Thanks, Brandy.

I remember when I started riding, and our coach said we'd be working in pacelines. I was quite nervous about it. I mean, I am the most uncoordinated person I know. I was in remedial PE (that's back when they had funding for such things in public schools - it really did scar me for life and I just always assumed I would never be an athlete).

Then once I started working in groups, with proper training and guidance, I found it a wonderful thing. There is just NOTHING like working with a group of cyclists, fighting the wind, pushing your speed - or simply riding together single file chatting. I'll never forget working with one particular (non-TNT) group in a pacelining clinic (which included some contact drills on a lawn after the ride) and on the way back in one of the women commented with a big grin "So that's what its like to go fast!"

The ride we're training our people for, the Death Ride, has VERY little pacelining or traditional group riding - it is a solo event. But there's enough opportunity to ride together in training that it is critical to get those skills in place among our riders. It's a critical skill to have and I wouldn't omit it from a safety perspective. We spend some time at our first ride doing a clinic on this and then reinforce those skills throughout the season. (Which is a LOT easier now that I'm back coaching from the bike instead of the SAG car! ).