Northeast Racing
06-21-17, 10:09 PM
#3926
Senior Member
As I did some dishes I realized there were some other things so I'll expand a bit on this whole thing.
First, let me say that changing prize lists on the start line, no matter for what field, is not cool. It's against the rules and there's a reason why - it's bait and switch. This is why I never offered a prize list I couldn't cover myself. You never saw me offer $15k or whatever, because I can't cover that personally. It's also why I offered a field-dependent prize list schedule. I offered more money if there were more races because I could safely and sanely do so. This way I could always offer some amount of money without risking bankrupting the race. It's simply a matter of survival.
With that out of the way...
My first reaction whenever someone complained about something at my race is to think, "well, what do you at the raceyou promote?". Now, I understand that someone in some high level sports promotion group may have some thoughts or whatever, but most of the time the people complaining have zero clue about what goes into promoting a grassroots race. I could never complain at a downtown city race because I cannot comprehend what it takes to run one, even after helping out at a few. Nor can I ever complain about a road race, for exactly the same reason. But a poorly run industrial park crit, okay, I might have some thoughts, but, having been on the other side of the registration table, I'll keep my thoughts very brief, very friendly, and hopefully constructive. I might even offer a few boxes of pins or whatever to help soothe the feedback.
Want equal prize money? Put your money where your mouth is. Give it to the promoters. Take some kit money out of the budget, add $100 to your entry fee for your next crit, and tell the promoter to give it to whatever underrepresented field, I don't care who, give it to the Juniors or whatever. Don't want to do it? Don't think you can afford it? If you're racing a bike you can afford to give $100 extra entry fee every few weeks. Skip the new bike or put off putting money into the bike for a few years. I skipped putting bar tape on my bike in 2016 so I could race instead. I finally got bar tape for this year and actually tried and could not pay for said tape because the seller never gave me a price. Actually that reminds me that I should try again.
Even if everyone added just $10-20 to their entry, as a show of positive support for a promoter (versus a negative "I'm boycotting your race *******, **** you") then that would be a nicer way to influence the tides. Do you love a race? Then give more money when you register, or give the promoter an envelope with a note of thanks and a $20 bill.
When I gave out money at my races I didn't give the highest amount to the P123 winner. Nor the women's P1234 winner. I gave it to my staff, the folks that helped make the race happen. The staff were the most important people on race day and I allocated as much money as I could toward them. I had to pay the police and what not. I wanted to pay my staff. I often had minor arguments with said staff because they didn't want to take my money. I lost a few of those arguments, to be honest, when things were really dire, but most of the time I won because I felt it was more important to pay them than it was to have money in my own account. It's just the right thing to do.
First, let me say that changing prize lists on the start line, no matter for what field, is not cool. It's against the rules and there's a reason why - it's bait and switch. This is why I never offered a prize list I couldn't cover myself. You never saw me offer $15k or whatever, because I can't cover that personally. It's also why I offered a field-dependent prize list schedule. I offered more money if there were more races because I could safely and sanely do so. This way I could always offer some amount of money without risking bankrupting the race. It's simply a matter of survival.
With that out of the way...
My first reaction whenever someone complained about something at my race is to think, "well, what do you at the raceyou promote?". Now, I understand that someone in some high level sports promotion group may have some thoughts or whatever, but most of the time the people complaining have zero clue about what goes into promoting a grassroots race. I could never complain at a downtown city race because I cannot comprehend what it takes to run one, even after helping out at a few. Nor can I ever complain about a road race, for exactly the same reason. But a poorly run industrial park crit, okay, I might have some thoughts, but, having been on the other side of the registration table, I'll keep my thoughts very brief, very friendly, and hopefully constructive. I might even offer a few boxes of pins or whatever to help soothe the feedback.
Want equal prize money? Put your money where your mouth is. Give it to the promoters. Take some kit money out of the budget, add $100 to your entry fee for your next crit, and tell the promoter to give it to whatever underrepresented field, I don't care who, give it to the Juniors or whatever. Don't want to do it? Don't think you can afford it? If you're racing a bike you can afford to give $100 extra entry fee every few weeks. Skip the new bike or put off putting money into the bike for a few years. I skipped putting bar tape on my bike in 2016 so I could race instead. I finally got bar tape for this year and actually tried and could not pay for said tape because the seller never gave me a price. Actually that reminds me that I should try again.
Even if everyone added just $10-20 to their entry, as a show of positive support for a promoter (versus a negative "I'm boycotting your race *******, **** you") then that would be a nicer way to influence the tides. Do you love a race? Then give more money when you register, or give the promoter an envelope with a note of thanks and a $20 bill.
