Quote Originally Posted by nancyBug View Post
Earlier in the week I emailed someone from a biking club here in Knoxville - also all women - and she replied earlier today. I have heard this group of women are really strong and very good so I'm not sure if I will be able to ride with them for a while - just depends on what type rides they have upcoming. I hope they will be open to an overweight person like me - it kind of sounded like these ladies are quite athletic - way beyond my current situation.
Maybe not, but you'll never know until you go out and see what they're like. I shied away from riding with the local club for a long time because I'm not fast by any measure. Also, their distances (which seem normal to me now) scared me. Just by chance I found myself riding alongside one of the club's women by herself on a local trail one day, and she encouraged me to come out the next Saturday. Sure, most of them were--and still are--a lot faster than me, but I found a couple of riders who are just right for me. They challenge me some, but not so much that it's not do-able.

It took some courage to make that first club ride, but I've never regretted it. Yesterday, on a quick 20-miler, I was able to keep in front of a couple of the guys!!!