Racing/training in the DC area?

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Scott Hendricks

It looks like I may be transferring to DC (Washington,DC, for those who couldn't figure it out)
soon, and I'm looking for info.

Since I most likely won't live in DC per se (most govt. employees don't) I've got to decide where TO
live. If anyone has any input on the racing scene in the VA and MD area, and any input on towns w/in
25 miles of DC w/ regards to training routes, the team scene, etc... I'd appreciate the info.

thanks,

Scott

James Calivar

"Scott Hendricks" <hendricks_scott@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:daa89b58.0309150957.2d698a32@posting.google.com...
> It looks like I may be transferring to DC (Washington,DC, for those who couldn't figure it out)
> soon, and I'm looking for info.
>
> Since I most likely won't live in DC per se (most govt. employees don't) I've got to decide where
> TO live. If anyone has any input on the racing scene in the VA and MD area, and any input on towns
> w/in 25 miles of DC w/ regards to training routes, the team scene, etc... I'd appreciate the info.
>
> thanks,
>
> Scott

Here are some clubs. It all depends on where you live around DC, I guess. I would base that off of
proximity to where you will work - for instance, will you work in DC proper? NoVa? Maryland? You do
*NOT* want to be driving on the beltway (495) during rush hour, and you would be wise to set up
residence within 10 miles of where you work, or else you will be battling so much traffic every day
that you can kiss any thought of riding good bye.

http://www.aabikes.com/club/ http://potomacvelo.com/ http://www.ncvc.net (http://www.ncvc.net/)

The road racing scene is active and competetive throughout Virginia, DC and Maryland (as well as in
Pennsylvania).

James

jitteringjr

[i] You do *NOT* want to be driving on the beltway (495) during rush hour

No $h1t!!! :)

I can say from experience that LA does not hold a candle to DC's traffic nighmare.

Mike S.

"James Calivar" <amheiserbush@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message news:bk51ct$6fj$1@home.itg.ti.com...
> "Scott Hendricks" <hendricks_scott@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:daa89b58.0309150957.2d698a32@posting.google.com...
> > It looks like I may be transferring to DC (Washington,DC, for those who couldn't figure it out)
> > soon, and I'm looking for info.
> >
> > Since I most likely won't live in DC per se (most govt. employees don't) I've got to decide
> > where TO live. If anyone has any input on the racing scene in the VA and MD area, and any input
> > on towns w/in 25 miles of DC w/ regards to training routes, the team scene, etc... I'd
> > appreciate the info.
> >
> > thanks,
> >
> > Scott
>
> Here are some clubs. It all depends on where you live around DC, I guess.
I
> would base that off of proximity to where you will work - for instance,
will
> you work in DC proper? NoVa? Maryland? You do *NOT* want to be driving on the beltway (495) during
> rush hour, and you would be wise to set up residence within 10 miles of where you work, or else
> you will be battling
so
> much traffic every day that you can kiss any thought of riding good bye.
>
> http://www.aabikes.com/club/ http://potomacvelo.com/ http://www.ncvc.net (http://www.ncvc.net/)
>
> The road racing scene is active and competetive throughout Virginia, DC
and
> Maryland (as well as in Pennsylvania).
>
> James
>
If anything, the racing scene is better in the NoVa/DC/Md area than it is in San Diego. Go do a
google search for "USCF District 20, and USCF District
42. I know www.truesport.com has a listing for the mid-Atlantic area.

Lots of former big-time athletes live in the area... There are many, many groups with which to ride
depending on where and when you're looking to go. Spokes, etc. in Alex. had/has a group ride
Tuesdays (I think, its been awhile since I was looking for my little brother), there's the NCVC
"scare the bejeezus out of the people on the WOD" ride Tues (and Thurs? and Sat?), the Reston ride
with some of the hammers (at least when I was there this ride was where the 1s and 2s rode...), the
Rock Creek Park ride in DC itself, etc. ad infinitum.

If you're working in the city, make sure you get down to Haynes Point for the lunch ride. You'll get
an hour's worth of hammering in at lunch! I have a memory of trying to shift that one more gear
harder as I'm in my 53x12 sprinting for all I was worth. Just watch out when the cherry blossoms are
blooming, tourists are clueless!

If you're into cross, I believe that Wakefield park is going to see another season of cross
races. Mtn biking is a little farther out in the boonies, and there are several mtn clubs/teams
in the area.

