tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103043716628630091.post4591338930619622303..comments2012-11-26T23:56:55.700-06:00Comments on High Voltage Report: Group Rides... help or hinderance?High Voltagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114472709263664620noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103043716628630091.post-1684125459294508472007-09-27T20:13:00.000-05:002007-09-27T20:13:00.000-05:00This is a topic that I regularly contemplate. Here...This is a topic that I regularly contemplate. Here are my conclusions after thinking this over the past few years. Group rides serve many purposes but the main one is that once a rider gets to a certain level( many times to 17-18.5 mph solo and ride lengths of 25-40 miles) they are used to get to the next level. They provide for that person ride consistency, regular mileage, motivation to ride when the weather is iffy, pack experience, a way to see your progress as you go from being pulled to pulling, etc.... then people get to the point where they may feel that they out grow the group workouts. I think we should realize that the group rides usually have a purpose ie.. one long ride, one hills and one w/ break aways/ speed play etc... This is where I think we can use the group rides to our advantage as we become better riders rather than loosing them. Some examples are: if you find your-self (like I have) sitting behind a large group of riders doing 25-30 mph and a low hr due to the draft.(when your pre-ride goals are to ride solid w/ a good HR. and be fairly taxed after the ride) Try leading a smaller group of riders to go off the back and you pull them everyone gets a better workout. Or put in some harder mileage before or after the group ride to accomplish your goals. I regularly show up for part to all of a group ride and still accomplish my goals by modifiying my approach. Another example is pull the group before you hit the hills or lay back and brake going down the hills (pass on your knowledge to newer riders) then try to catch the lead riders or at least those in the middle to back of the lead pack. <BR/><BR/>The main message is please think twice about not riding w/ the group. Most riders start there and I think it is important for us to make an effort to continue the tradition along w/ continuing our riding evolution. I think the other risk is (if we solo ride our specific workouts) eventually we will miss the important things that the club rides provided us. The exact things that got us to this level will be missing and we may start to slip backwards or even stop riding.<BR/><BR/>I encourage more experienced riders to use there newly aquired cycling knowledge to there advantage and incorporate it w/ the group rides. If you have specific questions on how to do this please ask and in many cases we can find a way that achieves both goals.<BR/><BR/>Tom DvoratchekAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com