Tour of the Catskills

Growing up on the edge of The Catskills, I’ve looked at the Tour of the Catskills for the past few years but didn’t think I’d get the chance to fit this into my schedule. I love that the race has so many categories to race in, with current military or retired military as classifications. I did not see a paracycling category and wish every race had a para category from the start so I reached out. I heard right away that the race director that they would be open to adding a paracycling category so I jumped in to do the 2020 event. I wasn’t fully ready for the 75 miles with a gravel race and a 70.3 triathlon in the prior two weeks, but when opportunity presents itself, you take it.

Race morning it was cold. Frost covered the grass as I inflated my tires pre-race and I wondered if I made a mistake trying to ride this. Cold hands are challenging when cycling so I had some hesitation but my parents and kids were coming to see me on the course so it was happening. The pre-race discussions with the riders centered on being underdressed for the morning or overdressed for the afternoon. I opted for long sleeves and spandex under my kit because being warmer was better than being cold in my estimation.

The ride itself was gorgeous with so many hills and the climbs lead to views. I saw parts of the Catskills that I’ve never seen and it made me appreciate where I grew up. The other part of the race I appreciated was Devil’s Kitchen. This was the hardest climb I’d ever done. Hands down. And it was the hardest by a big measure. I was climbing with groups of riders that were all fighting up this hill with a reportedly 22% grade in spots. Until I finished the race, I did not realize how hard this climb was. It’s known as one of the hardest in the United States (details here).

Having my parents and kids at the race was a new experience for me. Most of my races are solo endeavors so the extra incentive of seeing my family after 75 miles pushed me a bit more. I might have been the first paracyclist to complete this race and I hope I set a bar that someone else clears.