When I gave out money at my races I didn't give the highest amount to the P123 winner. Nor the women's P1234 winner. I gave it to my staff, the folks that helped make the race happen. The staff were the most important people on race day and I allocated as much money as I could toward them. I had to pay the police and what not. I wanted to pay my staff. I often had minor arguments with said staff because they didn't want to take my money. I lost a few of those arguments, to be honest, when things were really dire, but most of the time I won because I felt it was more important to pay them than it was to have money in my own account. It's just the right thing to do.
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"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
06-21-17, 11:42 PM
#3927
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06-21-17, 11:53 PM
#3928
fuggitivo solitario
Chapeau and well said
Money where the mouth is. When i heard that a race i liked may not happen next year due to financial reasons, i offered to return the prize money. The promoter insisted that i keep it, but in retrospect i should have returned it. I don't need the money to get myself motivated.
Now that you mentioned it, i'll send the email to the guy promoting the last mass start race i participated in. I really enjoyed it, and the promoter's a good dude.
Money where the mouth is. When i heard that a race i liked may not happen next year due to financial reasons, i offered to return the prize money. The promoter insisted that i keep it, but in retrospect i should have returned it. I don't need the money to get myself motivated.
Now that you mentioned it, i'll send the email to the guy promoting the last mass start race i participated in. I really enjoyed it, and the promoter's a good dude.
06-23-17, 08:31 PM
#3929
una carrera contrarreloj
And rate them well / give feedback on the USACycling site too.
Does anyone know if that feedback gets read or disseminated?
06-24-17, 07:18 AM
#3930
fuggitivo solitario
Also, as for that race, a shame that the distance and # of fields were drastically reduced.
07-05-17, 07:07 AM
#3932
Ninny
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Hey hey looks like I'm racing with @TheKillerPenguin; and @dz_nuzz's team this weekend.
(I'm just doing the crit, not the whole stage race.)
(I'm just doing the crit, not the whole stage race.)
07-19-17, 07:56 PM
#3936
Ninny
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Probably everybody who might have intended to do the race already knows, but ... Hilltowns was canceled due to unexpected road construction on the course.
07-27-17, 06:55 PM
#3941
OMC
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A post up that will live in infamy...
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Regards,
Chuck
Demain, on roule!
Regards,
Chuck
Demain, on roule!
07-28-17, 12:43 PM
#3942
Tyrannosaurus Rexitis
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Getting antsy to race for something other than muffins. Unfortunately going to miss Millersburg and Concord, planning on Tokeneke, then maybe Shoe City/Fall River double header? The Nutmeg/Purgatory weekend last year was awfully fun.
07-30-17, 04:43 PM
#3944
Tyrannosaurus Rexitis
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Just signed up for just about everything left in the NE. The hell bent for points tour.
Last edited by Harlan; 07-30-17 at 07:28 PM.
08-07-17, 05:45 AM
#3945
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And Shoe City has been postponed until 2018. I think this was the only crit where my wife could have doubled up this whole year.
08-07-17, 06:08 AM
#3946
Senior Member
08-07-17, 06:14 AM
#3947
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Not sure I can do GMSR because of timing, but yeah dude, fit as a fiddle. I'd have to travel solo because the SO has work starting right after Labor Day. I need to make some friends in the area so I can stay for free or find a group.
Edit:
Made a deal, if I can podium at Tokeneke or both Fall River+Bob Beal I am going.
Edit:
Made a deal, if I can podium at Tokeneke or both Fall River+Bob Beal I am going.
Last edited by Harlan; 08-07-17 at 03:43 PM.
09-05-17, 04:11 AM
#3949
Senior Member
Not happening this year unfortunately. Allegedly it will be back next year.
Shout out to everyone who finished the App Gap stage at GMSR. I never thought anything would top Bear Mtn this season in terms of miserable weather, but that was undoubtedly worse.
Shout out to everyone who finished the App Gap stage at GMSR. I never thought anything would top Bear Mtn this season in terms of miserable weather, but that was undoubtedly worse.
09-05-17, 04:17 AM
#3950
Rides too much bike
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Interesting you say that. Will on my team said he felt Bear Mountain was worse. Though bear mountain does not climb an actual mountain and stick you up there in hypothermic shock. Kudos to Gary Kessler the RD for having the foresight to have emergency shelters set up on this little out cropping with space heaters to keep riders from dying. No joke, there was a high likely hood of someone dying from either exposure or trying to descend in those conditions (He also brought vans to the top to transport riders and bikes back down to the base.)