Club run, got the fecking hump now...

[Pikey]

Went out for my usual run with the club, but for one reason or another I was encouraged to go out with the fast group, rather than the slow group as per normal.

This was accompanied by friendly assurances of, don't worry about the pace you'll keep up, we won't drop you, I'm not feeling like too quick of a run anyway etc... etc... What a great bunch of guys, thinks I, and was glad to be invited to tag along.

Fast group normally averages 17mph, both groups have a no drop policy.

So we set off, and the pace starts to hit 18-20, I kept up (not gonna lie it was hard work) for about 8 miles, when stupidly I fell back a bit and a car jumped in front of me. Couple of guys saw this, it then slows really quickly, almost like a left hook into a farm shop so I have to slow or rear end it.

The rest of the group hammered on, last couple of guys looking over their shoulders. By the time the car driver had moved her fat ar5e the group had crested a hill and I could not catch them.

Remembering the no drop policy and their cheery assertions at the start I carried on, thinking that they might wait at the next junction as they saw what happened.

Did they fu*k...

Cue a solo ride out, solo coffe stop and a solo 45 mile 'club run' (at least it was sunny), not really what I joined a club for...

I'm more angered by the fact that they did this to two newbs in the middle of nowhere a couple of weeks back, one of the guys was new to the area and didn't know where he was. A complaint was made to the club secretary.

Properly p1ssed off, fecking macho bullsh1t.
Rant over

 

[Pikey]

So options (you help me to decide):

1. Jump on the complaint band wagon.
2. Mtf, drink my wine and forget about it.
3. Indulge my cannibalistic urges, selling what I can't eat to local pie factory.
4. Accept that I'm sh1t at it and hang the bike up in the garage.
5. Find another club and flounce off.
6. (Erring towards this one) offer to start an intermediate group run with the club and co lead it to give people a chance to graduate between the two groups without being at the beckon call of a few peoples ego stroking macho I'm faster than you empire.

 

[TissoT]

We only drop individuals on the way (8m) out .. if we think they are not going to make it home after Cafe !

No point pull some one ..then pushing them home !

Don t take it to heart ... go back and pick up your pace

When I first used to ride on our club runs .... I used to get dropped
but the week after I would turn up do my work on the front .... to gain respect in the bunch

 

[vickster]

Just ride with your usual group and help the slower guys out by taking lots of turns up front, work you harder, benefit them so that's 6 sort of

 

[Peteaud]

Just ride with your usual group and help the slower guys out by taking lots of turns up front, work you harder, benefit them so that's 6 sort of

^^^^ This

 

[Peteaud]

Just ride with your usual group and help the slower guys out by taking lots of turns up front, work you harder, benefit them so that's 6 sort of

^^^^ This

 

[Pikey]

Just ride with your usual group and help the slower guys out by taking lots of turns up front, work you harder, benefit them so that's 6 sort of

Yeah, this seems like sense. I did take a turn or two at the front over the last couple of weeks, but being a relative newb myself, I was pulling away from the group so slotted back in to the middle, I need to learn how

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Like @vickster said
Plus, when eventually you get as fast as the fast ones, don't ride with them. Do the fast rides with another club/group, one that does not leave folks stranded.

 

[welsh dragon]

Another one for number 6.

 

[young Ed]

if you run a garmin or similar or some other thing with speed on the bars whilst riding then set a lower limit of say 15mph first or whatever you are comfortable working at and try to never go below this apart from up hill (properly uphill) or slowing for a car to turn or at a junction etc etc then slowly up this limit until you are working at 16-17mph and then come back and try the fast group again

i was doing a charity ride thing a couple of weeks back through my school and started riding with my form tutor and my sports teacher (both sports teachers and very fit and both on fully carbon road bikes and had done maximum about 15 miles before hand) i kept up for the first few miles just fine (really pushing it) and then they dropped me or i dropped them how ever you want to think of it but i did well considering i am a skinny 15 year old lad on a heavy steel frame hybrid running 38mm tyres and got up at 5:00AM to do 35 miles before hand was dead at the end though due to lack of calories/energy!
Cheers Ed

 

[Pikey]

We only drop individuals on the way (8m) out .. if we think they are not going to make it home after Cafe !

No point pull some one ..then pushing them home !

Don t take it to heart ... go back and pick up your pace

When I first used to ride on our club runs .... I used to get dropped
but the week after I would turn up do my work on the front .... to gain respect in the bunch

No your right, I shouldn't take the fact that I was dropped to heart, I was pretty sure I didn't have the legs to keep up before we all set off. And tbh, it will stop me resting on my laurels training wise this year.

But...

I think I'm more annoyed that I seem to have been goaded into a group that they knew full well that I wouldn't keep up, in order for them to drop me, perchance to make them feel superior.

In that regard, sadly, I don't give a f*ck about getting respect from the bunch! Sure, I should up my pace, it has highlighted that, but I'll do it well away from a group which touts a poor attitude and a false no drop policy.

If they didn't think I would make the cafe, they could have just said before we set off. I had ridden with them before.

 

[vickster]

I bet they're not embarrassed about going into the cafe in their cycling shorts even red ones

 

[mr messy]

In CC Ecosse we take all the waifs and strays... even the totally lost get found again. If there's a No-one gets left behind rule then rather poor form not to follow it! I would much rather have an enjoyable ride with good company

 

[NormanD]

Maybe there's been some conversation between the two group leaders and your name was put forward as the fastest rider of the slower group, so you were invited to join the faster group as maybe the slower group was holding your progress back, as you said you had to slow your pace once leading the slower group a number of times.

Either way it wouldn't distract me from enjoying my ride out if I was dropped by faster riders, as that's what I intended to do in the first place Ride my bike. I'm still able to find my way back home

No one knows their limits until they push themselves to them

Stick with it, set the pace you're happy with and enjoy the ride, I'm sure given time you'll be able to join the faster pack up the road once your fitness levels rise

 

[Crankarm]

It's not what your Club can do for you, but what you can do for your Club. If you have only been on a few club rides and have been dropped from the fast group then you have ambitions your legs can't fulfil at the moment. Continue to ride in the slower group but at the front to build stamina and speed and respect or do you feel riding with the slower group is beneath you? Perhaps you are not yet ready to become a Club member? I suspect your new Club does not operate solely for your benefit? Is your name Chris Froome or Bradley Wiggins?

Btw 18-20mph is nothing. In my Club this would be the pace of the intermediate group. The fast group ride at 24-25 sometimes 27-28mph. If you get dropped you wait for the slower group to catch you unless like you, you choose to ride on out of anger you got dropped! So guys in the fast group have to ride really slowly so you can keep up …………………. .