Quote Originally Posted by lph View Post
The Norwegian term translates to "tour-race", and I've been too lazy to try to find an English equivalent. Most road races here appear to be this type and length. In theory people can enter it just as a casual organized ride, with stops where you can refill water bottles and grab a bite to eat, but in practice most people enter it as a race, stop as little as possible if at all, jockey for position, care about their finishing time... so I don't quite want to call it just an organized ride.
Sounds like here. Organized rides and charity rides are constantly harping "it's a ride not a race" but there's always the racer element. It's fun to go fast or beat a PR but not at the expense of the ride itself or friendship.

If I'd have been there I'd pop off the back and say "see ya!". I've learned it never benefits me to race to catch up with a perceived draft or someone I should be able to pass. That comes back to bite me at the end. Just ride my pace.

Sometimes the longer the ride is at the end I spin in with folks who blew themselves up passing me earlier.