My First Club Ride...Ever!

[Bad JuJu]

This morning, at the tender age of 53, I did my first club ride ever! Wow, what an excellent workout that was.

I'm not a newbie, but I am a re-newbie, coming back to cycling after a longish period recovering from back injury and generally an enormously busy period in my life. I cycled a lot in my 40s and into 50+, but never never never had I done a ride with a club--I was always intimidated because they seemed to be going so fast! Not to mention all looking like svelte young things--not that there's anything wrong with that :D --I just don't happen to be one.

Anyway, on my Monday morning ride, I met a woman close to my age who rides with a local club on Saturdays and she said they have a "slower group" that I might do OK with. Long story short: I kept up with them until the first rest stop--about 13 miles--then made my own turnaround because I really didn't see myself doing the approx. 40 miles they were doing, at their pace. No harm, no foul--I loved riding with the club, and plan to go out there again and just keep going farther until I can stay with them all the way. I've done 40 miles and longer before (a few metric centuries several years ago), but this route was hilly and I haven't been riding hardly any hills on my own. I know I CAN do it eventually--just gotta work up to it. Bonus: my average speed today was about 1.5 mph faster than anything I've done on my own. Score!!!

So I guess that wasn't really a "long story short" :o . Anyway, the club ride rocks!

[Brandy]

That's awesome! I am looking forward to joining a club in the fall after my kids start school and our schedules are more predictable. It's nice to hear that you had a good experience :)

[hibiscus09]

That is great -- thanks for sharing your story! I an a re-newbie also and have not done a club ride. (I did ride in a MS150 and that was tons of fun!) I would really like to do a club ride and need to just throw myself out there I suppose. Thanks for the inspiration! :p

[Bustertb]

that's fantastic! So glad you had such a nice time. Kudos to you!

[Geonz]

Good going! Keep going back... you might find you have company before long if word gets out they won't be alone going a little less distance...

I led our slower ride this morning and found out that yes, the "midseason creep" had been noticed. I didn't quite keep my 9-mile-loop promise; it was too beautiful and ... I nudged everybody into doing the 17 mile loop. (Some folks went on for 40, though.) There were about 20 of us (we broke up into 3-4 clumps)... and another 20 in the fast group and another 10 in the medium group.

We made peach smoothies at the park at the end, we were done by 10 a.m. (tho' the smoothies lasted 'til 10:30), *and* because we were hanging around making smoothies with a bicycle, strangers and friends were approaching (and since I had brought those cute little 5 oz cups, we were handing out smoothies to everybody) and asking "is this the bike club?"

Riding 17 miles with cooler full of ice and ingredients and blender and cups was uneventful - the Xtracycle just rides.

[Bad JuJu]

Post-ride smoothies? Wow, I wanna ride with your club!:D

[im4smiley]

The LBS where I bought my bike has many different group rides. Monday night beginners, real beginners do about a 10 mile, kind of flat route, teach you about rules of road and shifting and just getting used to your bike and traffic. also a more advanced beginner group where teach you to ride paceline and climb hills maybe do 20-25 miles. They have different ride levels on Tuesday and Thursdays, advance beginners to a really advanced fast group, some racers, the different groups ride from 20 - 50 miles. On Sunday's the group usually does a longer ride but everyone can go at their own speed. It has really made riding enjoyable for me. I have been riding for almost a year now and I have made new friends and have learned so much from riding with everyone. (and of course from reading the forums!) Monday night we are having an Ice Cream Social ride. Ice Cream after the ride :)

[kerrybelle]

Congrats on the club ride! I really enjoy riding with our club, too. We've also got a few friends together for some other rides as well. It's nice riding with a group. Especially, once you get to know the riders more.

I like the idea of the ice cream social, afterward. Our local club is having a reunion ride next week with a BBQ after the ride. I like the whole social aspect!

Kerry

[Bike Goddess]

I enjoy riding with our club as it challenges me to ride harder than I would on my own. And, I enjoy the company. When riding with others I also practice drafting and working in pacelines although I'm not a big fan of the latter. It's a nice change from the solo rides I do most of the time.