I found myself on a ride similar to that one last Saturday. I hung in with the fast group for 13 of the 27 miles. When I did get dropped from the fast group the slower group was too far behind for me to even regroup with them. I ended up doing th rest of the ride chasing the fast group. I will be doing the same ride this weekend. One day I will be able to hang in for the entire ride. I ride solo during the week so 1 extremely hard workout per week will not kill me (Hopefully).

Sums it up for me, too.

Thanks for the laughs, great story.

Sounds like you're hooked to me. Rides like this are the carrot, dont like carrots, ride by yourself. If however you do like carrots, then these groups offer a chance for you to exercise your competitive side.

You made it 7 miles, sounds like a good job to me.

I love you man! Go back! Sounds like me on a group ride that I attempt on Wed. yesterday my front tire got clipped and I had to bail to the grassh shoulder. I should have waved as they passed.

Hah! I love it.

And I've totally been there. I thought I was inventing new ways to get dropped: take too hard a pull, miss the end of the train, get dropped; try to catch a breakaway, run out of gas in no-man's land, get dropped; not pay attention when the group accelerates, get dropped; get out of position in the crosswind sections, get dropped.

I hope you'll decide that it's right for you to go back next Wednesday. Whether you hang or get shot out the back, you'll be making yourself a stronger rider.

good story

Assuming that he wants to be able to stay with these guys, which is the better approach -- Go out and ride with them really fast, but blow a gasket by being over LT for the full 7 miles? Or training at some lower level (80% of AT?) over time which builds the reserves? I'm not a training expert, but I have read that even though it is tempting to join a hammer fest to challenge yourself, riding beyond your ability is not the quickest way to improve your overall speed.

I agree

Why not? Sounds like fun. :)

Take too hard a pull, miss the end of the train, get dropped - check
Try to catch a breakaway, run out of gas in no-man's land, get dropped - been there, done THAT
Not pay attention when the group accelerates, get dropped - Yup
Get out of position in the crosswind sections, get dropped. - Something for me to shoot for... :p

Don't forget my favorite: Take a long pull up to the base of a steep hill, bonk on the ascent, get dropped

here's my take on it. 30 miles for a group of good riders is nothing. at that length they are probably concerned about getting a good workout in and thus the pace will be pretty fast right from the start. sounds like they might be a bit out of your league. how'd the other new guy fare?

Personally i'm always a little happier when the pace cranks up and we drop the stragglers, hangers-on, wheelsuckers, newbies, etc. The ride is much safer after that. Don't be discouraged though . . . go back and try again and when you get dropped do your own hard ride. If you don't give up, eventually you'll be strong enough to make it through the whole thing.

It's very difficult to push yourself on a solo ride to the levels you'll need to stay with a group above your head. I remember absolutely killing myself to STAY IN THE DRAFT last year when I was getting my legs back under me. For this reason, I would stick with the group if your asperations are to get faster.

Mark

Is it me or is there the usual inflation rate going on? I always have a bit of difficulty believing group ride average speeds that top Tour de France stage averages... this is 51-53 km/h we're talking about here...

Awesome writeup! Go back with hopes of a B group. If it's not forming, go do your own ride.

Actually, if he were a man he'd make a decision based on what he wants to do, not what others might think of him......

I'm with 'Nother, that sums me up perfectly.

Does it bother anyone else that the ride was advertised as a 18-20mph ride? I for one would be a little pissed if I showed up for one ride and got handed another. I would be just as upset if I went for a advertised 25mph group ride and ended up with a group that rode 18mph.

He went bye-bye with the rest of them. I was the only one who popped the way I did --and as far as I know I was the only one who popped at all. It was amazing, disheartening, laughable, eye-opening and sad all at once.

[emotional rebuttal about being called a wheelsucker and newbie and unsafe written and deleted :) ]

Had this been a training ride, then yeah, I understand that perspective --and I wouldn't been out there. Remember this is a weekly club ride and the posted info says 18-20mph pace. The only way to find out if I belonged out there was to go, and now I know. Like others have alluded to, this may have been an aberration of all the race studs and none of the clubbers. I guess I'll find out next week....

Isn't this type of riding, going over and above your LT and possibly blowing up, more harmful than in terms of long term development?

I'm just curious as last saturday I went a bit overboard and spent about 45 mins of a 3hour + ride over my LT. I blew up during the first part but after the break felt better.

The next day's ride was even longer and more challenging (lots more climbing) but I just kept it below LT and did quite well despte being tired from the day before.

Thoughts?

Sorry to make this thread even longer but I can't help it, great story! I'm still laughing at your metaphors ...

Boy have a got a ways to go before I show up for any club rides, haha... but that's OK. I'll just keep trying to get faster (20-23 mph avg is my goal right now) on my own for awhile.

Good luck!
..rickko..

depends. sometimes you gotta push yourself to get better. the key is to not do riding like this several times a week. as long as you have a good base of miles, there really isn't anything wrong with going above LT. if you always ride below LT there is little chance of improving (unless of course it's a recovery day...then it's really helpful).

You are welcome to come out anytime and check for yourself, amigo. That is, if you've not been dropped in the warm-up. The group is Weds. Night Worlds, and it leaves from Avery Park in Dublin, Ohio. Some of the fastest guys in the state come out for it. Feel free to PM me for directions. Or feel free to cast your cynical aspersions elsewhere.

Wow, this sounds exactly like me when I started riding with a group this summer. All the other guys in the group that meets at 5AM(worst part about the ride) are hard core bikers, racing every other weekend, and just insanely better than my beginner ass, ie: one guy was two places away from the 72 or 76 olympics for the ITT if I am not mistaken. Anyhow, I got dropped after 12 miles of the 24 mile ride, and never caught back up. But the guys waited at the end and were very encouraging. So I kept showing up at 5Am and now I am able to hang with the lead group at about 21-24 mph avg. I still get dusted when the sprints come around at 35mph+, but playing catch up the whole time has definitely made me a stronger rider. Anyhow, I actually like having to catch up and so forth, and now that I can hang and take a good pull, it always feel good as you drop back when someone going by tells you "nice pull" or something along those lines. Anyhow, if you enjoy the biking, stick to it, and before you knwo it, you will be right up with the first group. At least thats how it worked out for me.

Next year, montauk, 160 miles, you and me. ;)
Or 320?