2017 Saturday Group Ride Information
Twice a month from April – October, Empire Tri Club hosts an Ambassador lead group ride on Saturday morning. Reminders and additional workout details will be sent to club members via Training Peaks.
On weekends where there is no Ambassador lead ride, Empire members are encouraged to coordinate meet ups with other athletes using the Google Group ([email protected]).
Details for group meet ups:
When: Meet at 7:45am. Ride starts at 8am SHARP! (Please note that we will do our best to leave PRECISELY at 8am! If you text or call a ride leader that you’re running 5 min late or got a flat, please be aware that the group will not wait up – Simply ride up Riverside Drive and meet the group on the way or hop on the subway to meet the group at the GWB. Make arrangements to leave your apartment EXTRA early to ensure you don’t get left behind. We cannot hold up the entire group for every individual who runs a few minutes late)
Location / Route: Meet at the Eleanor Roosevelt Statue on 72nd & Riverside Drive. Ride north along Riverside Drive. Turn Right at 165th Street. Turn left at first stoplight onto Fort Washington Ave. Turn left at W 177th Street. Turn Right onto Cabrini Blvd. Cross the GWB using the pedestrian/bike path on the South Side of the bridge. (If the pedestrian crossing on the South Side of the bridge is closed, we will cross on the North pedestrian/bike path). Exact route & distance from this point will vary each week. Ambassadors may make changes to the scheduled route without notice due to road closures, road safety conditions, weather, congestion, etc. MAP
Distance: Our rides will begin at 25-30 miles and build up to 65-70 miles throughout the course of the season. The distance of our group long rides coincide with our training plan building up to a Half Ironman in September. See calendar below.
Stops & Re-grouping: In an effort to minimize stops and get the group moving steadily, we will NOT stop and re-group at every light, every turn, and most importantly on the GWB. The bridge becomes very congested on weekend mornings and we don’t want to obstruct the path. We will re-group ONCE at the base of the GWB in NYC before crossing. If necessary, we will make one additional 5-minute stop at Strictly Bicycles in Fort Lee. Please look at the map and know the route!
Mid-Ride Meet ups: Throughout the season, the team may make brief stops along the ride at locations including Strictly Bicycles, the Police Station in Alpine, The Market, Bunberry’s Cafe, and The Runcible Spoon, and Pier i Cafe. Depending on the nature of the ride and where we are in our season, our stop will range from a muffin / coffee break to a short stop just to refill water bottles. We encourage athletes to properly fuel up before each ride and bring ample nutrition and hydration with you.
Ambassador Support: We will have 2-3 Ambassadors leading each ride. Ambassadors will brief athletes at the start and re-group points of each workout and do their best to ride with athletes of different paces and abilities throughout the ride. Please be familiar with the route and note that you may not have an Ambassador with you for the entire ride.
BRICK Workouts / Transition Clinics & Introductory Rides over the GWB: Twice a season Empire Tri Club will host an organized bike/run combination workout for both Club Members and athletes in our Beginner Tri Program. These workouts will also serve as an introductory ride over the GWB for new / beginner athletes. Once we cross the GWB, we will turn LEFT and head to Ross Dock on River Road, where we will host a transition clinic. This will also serve as our transition area where coaches will watch bikes & gear during the workout.
New Riders: If you are new to cycling, have never crossed the George Washington Bridge before, or average less than 13mph, we recommend you attend a Monday night ride in Central Park before joining the Saturday rides. Please contact us at [email protected] if you’d like to reach out to the Ambassador before your first Saturday ride.
What to bring: Please remember to bring food, water, ID, Money, Metrocard, and a flat repair kit. Helmets are REQUIRED for all group rides, and we encourage riders to wear a Road ID. An Ambassador has the right to turn a rider a way if he/she comes without a helmet.
What to wear: We STRONGLY encourage all riders to wear Empire Tri Club gear! It helps your coaches & teammates identify who’s with the group, which is VERY important – especially when the group is large. We cannot remember who wore a blue jersey and who wore black, etc. Plus our gear is high quality, comfortable and looks great!
Pair up. At the start of a ride, find a buddy (who is going about the same distance you plan to ride and who is about your same pace). Since the entire group will not be stopping for every flat, bathroom break or stoplight, you have a buddy so you should never be left alone.
Cancellation Policy: In the event that we need to cancel a ride at the last minute (ie: weather, road closures, etc), we will send the team an email through the google group.
What to expect: The Saturday Ride Schedule includes build, peak and recovery weeks. Additional workout details including pace, intensity, intervals, and recoveries will be included in the plan provided in Training Peaks, and discussed at the start of each workout. Athletes are welcome to join for some or all of each ride. Cyclists who choose to ride a different distance may turn back sooner or continue further, but will not have Ambassador support for their entire ride so please know the route and coordinate amongst your teammates.
Notable points of reference & approximate distances from 72nd & Riverside Drive:
- Base of the GWB (NYC): ~5.5 miles
- Strictly Bicycles: (Hudson Terrace & Myrtle Ave) ~7.5 miles
- Start of 9W (@ E Palisades Ave) ~9 miles
- End of River Road (By Palisades Police Station) ~14.75 miles
- Stateline: ~18 miles
- Downtown Piermont: ~21 miles
- The Runcible Spoon in Nyack: ~25 miles
Saturday morning group rides are for Empire Tri Club members only. Dates are subject to change so please check Training Peaks for any updates.
Questions? Email us at [email protected].
