TrySports “C” Group Ride

Yesterday evening, I was hanging out talking to some of the guys before our TrySports Wednesday evening ride when Andre rode over. Not sure what happened, but he asked if I would be up for leading the "C" group. "Sure", I was planning on riding with the "B1" group, but helping new guys get started with group rides is just as important. After all, there was a time when I was new to group riding and someone took the time to teach me the rules of the road. Some things just need to be passed on.

Usually, there are 4 groups going out of TrySports on Wednesday evenings.

There is an "A" group which rides about 23+ mph. I image it is a pretty tough ride. Although I have yet to commit to one of these rides mainly because it is usually a small group. The smaller the group, the harder it is to hang on when someone throws in a big surge. To my knowledge, this group probably rides around 35 to 37 miles.

The "B1" usually rides around 21 to 22 mph and is much larger. Usually, there are one or two guys that keep the pace nice and high while the rest of us hang on (at least that's how I interpret it). Because the group is larger than the "A" group, there is less chance that I will get dropped.

Getting dropped is not bad thing. Some days, it does happen. But in order to improve, I have to stretch myself and only by trying to get in to these faster groups will I ever ride faster myself.

The "B2" group comes next. To back up for a second, when we started in the spring, there were 3 groups: "A", "B", and "C" . Over the summer as people grew stronger and more people started coming out on Wednesday night, the "B" group's numbers swelled. So much so, we looked like we had our own race going down Rea Road. That's when Rob and team decided to split things up.

So the "B2" group was created and averages about 19 to 20 mph. The "B1" and "B2" group are usually about equal in size. Both the "B1" and "B2" groups ride about the same distance 31 to 33 miles. They ride the same courses and stop in the same places.

One thing I have found is that the "B1" and "B2" groups tend to stay together for the majority of the ride. Only in the final miles where the stronger riders are still pushing the pace does it occasionally split.

The "C" group rides an average of 16 to 17 mph and covers about 19 to 21 miles. I have seen this group be quite small and at other times quite large. Truly, this is the best place to start learning about riding in a group. The pace is not nearly as hard and we regroup along the course. It also gives people the opportunity to ride next to someone which is considerably different than riding solo

So yesterday, we headed out. On the flats sections, I pulled us along at 17 to 18 mph. On the downhills, we let the pace roll a little faster - say 20 to 22. On the uphills, I took it nice and easy - say 13 to 15 mph. The uphills are where most people struggle. And, we stopped at the usual points to regroup.

We finished with 21 miles in the books and averaged about 17 and ½ mph. But more importantly, we had a nice safe, fun ride – no one crashed or fell down and we were courteous to the drivers.

 

Thoughts from the Cool Down Runner