Hit with reality - club ride

VTech

I was meant to be working away this weekend but after it cancelled I felt it the perfect time to go on a club ride.
I was all set to arrive by the start time of 8.30 but was let down with the ever increasingly poor Garmin 800 and arrived 20 minutes late.
On arrival there was a small group of around 10 people who were in the "fast group" (including a forum member here) who all invited me to join them, I knew they were goin to be quick but I'm not normally deterred from having a go.
We took off within 5 minutes of me arriving at the start point by which time is already had a stressful 12km ride getting there.
Anyway, within a mike I realised I wouldn't be going the distance, I managed to cling to the back of the group for 4 miles but I was a gonna, these guy were pulling away from me and my Garmin was saying me own speed was 21.2mph!!!!!!!
I felt completely deflated, up until. It i had thought all was going well but these guys were riding like they were on the TDF
Anyway, I didn't want to give up so carried on my own wandering route and clocked up around 40km which is my biggest road ride yet.
I'm absolutely knackered, my legs feel like lead weights but apart from the pain and exhaustion, I really enjoyed it.
I'm away for the next 3 weeks working so in a month ill be trying it all over again, but this time in the starter group.

peddlingmadness

Don't be deterred, go with the b-ride and build up your stamina and speed and it will happen. I'm interested on your comment " ever increasingly poor Garmin 800 " I'm planning on buying one of these next week.. What problems are you experiencing and if any what advice do you have on this bit of kit.. Thanks

ugo.santalucia

... time for new wheels then...

It takes time and gallons of sweat to get to the level where you can manage an average of 20 mph for a few miles

Mikey23

I have exactly the same issue but in my case its with the slow group...

Anonymous

Well done on your new PB.
Really silly not to be in the right group though. Hope it has not put you off ;-)

I got my club PB today too. Went out with the fast B group and loved it.

VTech

Ohh, im certain the same will happen when I join the 'B' ride also

My comment about the Garmin is to do with the navigation, I had ridden until I could ride no more and at that point I decided to cycle back home and so I set the nav to get me home and soon realised it was taking me the wrong route. I think it doesnt understand the difference between road and field !
Anyway, I headed along the main routes and got lost again so I tried the nav for the second time and it said I was 6.1m from home, again it wanted me to cycle through fields so 11m later I managed to get home.
In all other areas its great but the nav is worthless imo.

Bobbinogs

Given your lack of real mileage, I think doing the fast group to start with was somewhat overambitious but great to see that you are out spinning those hoops up

I started with one of my local clubs and worked my way up from B-, through B to the A. That way, I learned group riding without ever feeling like I was clinging on for dear life...but then I pushed my comfort zone over the months by spending more time on the front before moving up a level.

As you say, you need to get back out with the club but make sure you chat to the folks in the groups before setting off to see what their view of 'reasonable distance' and 'normal pace' mean.

alihisgreat

VTech wrote:

I was meant to be working away this weekend but after it cancelled I felt it the perfect time to go on a club ride.
I was all set to arrive by the start time of 8.30 but was let down with the ever increasingly poor Garmin 800 and arrived 20 minutes late.
On arrival there was a small group of around 10 people who were in the "fast group" (including a forum member here) who all invited me to join them, I knew they were goin to be quick but I'm not normally deterred from having a go.
We took off within 5 minutes of me arriving at the start point by which time is already had a stressful 12km ride getting there.
Anyway, within a mike I realised I wouldn't be going the distance, I managed to cling to the back of the group for 4 miles but I was a gonna, these guy were pulling away from me and my Garmin was saying me own speed was 21.2mph!!!!!!!
I felt completely deflated, up until. It i had thought all was going well but these guys were riding like they were on the TDF
Anyway, I didn't want to give up so carried on my own wandering route and clocked up around 40km which is my biggest road ride yet.
I'm absolutely knackered, my legs feel like lead weights but apart from the pain and exhaustion, I really enjoyed it.
I'm away for the next 3 weeks working so in a month ill be trying it all over again, but this time in the starter group.

Don't worry about not hanging on - chances are they'd slow down after 5 miles anyway!

VTech

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

Don't worry about not hanging on - chances are they'd slow down after 5 miles anyway!

By which time they would have been 4m in front

philwint

well done

Sounds like you had a good day anyway.

alihisgreat

VTech wrote:

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

Don't worry about not hanging on - chances are they'd slow down after 5 miles anyway!

By which time they would have been 4m in front

haha I'm just saying they're probably not as strong as you think

smoggysteve

Look at it this way. You went further and faster than you have before. Yes you are sore but if you push yourself a bit more than normal you will. Well Done for the effort and don't be dispirited. Non of us are elite and will find ourselves being outpaced by someone faster.

dodgy

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

VTech wrote:

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

Don't worry about not hanging on - chances are they'd slow down after 5 miles anyway!

By which time they would have been 4m in front

haha I'm just saying they're probably not as strong as you think

I think vtech is a complete novice? In which case it's no surprise that a regular group of riders can go a lot faster. I doubt they were putting on a show for him?

daviegb

Firstly - congratulations on getting a fastest & furthest ride, it's never easy & always painful!!!

You may want to check out the attached link (I think a fellow forumite set it up) - it explains how the navigation settings need to be programmed. It should resolve all your navigation issues, including sending you across fields & through people's houses!

http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/11/fo ... -edge-800/

Hope it helps


Gavin

goonz

Sorry vtech dont take this the wrong way but your longest ride ever is 40km and you joined the fast group? Given you have so many posts on here I naturally thought you were a more experienced rider than that.

I would definitely suggest getting more miles in your legs, still not saying I would have been able to keep up myself and I have been on longer rides than you, but it would definitely have felt easier with more miles in your legs.

VTech

As I said, my intention was for the 12mph group but due to issues with the Garmin I arrived too late and the guys in the fast group were friendly enough to say tag on or as long as I could manage so I thought it would of been rude to say no and cycle off so I give it my best.
I never thought I'd manage to keep up for the 40-70 miles they do but even to tag along for a few km was good.
Anyway, I'm not deterred, I've done plenty of much longer rides on the turbo but the road is way tougher I think.

I'm strong willed at most I do so I know ill have cracked 100 by the end of the year if I stay well.

StillGoing

VTech wrote:

Ohh, im certain the same will happen when I join the 'B' ride also

My comment about the Garmin is to do with the navigation, I had ridden until I could ride no more and at that point I decided to cycle back home and so I set the nav to get me home and soon realised it was taking me the wrong route. I think it doesnt understand the difference between road and field !
Anyway, I headed along the main routes and got lost again so I tried the nav for the second time and it said I was 6.1m from home, again it wanted me to cycle through fields so 11m later I managed to get home.
In all other areas its great but the nav is worthless imo.

Simply sounds like you haven't configured the settings to stick to roads. User error rather than a fault of the device.

deadhead1971

daviegb wrote:

Firstly - congratulations on getting a fastest & furthest ride, it's never easy & always painful!!!

You may want to check out the attached link (I think a fellow forumite set it up) - it explains how the navigation settings need to be programmed. It should resolve all your navigation issues, including sending you across fields & through people's houses!

http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/11/fo ... -edge-800/

Hope it helps


Gavin

That'd be me. Thanks for posting the link!
Hope it was useful.
cheers

marylogic

The other thing that occurs to me is that no one would advise that the best way to start your longest ride yet is by going flat out for the first few miles. No wonder you ran out of steam near the end. If you start steady you will manage to go further.

Paul E

You just need to do a lot more miles and do them at ever increasing pace and then try joining the faster group, no point moaning about it and there is no short cut.

VTech

I wasn't moaning. It was a reality hit that's all