Friday, November 27, 2009

Racing for money?

It is probably every racers dream, at some point to win big money in a race.  Dreams are not what keep most of training hard and racing even harder.  For most, I think, it is the thrill of competition and feeling of winning or having a teammate win.  The money and the prizes are nice, but necessary?

Sure we would all love to be like this guy:



When in reality, if we counted on our winnings and sponsorship deals to support us, most of us would be more like this:


 
 
I have, along with the help of my team and my wife, promoted 5 races in the last 3 years.  We promoted the Virginia Beach Wheelmen Smackdown in 2007, Sleepy Hole Smackdown in 2008 and 2009, The Smithfield HAMmer Fest 2-man TTT in 2009 and the Bennett's Creek Park Cyclocross Race just last weekend.  In each one of these races we have put our concentration on ensure the permits were correct, ensure the course was fun and safe and ensure that everyone would have a good time.  For all these races what we lacked was a money sponsor.  All cash prizes have come from the entry fees for the day.  So although the prizes were not much, they were a lot to us.  I'm not saying this to make anyone feel guilty or to make us look good, its just a segway to a question I have.

On our first race that we promoted, a storm came through.  So we already had a low pre-registered race because it was our first, it was not BAR and many people viewed it as a training race.  Then the storm came and most racers who showed up that day looked like this:



We had a total of 16 racers for the day.  Some racers were not even held, but if someone showed up, we ran their race and paid the prize money out.  I got a call the next day from someone who won one of the races saying "Disregarding paying my check, my wife said I would never make any money at this sport so I have hung my winning check up in a frame to prove her wrong.  I will never cash it."

This last weekend, after the Bennett's Creek Cyclocross Race I received this email:

Joshua,

Thanks for putting on a great race - it was tough, but
fun.  Go ahead and cancel my check #1038 - I have
shredded it - I'm not racing for money.  I'm sure
your team can use it, even that small amount.

Looking forward to next years.....

Mark Wilson
Speedy's Hot Sauce

I think most local racers don't care about the money.  I'm not going to lie to you though.  It feels good to receive sponsorship, to receive cash payout.  It somehow makes you feel like you are better than you are.  What other adult, amateur sports do companies pay you to wear their logos and you compete for money every weekend?  Not many.

My goal for next year as a promoter is to find some cash sponsors for the race to be able to increase the payout.  But is that important?  For the past 2 races we found sponsors that gave prizes in the form of merchandise.  These weren't the things that set on the clearance rack at the shop either.  These items were purchased specifically for the event.  Is that better then cash?

Cash on a race flier looks good.  People seem to rave over the merchandise prizes we have given out lately.  Is there a balance?  What makes you want to race?  Have you ever not raced because the payout was too low? 

Just some question to stir some debate so I can make next year's races a bigger success.

Thanks to all who have ever raced and supported local clubs.  A special thanks to those who do it because that's what they love to do.

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving.
 

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Forget about Cyclist vs. Motorsist issue, how about Cyclist vs Disc Golfer?

Bennett's Creek Park in Suffolk, VA, home of the Bennett's Creek Cyclocross race this past weekend is also home to an 18 hole Disc Golf course.  Disc golf is apparently pretty popular in Suffolk.  Every time we were at this park to do work there were plenty of golfers.  Most of them were pretty nice and put up with us riding through their course.  Even the day we were there (Saturday) to do maintenance on the trail and post storm clean-up, the golfers were happy we were taking care of the trails and welcomed us there.


Sunday morning though was a little different.  We got there at 7 am to set up the course, so did the disc golfers.  I saw a pickup truck pull into one of the parking lots that were going to be used in the course.  We hadn't had a chance to close the road yet, so I went over to explain we were holding a race and he was not going to have access to the golf course after 10am.  But more importantly he had to move his truck.  He was not happy with me.  I mean, he was already in the middle of putting on his disc golf shoes and now a guy with shaved legs was telling him he couldn't play.

"Did you rent the park?" was his question.  Of course we rented the park.  What the hell did he think?  After mumbling something under his breathe, he got in his truck and moved.  But not out of the park, just to another lot.  Then he got out of the truck and just stood in the middle of the street like he was waiting for something.