There are some times in the year that I REALLY miss the DC area. Spring and Fall are the two big
ones. The rest of the year, I'll take 70 and sunny!

Mike

Joe Yannie

Scott, I can not repeat this more: live close to work. Stay off the beltway, 95 and 270 the traffic
is just bad. If you are going against traffic it is not so bad( in MD:North in the morning and South
in the evening ). I live just outside the beltway in Kensington, easy access to all highways, Rock
Creek Park, two farmers markets. If you want nightlife live closer/in the city or near a metro
station so you can get downtown to the nightlife. Bethesda is good, not as great as DC for
culture/nightlife, but the food is good ( and really, doesn't that count for a lot?). The rental
market is pretty good right now with several houses in my neighborhood renting for under 2k a month.
It sounds high, but that really is not bad, the range right now is 1600-2300 a month. I have no idea
what apartment rent would be in the area. Houses are crazy expensive for some of the 40'-60's build
that are in the area ( read:small ). Then again I see many of them sold in a matter of hours and
then torn down or highly renovated or get large additions. Silver Spring is cheaper and much safer
than it used to be. College Park is cheaper still. There are a great number of intersecting rail to
trails in the area. Great way to get where you want to go without risking life and limb on the
streets which have no bike lanes/shoulders.

Joe "Scott Hendricks" <hendricks_scott@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:daa89b58.0309150957.2d698a32@posting.google.com...
> It looks like I may be transferring to DC (Washington,DC, for those who couldn't figure it out)
> soon, and I'm looking for info.
>
> Since I most likely won't live in DC per se (most govt. employees don't) I've got to decide where
> TO live. If anyone has any input on the racing scene in the VA and MD area, and any input on towns
> w/in 25 miles of DC w/ regards to training routes, the team scene, etc... I'd appreciate the info.
>
> thanks,
>
> Scott

Kosta

hendricks_scott@hotmail.com (Scott Hendricks) wrote:

> Since I most likely won't live in DC per se (most govt. employees don't) I've got to decide where
> TO live. If anyone has any input on the racing scene in the VA and MD area, and any input on towns
> w/in 25 miles of DC w/ regards to training routes, the team scene, etc... I'd appreciate the info.
>

Scott, I've lived in the DC area almost all my life and have been racing there over the past two
years. As far as where to locate, living in DC-proper offers many opportunities for training rides
and commuting. Several rides leave througout the week from Rock Creek Park, including the infamous
Goon Ride. The suburbs inside the Beltway offer great cycling access to rides in and around DC.
Arlington, Virginia and Montgomery Co. MD are most notable in this respect. I haven't lived in the
outer suburbs in years but there are some good options in between Reston and Leesburg, VA.

The racing scene is great, check out the district calendar at www.mabra.org. In the early season
there are races every weekend within an hour drive of DC. Despite a number of races being cancelled
this season, there still were many options for racing within a 2-3 hour drive from the area. In
addition to the usual industrial-park crit, there are a number of great downtown race venues that
draw huge fields and lots of spectators. There are even a handful of excellent road courses.

Clubs here run the spectrum from the nationally competetive elite Snow Valley to the low budget
grass-roots teams like Dream, Red Lantern, and Squadra Coppi. Check out the BAR listings to see who
is doing what.

-kosta

Steven

hendricks_scott@hotmail.com (Scott Hendricks) wrote in message
news:<daa89b58.0309150957.2d698a32@posting.google.com>...
> It looks like I may be transferring to DC (Washington,DC, for those who couldn't figure it out)
> soon, and I'm looking for info.
>
> Since I most likely won't live in DC per se (most govt. employees don't) I've got to decide where
> TO live. If anyone has any input on the racing scene in the VA and MD area, and any input on towns
> w/in 25 miles of DC w/ regards to training routes, the team scene, etc... I'd appreciate the info.
>
> thanks,
>
> Scott

While were on topic. Does anyone know of any apperciable close in climbs in DC. I would take a
4% gradient for maybe 5 miles if I could get it? I would like steeper and long but,I do live
in a swamp.

