I want to race my handcycle but it's now July and my last event was a
Marathon back in December. Where do we belong Marathons, Cycling
events I don't care I have read all the arguments I just want to
race. While the USHF is working on quality events we need to get
handcylests out on the track in numbers so our sport can gain
popularity. I don't know anything about how these events our set up
but I do know a little about putting on a competitive show. I have
run competitive events many years as a competition director for
regional Tractor Pulling events.
Handcyling needs regional groups of interested handcyclist before we
find venues that will accept us. Last year at the historic Fitchburg
cycling event there was 5 of us. 5 Handcycles scattered on a 1 mile
Crit course put people to sleep. I am sure if we had 10 or 15 and the
spectators got to see some head to head racing we would have been
invited back. What is hard for me to understand is Fitchburg is less
then a days travel from New York, Philly, Baltimore Washington if we
can't get more then a handful of riders out of this area there is a
lot of work that needs to be done. We also need to build a list of
handcycle friendly events. Last fall I did 2 marathons Steamtown with
it's mulch trail and Cape Cod with it's hills while neither
particular handcycle friendly courses the organizers were very
enthusiastic and accommodating. I am not an elite handcyclist but put
a dozen of us middle of the pack racers on the course at one time and
you have a show. Just throwing this out, if you don't like it throw
it back.