**Philadelphia Push Race**

[MikeyB]

**Please Make Sticky**

Okay, so I have seen a fair bit of interest in organize ourselves as Philly area longboarders. I feel as though the best way to get this started is a push race that people of all ages, experience levels, and disciplines can compete in and have fun. Push races have been popping up all over and are a great way to build a community and raise awareness for our sport.

Stoke: I am more than willing to get the ball rolling here but will definitley need some help from all of you. First things first. I need a roll call of who would be wanting to participate to get an idea of numbers. If 20 people here say yes, I figure at least half will have work, school, or other engagements so there has to be a foundation here to build this race upon. Also, if you have friends you skate with who would participate, let me know. Once the race is on its way, I will create flyers with info and sponsorship logos and what not to try to find some people who we didn't catch on the internet.

Location: We need a location to hold the race. I think ideally the course should be mostly flat maybe with some mild hills. I think 5-8 miles in some sort of loop would be good. We are looking for smooth asphalt, and wide paths. I think we should be close to the city if not in the city, to make it easy to get to on SEPTA. Of course we should aim for some type of park to avoid traffic and have some nice scenery, so that may force us into the burbs.

Sponsors: I will need to find sponsors willing to donate prizes for the competitors. This means boards, trucks, wheels, bearings, t-shirts, hats anything longboard related. In return these sponsors will have their logos placed on the website and flyers. Private sponsors would be welcome as well.

Date & Time: Not as important, but I'd like to hear your suggestions for when would be best for you.

Charity: I am thinking about a low entrance fee of a dollar (to avoid limiting participant numbers). Of course larger donations would be accepted. All proceeds would go to a charity (maybe philabundance?)

What I need from you: For the time being what I need from you guys is:

1. Will you participate and do you have friends who would?

2. Location ideas

3. Sponsors who would donate prizes

4. When would be best for you

5. Charity ideas- try to keep it local

Let's do this Philly!

[AfroRider21]

i would join but with my set ups pushing would b murder lol. i live outside bout 30-45min and i hav a few friends who may do it.
on the topic of charities i'd say some sort of health fund cuz of falling longboarders and stuff. CHOP mayb? and i cant really say a place. out here there is this thing called the perkiomen trail but its really narrow so a race would b kinda hard. as for sponsers, i'd guess local stores. i think you posted in my thread about some and then just look in there for other suggestions of shops.

all in all i think you have a good idea goin here

[Rich Nelson]

I'd definitely come and could bring a few people,

I don't ride Philly much so not sure sure about locations, but Fairmount park might work if you could make a decent loop out of it.

[MrPink]

i would come

i don't know philly but for a location look for paved bike paths.

sponsors your going to have to call and have a reason for them to want to sponsor your event.

time september or october sound good to me. plenty of time to plan and not to hot.

[ccat1122]

september-october sounds great...
i was thinking for a race we go out to a less populated area like harleysville, hatfield, doylestown, or someplace were people live but there is room to close of roads for a race...

sponsor: me and friends are tight with the owner of Ambler Skate and we think he's pretty interested(we'll talk to him)..

participation: SO IN! it would be me and a minimum of 5 friends..probably more if it just a simple push race

[doctor worm]

if you plan it they will come.

just pick a date, and get sponsors. you will be amazed by the turnout.

[botofusup]

Kennett Square, subscribe.
Push race is cool. Fundraiser cooler.
This was a blast, thanks doc worm.
http://www.silverfishlongboarding.co...-speed-ii.html

[MikeyB]

I'm considering using the residential streets of springfield, delaware county. Smooth asphalt, wide streets, low traffic, and some mild hills.

Please note: We will not be having any roads closed. It will just be too much of a pain, and I doubt it is even possible. Plus, I don't like dealing with those people. Traffic dodging is part of life, and can add some spice to a race.

[AfroRider21]

i say we make helmets a requirement haha. and sept.-oct. sounds great. shouldnt b so cold u cant feel your hands but it wont b so hot u need water every 5 sec.
also it would giv us alot of summer time to get this together

[zackman]

I feel early to mid summer would be nice, maybe hot, but the younger crowd up to college will be out of school making a majority of people available, plus people can just take off of work, or make it a weekend.

if theres a central park equivalent in philly, i would suggest that. that way its in the city for easy access, and in a park for nice scenary. everyone wins.

if this gets really serious sponsors will be easy. theres probably some skate shops in philly that might be willing

[stringtheory]

Have it at the Philly Zoo.

