I'm always last! It sucks!

[Puffin]

So, thought I'd have a bit of a moan and maybe get some friendly words of advice back. Or a kick up the backside.
I have been riding for about 4 years. First year my husband had a big crash and the second year it took me months to master spds so I kinda associate mtb with pain, particularly when dh is stronger and fitter and makes me go up (and down!) steep hills.
On the rare occasion (maybe once a month) that we ride with others, I am ALWAYS last, other women and 13year old boys included. I don't complain at the time, because that the last thing anyone wants to hear, but it's really beginning to get me down and put me off going out at all.
Of course it's a vicious circle - the more I fall off or come last, the less I want to ride and the less able I am to improve my riding.
Yeah the secret to everyone elses success over me is they ride more! But I get BORED if all I do is ride... I like to do other things as well - like go on NORMAL holidays not just mtb in Alps, mtb in Scotland, mtb to the pub...

Is it a case of wanting my cake and eating it?

[tattiefritter]

I like to do other things as well (climbing, running, hill walking) and also get bored if I ride all the time....BUT...the only way to get better at riding is to ride, there is no easy way round it unfortunately.

I tend to MTB more than anything else because:

a) I actually really enjoy it, the better I get, the more I do
b) I've spent a fortune on my bikes
c) Most of my friends bike, some bike only, its easier to organise.

However this weekend I'm going for a long walk in the Lakes :D

If you don't ride frequently unless you are talented then it will take you a long time to improve - bike fitness/handling is something that is built up over time, years in fact (sorry). I've been riding MTB for 3.5 years now and am no longer at the back on either the climbs or descents but it took lots of bike time. I also ride to work - now a 40 mile round trip - once or twice a week and this helps immensely.

Try not to let being at the back get to you, I know its difficult, have been there myself. Also try not to compare yourself to you OH as blokes are generally stronger/faster/more fearless/reckless than us girls. In my normal riding group I'm fairly near the front on descents, further back on climbs (lots of blokes) but I went on a bike holiday to Spain where it was all guys and they were fit and fast so I was right off the back again - just gritted my teeth and got on with it (didn't let the negativity gremlins get to me).

Have you thought about maybe getting some MTB skills coaching to help break you out of your negative thinking, a weekend in the Lakes with CycleActive or similar ? It will give you confidence and sometimes confidence is worth as much if not more than fitness - I've watched someone in our riding groups confidence yo-yo on a regular basis and with it their enjoyment and ability - fitness stays the same. A group of us got together and hired a couple of the CycleActive guides for a weekend who taught us manuals, trackstands, bunnyhops etc which I still practice now. My riding improved quite a bit after that weekend. There was quite a wide spread of ability and everyone struggled with at least something but the guides managed to sort everyone out. Its also easier to take guidance from someone who you have paid rather than taking advice from your OH or friends.

[mimitabby]

I'd rather be last than hurt or underneath someone else that crashed!
(look at the bright side!)
:)

[Puffin]

Mimitabby - words out of my mouth...

[Offthegrid]

I know how you feel.

[rocknrollgirl]

There is not much I can offer in the way of advice that was not already stated. If you want to get better on your bike, you have to bike. It does suck being in the back, especially if people are waiting for you.

As I have stated many times before on this forum, my regular group of riding partners is all men, DH included. I can climb better than some, and they are all faster than I am descending. They are fast. So in my learining curve, I had to make a decision whether or not I was going to ride with them or not. I chose to stick with them. There are days I feel beat up chasing them, but overall, I am a better, faster rider for having hung with them.

So if it is important to you, that perhaps take a clinic, and stick with it. Riding with faster riders will make you faster over time, and then you will not be in the back.

Good Luck,
Ruth

[Puffin]

I made a big effort last year and rode through the winter for the first time. I did suffer from the cold but I admit, I had fun on the night rides and I found that dealing with slippy-slidy helped my technique loads. I also speeded up to be able to keep up with DH's new 9-speed set up. Then I got the REAL flu during which I lost 1 stone - all my muscle. So I started off again with an hour's coaching and a visit to Spain in February with Seasonally UnAdjusted. The stuff was way too technical for me and I ended up bruised and battered from hitting my legs on rocks and also managed to break 3 ribs with an impressive head over bars demo, landing after cheering at my own success at clearing (almost) a ditch.
So I rested up and went on a biking holiday to Exmoor in the June. It was great. Lovely weather and my fitness helped me up the hills and I even dared a rocky descent the DH balked at! Then I hit some fast easy stuff and ended up unconscious on the ground, bike still between my legs. That really shook me up because I remember lying there semi-conscious thinking "This is the end of my life".
I have been wary of anything mildly technical or fast ever since.
Is someone trying to tell me something?

[bcipam]

No you aren't always last... I am!!! :p

[tattiefritter]

Chuffin' hell! If all that had happened to me I'm not sure I'd continue riding! Actually I probably would, I'm stupid like that.

