Crystal Ride

[Megabeth]

I believe it was 2008...?

[consularrider]

What was the first year that the Crystal Ride was held?

According to the website, 2008. I missed the first one because I think I was traveling in Africa for work.

[PotomacCyclist]

I had the impression that it was around for longer than that. Interesting.

I don't think I knew about it until 2010. I wouldn't have participated in 2008, mostly because I didn't have a bike and I wasn't riding then. I caught the triathlon bug in summer 2008 after watching the Summer Olympics on TV. Then I promptly got myself injured that fall by doing too much on the run. (No running injuries since 2009 though.) I did a lot of stationary bike workouts that winter but I didn't get my first bike as an adult until summer 2009. Before that point, I hadn't ridden an outdoor bike in well over a decade.

[vvill]

Anyone figured out these timing chip thingies yet?

There was an older gentleman in front of me in the queue remonstrating that his bike shoes didn't have laces and he wouldn't be able to attach the band easily.

[eminva]

Anyone figured out these timing chip thingies yet?

There was an older gentleman in front of me in the queue remonstrating that his bike shoes didn't have laces and he wouldn't be able to attach the band easily.

I was wondering the same thing. Does it have to be affixed to our shoe? Can we put it on our bike (like loop it around the seat tube)? Or somewhere else on our person?

I thought if all else fails, I will wait until I get there to put it on and see what others are doing.

Liz

[KLizotte]

I was wondering the same thing. Does it have to be affixed to our shoe? Can we put it on our bike (like loop it around the seat tube)? Or somewhere else on our person?

I thought if all else fails, I will wait until I get there to put it on and see what others are doing.

Liz

I suspect they show a shoe since these are mostly used by runners in races who obviously have fewer places to attach them to and organizers need a consistent way to measure when people cross the start/finish line.

Anyway I got in as a walk in so I'll be participating tomorrow. Getting up that early is gonna kill me.

[Mark Blacknell]

Belated response: just loop them through your velcro straps, if that's what you've got. Doesn't need to actually look like a perfect D - just a loop. I'd advise against looping it around a seatpost, though - you'll want to keep it closer to the timing mat.

[PotomacCyclist]

I'm putting it on the heel pull-on loop on my tri bike shoes. Road bike shoes may not have a heel loop though.

[PotomacCyclist]

Around 73F for the start of the Crystal Ride, but possibly 87F by the end of the ride! Stay cool out there.

[vvill]

Well, it was a fun ride. Although any ride is when they have to close off city streets and open them to a flood of cyclists

I managed to see/talk to MB, Tim, Dave K, Mega Beth, eminva, dbb, consularrider, and both Kathys!

Sad to hear they ran out of gold medals though (and water on the Air Force Memorial stop almost 1hr before the end)! But according to their last email blast

In order to accommodate the surge in demand on participation, we will be allowing another 150 walk-up registrations on a first come, first serve basis. However, this may result in a shortage of finishing medals. If this does occur, we will mail medals for those who request one. Medal requests will need to be sent to: info@arlingtonsports.org, and must include bib number.