FLCC> sunday rides question

[Vanessa Ann McCaffery]

Hi Marilyn,
I think I remember talking to you on one of the past weekend's rides...I
agree it's kind of difficult sometimes to figure out how/with whom you
want to ride.   I hadn't done much riding with the FLCC until a month or
so ago.  I had been doing the leisure rides up until yesterday.  I've
noticed the "leisure" and "faster" groups tend to meet up in different
places sometimes-but not ALL the time.  I know how you feel though, I'm
not really as fit yet as I was at this time last year, and I kind of feel
"in the middle" as well.  So I had been going on the "leisure" rides but
riding to and from the meeting point-like for the ride where we met in
Cortland, I added 40 miles by biking to and from Cortland, at a brisk
pace, then taking it easy for the 30 miles or so of the leisure ride.
This way I was sort of creating my own happy medium-getting the miles in,
doing most at a moderate to hard pace and some at a slower pace-yet
getting to spend some time and be social in a group ride.  I did
occasionally push myself on some of the hills on the leisure rides,
another woman was doing little "fitness intervals" and so I would go with
her whenever she went, then we'd softpedal and everyone would catch us
again.

  Yesterday, going with the "faster" group was an experiment for me, I had
printed the cue sheet and fully expected to be dropped on the climbs,
but I needed to put in the 70 miles (I biked to and from the TC
building, I live in Cayuga Heights).    However I found that the group
was very considerate in waiting up at the top of the bigger climbs for
those of us who weren't exactly mountain goats.  On the flat I felt fine
keeping up as long as I stayed tight on a wheel and wasn't pulling into
that nasty headwind.  I felt a bit pushed at some points to keep up on
the smaller hills, but I wanted to work hard, that was the plan for the
day whether I got dropped or not.
We did run into the "leisure" group at one point-they had started/ended
their ride at Newfield.
Anyhow I don't know if this is any help to you.  I guess what I'm saying
is, even if there are only two ride options as far as speed is concerned,
you might be able to get creative and find your own happy medium that will
allow for some nice group riding but also keep improving your fitness
level.
Vanessa












> I have some questions about the Sunday rides.I just joined the list serve
> so
> forgive me if these issues have been addressed.
> I've been on a handful of Sunday rides over the last few years and was on
> the Taylor valley ride two weeks ago.
> It seemed like there was a "faster" group and and a "slower group". I
> happened to go with the "faster group" since I was with a friend who was
> going with them and wanted to do the longer distance. The "slower" group
> was
> going to do about 25.
> I'm comfortable in the 15-17 mph average range and this group was faster
> than me but they waited and we ended up finishing together.
>
> This past week, I went to the TC building to meet the riders for the
> Newfield ride. There was a large group of people and I noticed a range of
> riders and thought  to myself, "whew!  I'd definitely will not be the
> slowest."  A bunch of riders took off and  I went with them on the initial
> climb up Hayts road.  I dropped from the pack and thought well, I'll just
> drop back and go with th other riders because I can't chase these guys for
> 55 miles.  I didn't see anyone so i back tracked and realized that the
> others took another route. So I was alone and ended up going back to the
> car
> and did some off road later in the day.  Not fun. If I wanted to bike
> alone,
> i could just do it from my house.
>
> So i'm asking: what is the general pace of the rides? Is there a group of
> people in the "medium speed" range that still want to bike longer
> distances?
> Perhaps there could be more of an effort to inform the group of the
> options
> if there are multiple speeds.
> What do others think?
>
> A couple of years ago on an FLCC ride , my chain slipped off and then lost
> the rest of the group (except for one kind soul). The two of us biked
> alone
> and i don't think we were ever missed by the others.  Being dropped is an
> expectation that I have in this group.  On another couple of rides I've
> dropped back to keep company of a slower rider feeling like leaving them
> would certainly not encourage them to come back.
> If the culture of the club is, "keep up if you can"  then it should be
> stated as an expectation, not as a "recreational ride".
>
> Marilyn
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