Definitely keep riding through the winter, stopping for a couple of months when you don't have to is not a good idea. I ride all through the winter, in fact as a riding group we tend to do lots of long rides in Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb as places like the Lakes are much quieter.

I can imagine what your holiday was like, I was out in Spain with Switchbacks in September which judging by the pictures is even more rocky than where you were, however wearing of body armour was compulsory. It saved my knees and elbows a few times and I eventually forgot I was wearing it, if you do another non-UK bike holiday it may be worth investing in some. The only place I can imagine ever wearing it in the UK would be Kirroughtree or possibly the Innerleithen XC route, however I've done both without but the armour would add a bit of bravery. I found Spain very technical but as my local riding is pretty rocky then the rocks didn't bother me (the 100ft sheer drops of the edges of switchbacks however terrified me :eek: ).

Getting confidence back can be frustrating, I often get spooked by steep sections with step downs on them because I had an over the bars incident on one where I really hurt myself. Rather than dwell on what I can't do I focus on what I can e.g. get stuck into the climbs. I think you would probably benefit from further coaching, definitely more than an hour.

[mimitabby]

I made a big effort last year and rode through the winter for the first time. I did suffer from the cold but I admit, I had fun on the night rides and I found that dealing with slippy-slidy helped my technique loads. I also speeded up to be able to keep up with DH's new 9-speed set up. Then I got the REAL flu during which I lost 1 stone - all my muscle. So I started off again with an hour's coaching and a visit to Spain in February with Seasonally UnAdjusted. The stuff was way too technical for me and I ended up bruised and battered from hitting my legs on rocks and also managed to break 3 ribs with an impressive head over bars demo, landing after cheering at my own success at clearing (almost) a ditch.
So I rested up and went on a biking holiday to Exmoor in the June. It was great. Lovely weather and my fitness helped me up the hills and I even dared a rocky descent the DH balked at! Then I hit some fast easy stuff and ended up unconscious on the ground, bike still between my legs. That really shook me up because I remember lying there semi-conscious thinking "This is the end of my life".
I have been wary of anything mildly technical or fast ever since.
Is someone trying to tell me something?

gee, eheckscher, I thought roadbiking was supposed to be more dangerous!
be careful, would ya?

[madisongrrl]

Is it a case of wanting my cake and eating it?

Perhaps...if you want to get better you have to ride. But that is just like anything in life, right? If your current riding partners make you feel poorly, why not find some new ones? Do you have a local women's club or cyclists who do weekly rides? I got sick and tired of riding with my brother (he's fast) so I joined a mountain bike club and found other people to ride with.

[Velobambina]

Agree wholeheartedly with Madison--only time in the saddle, and focused training will make you faster and improve your skills. Getting new riding partners is also a good idea if you want to improve your speed to keep up with the others. Do you WANT to be fast or are there other things about riding that you enjoy? It doesn't sound like the current situation is making you happy.

There's nothing wrong with being the caboose, in my opinion. I find that being last in a group of fast riders has its advantages, as others have already pointed out. The important thing is that you are out there. Focus on enjoying yourself and try not to worry about the others. ;)

One of the reasons that I prefer to ride alone is that I can do my own thing and don't have to worry about adjusting my speed, route, etc. to suit others. Some days I feel strong and can hammer, but there are days when I just want to ride for smiles, not miles.

[Puffin]

I know, I know - I need to ride more. But you bring me to another entertaining tale.
There is a local bike babes group and I went out with them before going to Spain. That event was also spolit by yet ANOTHER disaster: :rolleyes: It was my first and only mtb ride without DH and I took his car because it has the roof rack. I had never used the rack before and had a quick lesson before I set off. So. Long ride, tired arms and my everyday v. short legs meant that I struggled to put my bike back on the roof for the journey home. And, sure enough, two minutes down the road CRASH. The bike swung sideways out the rack and smashed into the car, spds first. You can imagine the colour of DH's face when I got home...
You know what, this has probably been the worst year of my life. I'm not usually an accident waiting to happen! BRING ON 2007!
Em
ps. I WILL ride more this winter again. I know that I do enjoy the riding when I am fitter and more confident. Probably off to the Malverns tomorrow with my comfy cake.
THANK YOU for all the encouragement.:)

[tattiefritter]

I will never ever ever ever ever ever use a roof rack - that's the kind of thing that would happen to me! Plus I'm only a smurf (5ft 4) and would need to take a stepladder everywhere to get the bloody bike on and off.

I (and the OH) drive big cars - I have a diesel Mondeo hatchback which is actually huge and has the turning circle of a barge and is the most common and uninspiring car in the world but fits both our bikes in with wheels on, even fits in the tandem, with wheels out. The OH has an Audi A6 which fits everything in...but goes through petrol for fun (I swear I've checked where its been parked in case there is an obvious fuel leak).