Group Rides mistakes...

[jlnc]

It's hard to find the right groups to ride with, so if you like them, go back! Did you pass the sweepers when you turned around? Seems like the group was pretty spread out, if you were 2 miles behind the leaders, and you couldn't even see the sweepers. Maybe find out if the group stops at designated points to regroup, so in the future you know what to expect? I dont think you did anything that should prevent you from returning. You were nice to send a text...not everyone would have done that.

[CyborgQueen]

It's hard to find the right groups to ride with, so if you like them, go back! Did you pass the sweepers when you turned around? Seems like the group was pretty spread out, if you were 2 miles behind the leaders, and you couldn't even see the sweepers. Maybe find out if the group stops at designated points to regroup, so in the future you know what to expect? I dont think you did anything that should prevent you from returning. You were nice to send a text...not everyone would have done that.

Yeah, it's a little hard. Luckily, this town has like 3 or 4 different groups, but I frequent this group a little more. I'm just starting to go on their B rides as they rarely have C rides (due to scheduling etc..). At the start I must have overlooked the sweepers. I hung out in the middle for a while from the start until the long steady climb, then I lost the leaders. I *assumed* that the sweepers were the last people of that group. I didn't know that they were that much behind me. They did have designated re grouping points, but when I lost them, I didn't know exactly where to go, so I just turned around at the familiar area and went back to start. I should have stopped before turning away from the route, and waited a few minutes...the sweepers were a little behind me, but not far...I just didn't see them. Lesson learned...Just go out there and RIDE and IGNORE what other people think about me being a little slow... Silly thing was...this was a no Drop ride...oy. Climbing up hard hills does a wreck on your mind...especially like mine. ;-)

I'm alright now, I've learned my lesson. ;

Becky - thanks for that little inspiration - Next week, it'll give me a chance to redeem myself. :-)

Thanks to those who were listening to my rant...sometimes I just need a little ***** session. :-P You know...Aunt Flo and all that. *sigh*

[ivorygorgon]

I did this exact thing a couple weeks on my group ride. I was actually somewhere in the middle, but thought I was completely left behind. I got discouraged and turned around. It turns out I wasn't far from the turnaround point for the whole group, and the rest of the group (which was behind me, by a few miles). But I felt alone and isolated, so that was it.

I am VERY embarassed about what a slow climber I am, and I ride with a really fast group. So it is kinda a double whammy. I just keep working on letting all of that go and focusing on MY ride. Since I have been riding with the group my average MPH has gone up about 3 MPH. It is getting better all the time, but I don't think I will ever be a particularly fast climber.