Quote Originally Posted by JLZimrmn View Post
I just started cycling back in July and I decided I LOVE it!!! I really want to get fast but I know my weight is holding me back. I think if I have an event to look forward to, That will give me motivation to train and get better.

My question is: how do I find an event, such as a century, to look forward to? I am looking for sometime in the summer or fall of next year of course. Is there a webiste that keeps up with that?
Jennifer:

There are a couple of cycling groups that are active here in LR... The Arkansas Bicycling Club (ABC) is typically road and recreational riders of just about all skill levels, and then there's CARP (Central Arkansas Recreational Pedalers), a mountain biking group. The ABC keeps a pretty active ride schedule with something going on in the area just about every weekend, as well as a couple of standard rides each week. For example at 1:00 p.m. every Sunday afternoon, we meet down past the I-430 bridge at the foot of River Mountain Road for a "leaderless" ride over to Cook's Landing and back, often with a detour over to Community Bakery for a mid-ride snack. If you're a night owl, a small group of us meet over by the Submarine in NLR for a night ride up the NLR side of the trail to Cook's Landing or the BDB, and back. We have some rides that are hammerfests, with no quarter given or expected, and we also have more social, "no drop" rides for newer or slower riders. Come on out and ride, since going out with a group not only gives you a little motivation and maybe a little peer pressure, but it helps you learn to ride stronger and faster at the same time. Check the ride schedule at http://www.arkansasbicyclingclub.com, (it's currently a month behind, but Judy is still working on the new schedule), or simply come on out to the trail head down on River Mountain Road this Sunday afternoon, 1:00 p.m., and give it a try. New riders are always welcome!

Tom Ezell
Arkansas Bicycling Club