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Intervals with Sandra (she asked for help)


Mr. Beanz

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So I met Sandra on the group rides I did about a year ago. She's a strong rider but still fairly new.  She has joined other clubs, several but gets a bit frustrated as it seems the group rides are all about who drops who. Sandra is strong and loves to climb but she doesn't know anything about tactics. She has plenty of cycling friends but none of them will teach her anything. It's all about "I beat you!".  I've seen this over the last 25 years that I have been cycling so I recognize her frustration as soon as she told me about the many groups she has joined. Even her closest friend turned out to be a jerk. He would just drop her all the time on the group rides he set up.  

So I asked her, "when do they start cranking?". As soon as the ride leader hits the road, the flat section with some rolling hills so it's easy to keep a high pace. Taking Sandra by surprise. So where do they regroup" After a 4 mile flat section then about 1/2 mile up the hill? So I know what the problem is right away. The ride leader, a real self center beotch  from what I understand. She surprises Sandra as Sandra thinks there will be some kind of warmup. I told her not to expect that but this is what is going on. The ride leader cranks it up, puts you behind and KNOWS that she will stop after the first 1/2 mile to regroup. Sandra, you are a good climber but the problem is that the leader stops at the regroup, takes a break for a couple of minutes, then when you arrive, she gets back on it and doesn't give you a chance to recover. Exactly says Sandra.

That is a cheeseball move in my book. So I explain to Sandra being new, that she should warm up a bit, then when the group goes, jump on that lady's wheel and stick to her like glue. Then you get to rest when she does.  Sooner or later, you'll find you don't need to stop and just might leave her behind. Sandra is strong, does several centuries but no plan. So the ride leader does only 20 miles, knows the course and when to stop or push. I tell Sandra she needs to make notes of the stops and the sprint points. Exactly what the ride leader did to me last year. I was unsure of the course so I had to stick with him. He knew when to kick, when to cruise. After 3 rides, I got it. Sandra did the same ride so she knows what I'm talking about. Once I caught on the course, the ride leader would kill himself on the rolling hills and flats, then totally suck on the return. So I learned that I had to stick with them on the first 9 miles while they were kicking, then they fade on the gentle climb back. If I fall back or lose track of the group, I was screwed and they would not regroup. So I learned that I needed to keep up on the first section then I'd drop them bigtime on the climb back. 

Of course, once I started kicking the snot out of them, picking up on their tactics, they would surely make a small change to throw me off. I would fall back making videos etc, the group leader wanted to compete with me seeing he is a member on another forum. But I started smashing him on the rides. So once I fall back and then catch up passing him on a hill, he would change the course there on that second. OK, LET'S TURN THIS WAY INSTEAD!!!! Ha ha ha I told Sandra that is next once she catches on to their tactics.

Many things her "friends" would not tell her to help her out. Nothing about tactics, how to ride, more about I beat you, as mentioned. Pretty sad as Sandra is a strong rider. She does centuries and that stiff ride leader only does fast 20's. I've experienced this with some of the faster group riders I met last year. Some lickity split guys pull away from the group, vanish into thin air. But guess what, a couple minutes later, there they are sitting at the corner waiting for the group to catch up. Makes them look super natural. 

But on a longer ride, we did a 65, the same guys used the same cheeseball tactics. Only this time, they could not hide too long. The fastest guy in the group found himself on my wheel at mile 50. Sprinted around then faded, did the same 3 times. At mile 55, he couldn't hold my wheel any longer. So I rode him off my wheel, even had enough to lift the pace. Loved watching him drop back after all the tricks. So I told Sandra, this is the kind of thing she could do to that stiff ride leader and cyclist that do this.

But anyway, I explained a lot to her and pointed many things out that go on in group rides. Everything I pointed out, she said, yeah that is right, I noticed that. So now, I think she understands what she has to do. 

But either way, she wanted to learn more so I told her we would do a different kind of ride.  We would ride, not care about our average speed as this is the norm on group rides. We would ride, get her working out, learning how to work out, then we'll increase the intensity and distance once she learns good form on the exercises. She'll be a monster on the bike.

Oh yeah, she is 62 and didn't start riding till she was 60. So she has a lot to learn and if she is this good with that little time on the bike (half of it getting BS from groups) she'll be super bad ass! I will say, I have met a lot of forum members and Sandra is a much better climber than 80% after only a couple years on the bike and starting late.

Pretty sure once she starts doing the intervals regularly, she'll be smoking me in the hills too ha ha ha!

I like to teach people, ride with them and help out. Not the typical I BEAT YOU rider. I only do that to the guys who deserve it ha ha ha!

I think Sandra is learning a lot and has a lot to learn. She'll be a monster on the bike. And another century on Saturday! Good luck!

 

 

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