Too Chicken To Go On Longer Rides

[jodz1984]

Hi, I go for group rides with the bike shop 3 times a week, and i try to go out by myself another 2 or 3 times a week, but not as long, but just so i can get better at riding against the wind myself instead of dropping back and hiding in the group. I rung the bike shop on thursday because i wasn't sure if they were going to go becuase of everyone leaving town for a long weekend, they told me that they were going and they were planning to do 100kms. I instantly told him that i can't do 100km and was about to say cya on saturday morning. they then told me they were going to go around town so i could go home whenever i wanted. I ended up making it 88.5kms, the only reason it wasn't the 100km was becuase it started raining extremely heavy. i was extremely happy that i made it 88.5kms after about 2 months of cycling. The bike shop owner kept saying to me, i didn't think you were going to do the 100km, and he was extremely happy with my efforts too.

My previous longest ride was 50km before this, but once you start it is very suprising how easy it can be to make the distance. Since thursday (4 days) i have ridden 230kms and i am planning to do another 20km, to make it 250km in 4 days, so that i can beat my previous total weekly ride of 145km.

My advice is to join in with a group, it makes the ride so much more enjoyable and easier as well. i will get home more tired from a 20km ride by myself compared to a 40 or 50km ride with a group.

[cylegoddess]

When I was riding to the center of town, to train myself to ride to work, it was a bit demoralizing at first. I had been ill for years so I had to walk up hills and rest a couple a times on the way( 15 miles), plus have a couple hours break between riding back.
The ride home was harder, as it is uphill, always has a headwind and there are always two or three huge fit men that just zoom by, made me feel like I am going backward.
All I wanted was to go on the big rides, that I would see zooming by me , like the Tour!
Now I can do twice a week! Plus a ride on weekends, alt weeks.
you can always call a cab if you dont have anyone to pick you up!
My riding buddy said, if you ride to to work a couple times a week, that should train you up for big rides. So increase your rides during the week, as you get able.
I havent made one yet( as I have to ride 20 km to GET to the group rides, then they are 22 to 55 km, plus ride home) but I am working on it.

I read women dont push themselves as much as men exercising. I recently said ok, and kept up with some really fit people for 5 km or so, which was a first.
I do interval training, to learn how to keep pace.