This Morning's B Ride

[barton bourassa]

Nice B ride this morning ladies and gentlemen. We stayed together quite nicely all the way thru to King George and beyond. We waited at the top of KG for just a few seconds then all flew down Dallas with mostly short pulls (20 revs or less on the front) keeping almost all of us together to Beacon Hill then 4 times around quite quickly. There again Norm suggested we not absolutely hammer off the front but keep it steady and fast so almost all of us that reached Beacon together stayed together to the last lap. We must of had 15 or more in a long pace line around Beacon until the last lap when things exploded and some of us actually caught up with and passed a bunch of A riders. Mind you they were on their 7th lap around but who's counting?!

I was wondering if anyone had any concerns about the ride? Too fast or too slow? Did it work out well around Beacon?

And just a reminder, there is always the option for a C ride. It works best if there are 5 or 6 riders at least. Any less and I don't think we get the full effect of a group ride. So come on out, speak up and ride! Another reminder, if you are a B rider and are thinking of riding on Saturday (traditionally the day for hammering long), think about riding C on Friday and saving your legs for the intensity of 3 hours of pain the following morning!

Cheers!

[Lister Farrar]

cool. I've found those kind of fast paceline rides the most fun and helpful too. What do you think was done differently?

[steve]

We steadied up as the group started to split on the way to beacon hill. I really enjoyed seeing guys like Mark Ford there at the final lap and I think everyone still got a good workout. Only concern would be that we had about 22 people sprinting simultaneously between the A and B riders. This stated, it was safe and controlled.

I think we should try and do that on a semi regular basis.

[Jimmy]

I remember on one of my first "B" rides being three back of the lead going past Ross Bay Cemetary (fitting location) and, as a gap started to develop off my front wheel, yelling out "steady up!". I can still hear the snickering from the front three as they lit it up and stretched away.... I was laughing and grimmacing at the same time trying to bridge an impossible gap and realizing that it's "every man/woman for themselves" through Beacon Hill. I'm still laughing at my ignorance of the game and loving the excitement of the chase (now that I know).
I like the idea of running a fast group along that part of the ride but, secretly wanting the PAIN!

[Paula]

that explains why I was able to keep up to the group to Beacon Hill AND for the laps for the first time EVER! It was fun! THANKS!

It is also helpful to be in a position to watch what others are doing and follow/copy them (copying/following Rob M up Clover Pt weaving around folks and not falling behind was helpful for sure).... I am learning that one thing is fitness and strength, another is strategy/positioning and the other is the head/mind/etc. wow, this cycling is more complicated than I thought.