Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Any Clydesdales or Athenia's that train with a group or club?

Do you find groups to be a worthwhile addition to meeting your diet and fitness goals?

Michael

I don't have any diet or fitness goals; I just ride because I like to ride... but I do belong to 2 clubs:

Randonneurs USA, and Seattle International Randonneurs. I've been on a few rides with SiR, but none of their "training" rides, although the training series rides aren't much different than their brevets.
It is easier to push yourself with a group, IMO.

No diet, Just ride with some other bikers.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/t.jpg

Hi,
a clubride is very different than training on your own. Apart from the social experience, I can count on somebody increasing the speed at moments at which I myself would have never done so - it is a lot more challenging and because of the draft opportunities faster in general. Lots of fun. Highly recommended!

Hey, it's all good! I find riding with my clubs gets me out on the bike more often. I like the social aspect of riding with other folks.

yes i frequently ride with groups that are stronger and faster than i. my goal is to be stronger and faster.

Fitness
Definitely! I could never go as fast as I do in a group. As a result, I have much more power to take pulls when a) I'm on my own, or b) I'm at the front of the group. I also have more strength going up hills. As a result, smaller hills don't faze me at all, and I enjoy myself on them. If I'm with someone less strong, I can have an easy ascent.

Diet
As a result of the group rides, I go farther and harder in groups and when alone. As a result of that, I burn more calories. When with a group, I also think twice about eating that big, dripping mc-burger-whatchamacallit when stopping for a bite. When alone, I don't have this conscience holding me back :D

I find that planning longer rides with the club on the weekend helps me stay motivated to train through the week. I can't handle 100 mile road rides unless I ride some every day.

I do club rides a few times a month when schedules work out. It's fun - I meet some nice people, I can get some variety with new routes, it is easier to ride on busier streets with the increased visibility of more than one rider, and I get stronger and faster with the encouragement and some friendly competition during a training ride. One club is fairly small and I get to know the other riders pretty well; the other is large and I don't see the same faces much.

On one of my favorite rides I was playing cat-and-mouse with another cyclist -- he would get ahead on climbs, I would pass him on descents. We had a little friendly banter going on each time we exchanged leads. The last 5 miles I was riding harder than I ever would have on my own just trying to catch back up on a gradual climb into a headwind. I wasn't successful, but I did learn how much smarter he was by wheel sucking off me until he had saved up enough energy to make his final charge.

Riding with a group also makes the time pass quickly. I am more willing to take risks and go hard since we look out for each other.

I do certian rides by myself such as hill repeats but do belong to two clubs. One club is pretty laid back but with some pretty strong riders. If I feel like hitting it hard I go with the strong riders, I usally ride with the mid group with this club and treat them as recovery rides. Good times and use hills to challange myself or just ride out front the whole time. The other group I ride with is a LBS group, this is were the boys meet the men so to speak. We do have fun and socialize but there are times when it's all out every rider for themselves hammerfest, which can be tremendously fun. I love doing the paceline selection rides as in stay with as long as you can and group gets smaller as you go. We regroup except for last day selection ride were it's all out till last rider is going. So yes I find riding with a group beificial.