[ccat1122]

Have it at the Philly Zoo.

that would be pretty sick

[MikeyB]

Haha I worked there for 4 years. It will never happen.

Please understand that we're not going to be receiving permission to do this anywhere, it will be too complicated because of legal liability.

[Evilchurch_dOc]

The bike trail along kelly drive/west river drive is a good loop, mostly flat with only a few very small "hills". Fairmount park has a some hills for a sesh afterwards. The loop can be up to 8-9.5 mi. if you use the whole loop, though you can also use one side up to the falls bridge or so if that is too much. Also worth noting is that West River drive (Martin Luther King Drive) is closed to cars on Sundays so we could use the street instead of the path if it ends up on a Sunday.
I'm in.


===INFO===
Q:When is Martin Luther King Drive (West River Drive) closed off to vehicular traffic?
A:The Drive is closed to vehicular traffic from the Sunday marking Daylight Savings Time in April through the Sunday marking Daylight Savings Time in October from 6 am until 5 pm EXCEPT the lower section of the Drive from the Art Museum to Sweetbriar. This section is only closed until noon.

Trail map
Bicycle Path - Kelly Drive/West River Drive Recreation Sunday Ride at Bikely.com

[stringtheory]

Haha I worked there for 4 years. It will never happen.

I know, but how rad would it be with all the twisty paths and ups and downs. Well, and animals of course.

[Z-storm8]

I'm in and my team will come

[Rich Nelson]

The bike trail along kelly drive/west river drive is a good loop, mostly flat with only a few very small "hills". Fairmount park has a some hills for a sesh afterwards. The loop can be up to 8-9.5 mi. if you use the whole loop, though you can also use one side up to the falls bridge or so if that is too much. Also worth noting is that West River drive (Martin Luther King Drive) is closed to cars on Sundays so we could use the street instead of the path if it ends up on a Sunday.
I'm in.


===INFO===
Q:When is Martin Luther King Drive (West River Drive) closed off to vehicular traffic?
A:The Drive is closed to vehicular traffic from the Sunday marking Daylight Savings Time in April through the Sunday marking Daylight Savings Time in October from 6 am until 5 pm EXCEPT the lower section of the Drive from the Art Museum to Sweetbriar. This section is only closed until noon.

Trail map
Bicycle Path - Kelly Drive/West River Drive Recreation Sunday Ride at Bikely.com

I concur.

10

[Evilchurch_dOc]

The only problem I foresee with west river drive is that it gets crowded on nice days, though that really wouldn't matter if we used the street on a Sunday as I prev. mentioned but that would limit us to the MLK side. Looks like it is about a 3 mile ride from Falls bridge to the Art museum if we only used the one side and the portion at falls bridge starts off on an incline for a quick start then levels off for the remainder.

So how long do we want to make this thing?

Alternative:
Broad Street run straight through from Temple to Pattison Ave/Sports Arenas is about 5.5 miles though the only thing down there is probably fdr park which is mostly shortboarding /bowls.

[MacRae]

Kelly Drive / West River Drive looks awesome, I've ridden that stretch from the Art Museum to East Falls a number of times when I had a lazy afternoon. I think that'd be a great place for a push race, and it's a pretty scenic ride. I could do it pretty much any weekend, since I work during the day and at night.

Also, I write and do copy editing for the University City Review and the Weekly Press (basically the same paper, but one is the UC edition and the other is center city) so if there's going to be a bunch of people I'm sure I could get a story done on it (or just write one myself if none of the regular reporters can make it, since I'll already be there). It's not a huge paper, but the prospect of any kind of media coverage (even from a little community paper) might make it easier to get sponsors.

[MikeyB]

Kelly Drive / West River Drive looks awesome, I've ridden that stretch from the Art Museum to East Falls a number of times when I had a lazy afternoon. I think that'd be a great place for a push race, and it's a pretty scenic ride. I could do it pretty much any weekend, since I work during the day and at night.

Also, I write and do copy editing for the University City Review and the Weekly Press (basically the same paper, but one is the UC edition and the other is center city) so if there's going to be a bunch of people I'm sure I could get a story done on it (or just write one myself if none of the regular reporters can make it, since I'll already be there). It's not a huge paper, but the prospect of any kind of media coverage (even from a little community paper) might make it easier to get sponsors.

Wow! Yeah that would be wonderful and be a huge help in getting sponsored. But it seems somewhere along the schuykill will be best, we just have to narrow it down to exactly where. In the mean time I'll start working on a website and other things.