He was waiting for something:



Yes, he called the cops because we wouldn't let him play disc golf.

The cop who showed up didn't even waste my time.  But it didn't stop the golfer from calling his friends and playing through our race.  There were times when they got on the course and walked slowly because they just wanted to be assholes.  And there were times when they throw their discs across the course.

I preempted their complaints by filing one of my own with Suffolk Parks and Recs.  Plus I had to keep in mind that this was one group of golfers.  All other groups that we met were all pretty nice.  We just had to get the serious, semi-pro, very athletic disc golfers:


 
 
These are not the actual pictures of the golfers on that day but do capture the essence that I was going for.  I am going to keep my eyes open for a disc golf tournament and plan on riding my bike through their course on that day.  See how they like it.

Now I have vented.  And I am spent.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Bennett's Creek Park Cyclocross Race Results

>
PLACE
BIB
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TEAM
Race Age
CATEGORY ENTERED
1
571
Ethan
Revere
Altius Cycling Team
12
Jr 10-14
2
572
Henry
Revere
Altius Cycling Team
9
Jr 10-14







PLACE
BIB
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TEAM
Race Age
CATEGORY ENTERED
1
385
Mary
Alex
Evolution Cycling Club
48
Women 4
2
392
Jennifer
Pope
Fat Frogs Racing
34
Women 4
3
387
Deborah
Conway
Evolution Cycling Club
48
Women 4
4
396
Aranell
Schmitz

23
Women 4
5
391
Sharon
Nicholson
Tripower
52
Women 4
6
388
Glenda
Craddock
Fat Frogs Racing
47
Women 4
7
390
Amber
Goins

32
Women 4
8
397
Susan
Revere

41
Women 4
9
395
Sheri
Segal

52
Women 4
10
386
Julia
Casals
Evolution Cycling Club
45
Women 4
11
394
Karen
Franke

44
Women 4
12
398
Melissa
Yeager

32
Women 4
13
389
Julie
Fink
Fat Frogs Racing
29
Women 4

393
Jackie
Starkey
Tri-power
47
Women 4
prime 385













PLACE
BIB
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TEAM
Race Age
CATEGORY ENTERED
1
541
Sally
McMahon
TriPower
32
Women'S 1/2/3
2
540
Carol
Ennser
Tripower
39
Women'S 1/2/3
3
543
Pamela
Zimmerman

57
Women'S 1/2/3
4
542
Irene
Pang

40
Women'S 1/2/3
prime 540













PLACE
BIB
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TEAM
Race Age
CATEGORY ENTERED
1
760
Cameron
Holland


Masters 35+
2
758
Brent
Williamson
Rostello presented by Fiorucci/Cycor
41
Masters 35+
3
768
Mark
Wilson


Masters 35+
4
751
Kevin
Horvath

38
Masters 35+
5
761
Geoff
Beaty


Masters 35+
6
764
Jimmy
Deaton


Masters 35+
7
754
Matthew
Marchal
Altius Cycling Team
39
Masters 35+
8
763
Bryan
Sorell


Masters 35+
9
750
Christopher
Dinsmore
TriPower
42
Masters 35+
10
767
B.
Lehen


Masters 35+
11
757
C. C.
Rosen
Speedy's Hot Sauce pb Fuji
36
Masters 35+
12
766
Hobie
Writmore


Masters 35+
13
762
Robert
Cook


Masters 35+
14
759
Sean
Yeager
Altius Cycling Team
35
Masters 35+
15
756
Albe
Rodenas
All About Bikes Racing
42
Masters 35+
16
765
John
O'Neal


