We have all been there at some stage, that fear of trepidation where you either join a club ride for the first time, move up a group in your club or perhaps just go out with a bunch of friends for a ride and some of them are a bit stronger than you…. So here is how to survive a faster, quicker, tougher ride than you are used to …..
1. EAT. The day before ensuring that you are fueled correctly for the ride, your glycogen stores are full, and you are hydrated.
2. MEET. Get to the meet point early. Gives you an opportunity to take those additional nerves toilet breaks, find out exactly where you are going and what’s ahead…and NO one likes the late guy/girl either.
3. GET TO THE FRONT. When the ride starts get to the front…. Ok not the front, front but the 1st 3rd….. Ok its comfier for you to be at the back but whilst being there might be more comfortable its where the less strong riders will go and if the pace goes up a bit you will get left behind. So, mix it in with the tough crew.
4. CLOSE GAPS. If you see a gap, then close it…. close it while it’s just a few cm’s and not 2.5m or you are going to burn a lot of matches getting back to the pack.
5. ELASTIC BAND CORNERS. Get ready for corners. Corners are like elastic bands, into a corner and those exiting will leave you behind its then sprint back to catch on….. doing this endlessly will of course tire you, the elastic band goes snap…and you are on your own.
6. TALK TO PEOPLE. Talk to people, a paceline/group ride should be a bit noisy with people calling to drop the pace, people off the back, coming through, calling out obstacles etc etc….
7. DONT GIVE UP. When the going gets tough stick with it…. It’s not going to be hard riding for the whole ride there will be peaks and troughs of hard and easy so stay with it and tough it out.
8. PRACTICE. The more you do the better you will get. Practice as they say makes perfect and if you keep chipping away week after week then YOU will become the stronger rider and someone else will be in the situation you were a few months previous…..
If you want to get better then always good to ride with those just slightly better than you....just dont move from group C to A ...maybe try B first