Rumble Through The Bronx
This was my pre-race plan written before race day. The distance is a little off. Actual race notes are added in italics.
Kilometer 0 Macombs dam bridge crossing
The start is a descent into traffic. It immediately enters an Interstate exchange. There is a secret path going against traffic that puts you directly on Sedgwick ave. You can cheat, as most cars are exiting I87 thus are slowing. Cut them off to stay up front.
kilometer 1-3 Sedgwick to Roberto Clemente state park
Do not be intimidated by the “to I87″ signs. You are on a service road. This begins the first climb. It’s very light, only 19 feet of gain to the first checkpoint but do not sprint. It’s only the beginning and this race could be decided not by bursts of speed but by navigation. There are plenty of lights coming up to recover any gap that may have opened. Stay to the left as you approach Clemente state park.
kilometer 3-5 Grand concourse approach
There’s two options for this. Continuing on Sedgwick will produce another steady 28 feet of elevation gain, while changing to Cedar will give a short descent followed by half the gain in three quarters the distance. These two options would seem to equalize each other, though getting back to Sedgwick will require climbing a large flight of stairs. Which ever you choose there is a right turn at 179, left on university, right on kingsbridge and a hard left onto grand concourse.
kilometer 5-8 Grand concourse to williamsbridge playground
Your medium tempo will turn into a time trial right below threshold at this point. This would be a good time to open a large gap due to the potentially disastrous crossing at Mosholu parkway. On the concourse, take the middle path, as it’s wide and you can cheat on lights much easier. Hit van courtlandt with a soft right. Don’t miss it. Cross the parkway and hammer up the hill (only 15 feet of gain) as hard as you can. You’ll arrive at the checkpoint and keep your gap.
kilometer 8-12 Mosholu parkway to bronx zoo
Rest a bit as you backtrack on van courtalandt because you have another parkway time trial coming up, this time downhill. Make a hard left on Mosholu parkway and hammer down the decent, resisting the urge to coast. It is very fast so look ahead for the traffic light crossings. Descend into the botanical garden and make a hard right, continuing on southern blvd. Keep a fast tempo and your gap will increase, unless Austin is ahead of you at which point you should grab onto his wheel. Cross your fingers at east fordham road and cut across six lanes of traffic into the bronx zoo checkpoint across the street.
kilometer 12-15 Crotona park
Go against traffic on fordham road and make a hard left on Crotona ave. This is a false flat, so keep a steady cadence without getting to threshold. It’s a short section and you don’t need to try and gap anyone in this medium tempo urban section of the race. Ride smart and keep your gap steady.
kilometer 15-20 Crotona - Prospect - Longwood
Exit the park due east and cut across the pedi path one block from the Crotona Ave signal. Get ready for another short parkway time trial. A decent through the park becomes a slight ascent upon Crotona changing to Prospect. The time trial ends here and you’re back to medium tempo urban jumpiness. The lights are short but the road is wide. Use this advantage. Westchester is a six way intersection with elevated track columns. There is no way to understand which way traffic is coming from, dodge that car which was about to hit you cause you were on the wrong side of the street. Oh, and listen to your own advice next time. Hold your breath and bear left onto Longwood Ave, which descends onto Beck. Hard right onto Beck and sprint to the checkpoint.
kilometer 20-25 Bruckner blvd to Soundview park
Backwards on Beck to a right on Longview. Straight to bruckner blvd. North on bruckner, entering the bruckner expressway service road as you cross the bridge. Do not be intimidated and do not take the “bike path” which is really a chopped up dirt road. First right after the bridge into an industrial district. There could be truck crossings. Keep the pace steady. This could be a time trial. The top riders will try and gap people further here. If you see others, try and grab a wheel. If you are working with others, do it now. Continue to soundview park and take the bike path, not the stairs, they go to the same place. Be prepared to dodge children, babies, their parents and the occasional cricket player. Hit the checkpoint a ways into the park at the circle monument.
kilometer 25-30 Whitestone Cinema
Continue east on Randall, take the first left back to Bruckner. You can time trial this approach to increase your gap but let up before the crossing of four interstate highways you have to navigate right before the checkpoint. The approach is long enough that if you are working with others you would best do it now. At the interchange of I278, I95, I295 and I678 you will have a small bridge that bypasses all these expressway entrances. After you cross the bridge you must decisively make a left turn into traffic that WILL NOT SLOW DOWN FOR YOU, as they are just passing through on 278, 95 and 678. They are not exiting the expressway. The cars speed will be around 45 to 55 mph. If you get hit you will be killed. Catch your breath and ride into the parking lot. You have just completed the penultimate checkpoint. Congratulations on getting this far.
Kilometer 30-34 Bronx John memorial
Exit the cinema onto the hutch parkway bike path. At the first parkway entrance DO NOT CROSS, turn left onto the parkway and ride like the cops are chasing you. Take the first exit from the hutch onto ericson place, go north and bear right onto westchester ave, under the tracks. Stop at the 7-11 to pick up the sparks required to get a stamp. Get your alleycat on and dodge those cars. Even if you have a substantial gap, westchester is fast enough to make a decisive moment to gap others behind you. Reach the checkpoint right before bruckner blvd.
kilometer 34-41 City Island Time Trial
Take Pelham parkway/shore road into city island. This is where you skitch, this is where you be that asshole rider no one expects. It is a long flat road with lots of cars going from 10 to 45 mph. Pick one and grab on if they are going fast enough. When you get to city island, take the fire lane in the middle of the road, get in the drops and keep a fast tempo. Skitch as much as possible to keep your speed.
kilometer 41-47 Orchard beach
Back track out of city island at the same tempo. You did remember to save some energy, right? Recover from the excruciating muscle cramp that happened when you got back on the bike. Stretch, watch others pass you since you can’t ride right now. Lose a few places, eat energy gel and curse. Oh yeah, and listen to your own advice next time. You need to save something for a sprint to maintain your gap. Navigation is easy on this final time trial into the parking lot. Approaching orchard beach, go around the car turnstyles (whatever those are called). Take a deep breath, countersteer very wide and bunny hop the curb into the grass. Let you bike go and get your manifest signed.
Congratulations, you just won Rumble Through the Bronx. Or maybe got 15th place