Masters 35+

752
Robert
Issem
East Coasters / Star City Vicious
39
Masters 35+
prime 751













PLACE
BIB
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TEAM
Race Age
CATEGORY ENTERED
1
785
Keith
Johnson
Speedy's Hot Sauce p/b Fuji
49
Masters 45+
2
784
Chris
Huhn
Evolution Cycling Club
44
Masters 45+
3
787
James
Revere
Altius Cycling Team
45
Masters 45+
4
792
Edward
Dickenson
East Coasters
46
Masters 45+
5
786
John
Messersmith
Altius Cycling Team
49
Masters 45+
6
782
William
Gilmer
tri-power
46
Masters 45+
7
788
Steve
Simet
JRVS/Casey Auto Group
54
Masters 45+
8
783
Jeffrey
Henke
JRVS
50
Masters 45+
9
789
Tim
Starkey
Tri-power
50
Masters 45+
10
781
Tom
Fournier
unattached
50
Masters 45+
11
791
Rick
Young
JRVS/Casey Auto
46
Masters 45+
12
793
Dave
Olds


Masters 45+

790
Harlan
Ward
Speedy's Hot Sauce p/b Fuji
10
Masters 45+
prime is 784













PLACE
BIB
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TEAM
Race Age
CATEGORY ENTERED
1
713
Timothy
Pope
Fat Frogs Racing
35
Cat 4
2
708
Matt
Keane
Fat Frogs Racing
24
Cat 4
3
703
Andres
Demarchena
Fat Frog's Racing
32
Cat 4
4
725
Michael
Baldwin


Cat 4
5
711
Michael
Park
TriPower
35
Cat 4
6
704
Taylor
Doyle
Fat Frogs Racing
26
Cat 4
7
706
Barry
Hindman
Ben's Performance Bicycles, Inc
39
Cat 4
8
707
Robert
Issem
East Coasters / Star City Vicious
39
Cat 4
9
783
Jeffrey
Henke
JRVS
50
Cat 4
10
719
Jeffrey
Hellner


Cat 4
11
700
Christopher
Adams
All About Bikes
26
Cat 4
12
717
Chris
Larkin


Cat 4
13
723
Brian
Kunz


Cat 4
14
701
Jeff
Brown
Tripower
37
Cat 4
15
718
Chris
Scales


Cat 4
16
712
Jennifer
Pope
Fat Frogs Racing
34
Cat 4
17
724
Jimmy
Miller


Cat 4
18
710
Michael
McMahon
TriPower
43
Cat 4
19
702
Mike
Bruwelheide
all about bikes racing
37
Cat 4
20
715
Junjie
Wang

43
Cat 4
21
722
Robert
Stambauger


Cat 4
22
720
Chris
Mann


Cat 4
23
714
Renee
Reilly
Scott Malkinson
25
Cat 4
24
721
Tosca
Ballenili


Cat 4

709
Arthur
Marks
Tri-Power
38
Cat 4
Prime is 713













PLACE
BIB
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TEAM
Race Age
CATEGORY ENTERED
1
652
Michael
Stoop
Speedy's Hot Sauce  pb Fuji
25
Cat 1/2
2
654
Justin
Raynes


Cat 1/2
3
650
Mark
Cockrell

32
Cat 1/2
4
651
Kevin
Horvath

38
Cat 1/2
5
653
Anthony
Bilotta


Cat 1/2
prime 652













PLACE
BIB
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TEAM
Race Age
CATEGORY ENTERED
1
684
Jon
Nisbet


Cat 3
2
678
Jimmy
Deaton
JRVS/Casey Auto Group
40
Cat 3
3
676
Robert
Carrico
Altius Cycling Team
25
Cat 3
4
677
Dave
Chamblin

39
Cat 3
5
683
John
Messersmith


Cat 3
6
680
Jerry
Hadley
Tri-Power
39
Cat 3
7
686
Mike
Tamayo


Cat 3
8
685
Tim
Shockley


Cat 3
9
679
Joshua
Goyet
Virginia Beach Wheelmen
33
Cat 3

675
Zachary
Bradshaw
Altius
23
Cat 3
prime 678






Monday, November 23, 2009

The Thank You Speech

Here goes the thank you speech for all those that helped out at the Bennett's Creek Cyclocross Race Yesterday:

