful, and on roads
that
were for the most part without cars. The roads seemed to be designed for
such an event.

At the end of the ride I asked a couple of club officers how they ever
figured out such a perfect course that went through three states- NY, MA,
and CT.
They said they had no idea, but a guy from New Jersey, Ken Roberts came up
with the course.