The past year has been pretty weird, but I’ve managed to get a good stretch of training in with TR. I’m thinking of hitting out for some DIY racing: I would like to hit a long-term goal time at a 40k TT.
Does anyone know of a good stretch of road to do a 40k TT effort near Boston? Ideally an out-and-back or a loop course, reasonably flat. Hopefully something without stop lights or stop signs. I can drive some distance (including to neighboring states) but I can’t do anything overnight.
Thanks!
Hey! So this might not be be perfect but it’s a reasonable option, I think. Check out the course for the buzzards bay triathlon down in Westport. I live just north of boston but grew up on the south coast and ride out to Westport when I’m visiting my parents. It’s 14 mile loop but it’s about as flat as you can get, minus a couple of small climbs, and generally can be done with no interruptions. There is maybe one intersection where you may have to stop but generally traffic is really nonexistent. There’s ocean wind to contend with but it’s a great place to ride
The OP asks for a course near Boston, but I’d love any recommendations for a good 40k in Western Mass. I’m going to be trying to plan out a fast course for my A “event” this summer.
The Charlie Baker TT (not the governor…) is ~9 miles and is almost a complete circle (about 0.5mi between the finish and start. The distance between the finish and start is on back roads so you could easily connect the two. It is all right turns, the only funky spot would be the 90deg 4 way stop at the start. There is a rotary about half way through in Carlile, but you can usually get through that pretty quick. You’d need 2.5ish laps to get to 40k. I’ve often considered doing this myself but never have. It is run as a weekly series, or at least it was prior to covid. Here is the ridewithgps segment, and you can easily see how to connect the finish to the start.
Race site
Google group, updated more frequently
https://groups.google.com/g/nebc-cbtt
I’m unaware of any true 40k course in eastern mass
To add to my prior response: A long TT course in eastern mass is tough as there are lights and stop signs everywhere given the population density. Multiple laps of a shorter course is probably going to be your best bet.
This is another TT in North Andover which was run by a triathlon coaching service. Not sure if this one is run as a weekly series or not, have’ done it in a few year. 13mi course, flat, no weird turns, but there is a spot where you have to take a left fork, but on a not busy road.
Thanks for the tips! I’m definitely willing to do a loop a couple of times, like in the case of the CBTT or Buzzard’s Bay Tri course. Both of those seem reasonable. CBTT is much closer for me.
I’d spent some time looking at the roads, and you’re right that almost every road has a stop sign or stop light every couple of miles.
I’m also open to suggestions in Western or central Mass.
Thanks again, and keep the tips coming if there are more ideas!
Agrees. Westport / Little Compton(RI) has great quiet roads with no lights and little traffic.
There is a TT in Duxbury as well (again not sure if it’s still done as a race). It’s 2 laps for 12 miles so you may get a bit dizzy doing a 40k but it’s another option
Never did this as a race and I don’t know those roads so can’t speak to it but it’s another option.
Totally, as an example I did 100miles, elapsed time 5:16, moving time 5:14, most of the time lost was passing route 6 lights twice
I think ECV runs (or used to run) a TT up in the Ipswich area as well. I’m struggling to find the route now, but from my admittedly limited riding up that way you can probably put together a decent loop up around Hamilton/ Ipswich.
I’ll throw a vote in though for the CBTT loop, most of it is recently paved, and the interruptions are very limited, especially for the Boston area. On the right weekend you’ll have to deal with more bike than car traffic.
Boom!
I think it got shut down a few years ago due to participant misbehavior, but the roads are still there…
Ahhhhhhhhh, TT courses. I am into my 6th year of running a summer TT series in the Albany, NY area. So many challenges. It seems that the only stretches of uninterrupted road that extend out to 10 miles is typically in a very rural area, and not easy to get to. The weekly series is run on Wednesday nights so it can’t be too far away where riders are unable to get there after work. We have two courses, each 10 miles in length (5 out, 5 back) that serve the intended purpose well. We had a real good Covid mitigation program last year. Averaged 38 riders per night, no positive cases, huge success in an otherwise dreary race season. I have on my radar hosting the NYS TT championships, but finding an adequate stretch in a reasonably accessible location will forever be a challenge. Best of luck with your search.
The only 25 mile TT I can recall was ages ago in RI. Start / Finish was near the Ninigrit Park and it ran on route 1. The New England TT championship course is a circuit and could go there and do 40km too. Couple corners but doable.
If you were willing to travel for a race… the NJ State TT is 40km on a dead flat course in Chatsworth NJ. There are also a pair of 40km races held down in Maryland at Church Creek. Same course just two runs pr season. Course there is a big loop. Also dead flat. If you catch the right day with lower temps and low wind those are both PR type courses for TT specialists.
Good luck in the search. Uninterrupted and fast 40km courses are very hard to find.
Can always pack it in on 40K and go do the BUMPS circuit 
Reason why I personally wouldn’t recommend CBTT for this type of effort is that circling back for a 2nd lap might require interruption, you can’t really go back into concord center because there’s traffic and eventually a stop sign. I guess that’s the challenge of trying to do any type of continuous long effort!
Yeah, the little stretch between the start and finish of CBTT is probably a half mile and a little up and down, not flattish and straight. Suboptimal but doable. Rolling through Concord center wouldn’t be great either, as you point out. I think the North Andover loop I posted above is probably the best, as start/finish line is the same and you can just keep rolling
Another nice suggestion up on the north shore! I will definitely be respecting road traffic and rules during my effort (wherever I end out doing it).
It looks like the CBTT course would require at least 2 passes through a stop sign. Maybe I’ve got enough fitness to make my goal even with that? I can only hope…and train more! This is the closest to home, so I might give it an initial shot there.
But going down to Buzzards Bay Tri course is probably the optimal course.
This is where I got my start riding! I miss those roads. This area is also very seasonal- you can pretty much time trial around Cape Ann, for instance, during the winter, but in the summer it’s bumper to bumper traffic. Still, a great place to ride a bike (or at least it was about 10 years ago 
)
If you cut across Liberty St you can avoid Concord Center and it’s all right turns with a yield onto Estabrook, and you end up at the stop sign on Lowell with a right turn so the interruption should be minimal.
What is the BUMPS circuit?