Sponsors:
  • Virginia Beach Wheelmen--The promoting team, we supplied the manpower, the cash purse and paid the Bike Reg fees for those that pre-registered.
  • All About Bikes-- The supporting bike shop.  They supplied the merchandise prizes and lent us a lot of equipment.
  • Gam Jams-- A prize sponsor supplied the kick ass wool socks.
  • City of Suffolk Parks and Recs-- They supplied the land.  They were truly a sponsor because if they charged us the actually amount to use their land that they could, we would not have held the race there.
  • Kale Running-- For use of their stakes.  They are going to be putting on a good race in the next couple of weeks at the Sportsplex in Virginia Beach.  The Endurance Winter Challenge and CX race.
  • Mary Kay-- Jenni Goyet of Mary Kay supplied the bags for the prizes as well as put some hand lotion in each of those bags.  It was pretty funny to see all the top CX racers winning their prizes and walking around with Mary Kay bags.  Everyone had a great sense of humor about it and liked what was in them.
Others:

The Virginia Beach Wheelmen is a team of nine racers.  We were putting on races when we were a team of four.  It is definitely easier with the extra help.  But we are still a small team and love to get help where it is offered.  The wives of the team were a huge help (also the mother of our youngest racer really went above and beyond.  Thanks Kim, every thing you did was a huge help).  My wife along with Mike Tamayo's wife and Jon Nisbet's wife ran registration and did an excellent job. 

Albe from All About Bikes racing showed up early in the morning to help us set up.  I know I am forgetting some because we had people show up and just help that weren't even expected.  I'm sorry to leave you out but I want you to know we really appreciate it.  Thank you.

I will post results, write up and some pictures soon.

Thanks to all who came out.  Let me know if there is anything I can do to make this a better event for next year.



 

Thursday, November 19, 2009

The Hunt

So for some reason I got this notion to go hunting.  I was at my brother-in-law's house up in Maryland and he has a lot of property that can be hunted.  This is my kind of hunt.  It is within walking distance of the house, so if I decided I was completely bored I could just walk back.

So I dressed all in camo and set up in a tree stand starting at 5:30 in the morning.  And for those that were not going to believe me, I even took a picture of myself:




So I am sitting up there for 2 hours when I suddenly turn to my left and see this buck:


Okay, so it wasn't that buck.  It definitely wasn't that big, but this is my story so deal with it.  So I turn and see this buck about 50 yards away...what the heck if its my story I might as well say 100 yards away.  Anyway, I raised the gun (shotgun, by the way, and that ends up being an important part of the story) and look through the scope (scope on a shot gun?  A lot of people have asked me this and I don't have and answer)  and fired.

Guess what I didn't do?  Yes the safety was off, yes the gun was loaded, no I did not have a good enough grip on the gun to control the recoil.  So the gun kicked back and the scope nailed me just above my eye:


It obviously shocked the crap out of me and wouldn't you know that I missed the deer.  But the deer didn't run, it actually walked closer to me.  So I reaimed, controlled the gun much better and looked through the scope much further away.  I shot again and knocked the deer on its back.  The deer even let out a cry.  Then it just lied motionless on its back.  So I unloaded the remaining ammo out of the gun, unstrapped myself from the tree stand and climbed down.

As I was climbing down, I saw what I thought was another buck running into the woods.  Much to my surprise, when I got to the area where I shot the deer, it was gone.  No problem, I'll just follow the blood trail.  Unfortunately the only blood trail led back to the tree stand.  I looked for that deer for the next hour or more and never found even a sign of a deer that had just been shot.  There are some theories here:
  1. I happen to shoot a deer with 9 lives.
  2. I hit the deer in a location that stunned it, didn't bleed much and it was able to get up
  3. Probably the most likely theory, the deer actually fell over from laughter.  The noise it made was not a cry but a laugh:

Now imaging having to go to work at the fire station with a very noticeable cut above your eye and have to explain to a bunch of firefighters (whom most of them are avid hunters) that you can't control a shotgun.

Good times.



Saturday, November 7, 2009

Awesome.




Great ride today with the team.  We decided to wait until noon to go out since it was going to be 20 degrees warmer than it was at 7.  It was pretty cool to have 5 guys, all in the same kits out on the roads of Virginia Beach.  We got a lot of cool looks and a lot of waves.  I think its different then when you have 30 guys all in different clothing.  It was a nice base building ride.  Very steady but good spin pace.  I felt great and the weather was awesome.  Good times.  This is what team riding is all about.