Scott Hendricks

riotnrrd@rocketmail.com (kosta) wrote in message
news:<ce691a4c.0309161102.55ccd069@posting.google.com>...
> hendricks_scott@hotmail.com (Scott Hendricks) wrote:
>
> > Since I most likely won't live in DC per se (most govt. employees don't) I've got to decide
> > where TO live. If anyone has any input on the racing scene in the VA and MD area, and any input
> > on towns w/in 25 miles of DC w/ regards to training routes, the team scene, etc... I'd
> > appreciate the info.
> >
>
> Scott, I've lived in the DC area almost all my life and have been racing there over the past two
> years. As far as where to locate, living in DC-proper offers many opportunities for training rides
> and commuting. Several rides leave througout the week from Rock Creek Park, including the infamous
> Goon Ride. The suburbs inside the Beltway offer great cycling access to rides in and around DC.
> Arlington, Virginia and Montgomery Co. MD are most notable in this respect. I haven't lived in the
> outer suburbs in years but there are some good options in between Reston and Leesburg, VA.
>
> The racing scene is great, check out the district calendar at www.mabra.org. In the early season
> there are races every weekend within an hour drive of DC. Despite a number of races being
> cancelled this season, there still were many options for racing within a 2-3 hour drive from the
> area. In addition to the usual industrial-park crit, there are a number of great downtown race
> venues that draw huge fields and lots of spectators. There are even a handful of excellent road
> courses.
>
> Clubs here run the spectrum from the nationally competetive elite Snow Valley to the low budget
> grass-roots teams like Dream, Red Lantern, and Squadra Coppi. Check out the BAR listings to see
> who is doing what.
>
> -kosta

To everyone who posted here, and to those who emailed me directly, THANKS for the constructive,
informative feedback. Now, if anyone can help me get through the selection process for the job I'm
competing for, that'd be appreciated, too! ;->

Scott

Mike S.

Kosta

crewiscool42@yahoo.com (Steven) wrote in message
news:<a3eee1a5.0309161135.341d868b@posting.google.com>...
>
> While were on topic. Does anyone know of any apperciable close in climbs in DC. I would take a
> 4% gradient for maybe 5 miles if I could get it? I would like steeper and long but,I do live in
> a swamp.

There really aren't any races in the district where you will be faced with anything like this. The
closest would be the Giro di Coppi, which wasn't held this year. DC is classics terrain where you'll
find short steep power climbs like the Hump Race and All American RR with repetetive leg sapping
hills that will pare down a field considerably.

You've gotta drive a while to get to anything that could be classified as a 'climb', at least
according to your criteria. For this you can either drive out to Front Royal, VA and head out
Skyline Drive or to Thurmont, MD where you can do Catoctin mountain. There are some good clibing
options near Charlottesville VA, about 2 hours south of DC, where you can take some of the Gaps
(Swift Run, Rockfish, etc) up to Skyline drive, climb Wintergreen, Crabtree Falls, or Vesuvius. This
is a nice option for an extended training weekend.

Now, there are some decent power hills closed to home. You can frequently see guys doing repeats
around Great Falls on the MD side. Take MacArthur Blvd from DC, head up the hill past Old Anglers,
descend into the park where you turn around, go back up the hill and head down MacArthur to
Brickyard for another hill. The 7am DC Velo ride does this on Saturdays. Northern Arlington near
Military Rd has numerous steep but short hills. In the summer, there was a regular 'hill' ride for
this area Wednesday evenings from the Italian Store at the Spout Run Shopping Center. Also if you
cross Chain Bridge from DC and continue on Glebe Rd, you will face a fairly steep grade for 1/2 mile
followed by a more gradual drag for another mile that will surely cause you pain (especially if you
have already done Great Falls).

-kosta

James Calivar

"Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in message news:Sxlab.55660$cj1.40533@fed1read06...
>
> "Scott Hendricks" <hendricks_scott@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:daa89b58.0309150957.2d698a32@posting.google.com...
> > It looks like I may be transferring to DC (Washington,DC, for those who couldn't figure it out)
> > soon, and I'm looking for info.
> >
> > Since I most likely won't live in DC per se (most govt. employees don't) I've got to decide
> > where TO live. If anyone has any input on the racing scene in the VA and MD area, and any input
> > on towns w/in 25 miles of DC w/ regards to training routes, the team scene, etc... I'd
> > appreciate the info.
> >
> > thanks,
> >
> > Scott
>
> The one down side to the DC area is no velodrome. There are rumors of one in Baltimore and one
> outside Nokesville.
>
> Mike
>

The one in Baltmore has been "about to happen" for years now, but has never taken form. I wouldn't
bet on it ever seeing the light of day.

James

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