As the Club continues to evolve we need to ensure that our training rides remain safe, relevant, consistent and predictable.
We recently introduced the “Fast Too” group to cater for riders wanting to ride a little faster than the main group, which has worked well up until now. What has become clear, however, is that a further separation of the groups is required to keep the size manageable and safe as well as to achieve an overall consistent pace for each group.
From this Thursday, we will break the groups into categories based on the SPR Thursday (Gairloch) Strava segment (https://www.strava.com/segments/5958997) as follows:
Group 1 – Less than 54:00mins
Group 2 – 54:00 to 59:00mins
Group 3 – 59:00 to 1:03mins
Group 4 – Greater than 1:03mins
We will target group sizes of between 18 and 20 riders so that any ‘towing’ effect is significantly reduced; this means that there will be a greater incentive for everyone to contribute more evenly and improve rolling through on fairly narrow roads. Smaller groups will also be better placed to manage occasional splits at roundabouts, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights (ie: short periods of light-pedaling).
Ride leaders have been asked to encourage riders in their groups at the commencement of each ride to be more controlled, so that a steady ‘training mode’ roll-through along Mounts Bay Rd is established; we wish to promote full group co-operation at a manageable speed before the first hill after Steve’s in Nedlands. Ride leaders have also been asked to support adjusting the pace on the return journey depending on the capacity of the whole group.
For this to work, what we need from all riders is the following:
- Review your last 3-6 months on the SPR Thursday (Gairloch) Strava segment (https://www.strava.com/segments/5958997) and find out which group is for you based on current fitness
- Review the new Thursday Ride Start Map to know where your group will be leaving from
- If there is the need to break riders into 2 groups of the same category (that’s why we need you to wait in the right spot!), please respect the call of the Ride Leaders when they are dividing the groups. Remember, the ride will be at the same speed whether you go in the first or second group
- Send a link to this post to everyone you know who rides with SPR on Thursday’s but may not read the blog or Facebook page
- Ride for the “group” not just yourself; take your turn on the front but don’t try and pull the legs off other riders; you can still ride hard and keep the group intact
- Some groups may not have a designated ride leader, so help out by talking to each other and reinforcing the aim(s) of the ride
If everyone chooses the right group it will help us to achieve the goal of keeping the group together for the whole lap. Please note, we are not saying you HAVE to go in the group that your Strava time suggests for you; this is simply a guide. Some weeks you will feel stronger and want to have a go and hang on; other weeks you will want to take it a little easier. All we ask is that you respect the overall purpose & intended segment time of the group you select and ride accordingly.