There's a group ride scheduled for Saturday morning at one of my favorite trails. I'm considering going. It's been 20+ years since I've done a group ride (minus 1 big charity road ride thing). I ride with a buddy, or my son when they're available, but normally solo. I'm interested in doing the ride because I wanna check out other's line choices etc. on a trail I think I know pretty well, and there's supposed to be a work day after and I wanna give back some sweat, and have a say in "what's next". Since "retiring", the number of people I'm comfortable being around at once continues to shrink, and I'm not a fan of the "who's d@ck's the biggest?" game (it's the crying after I win that gets to me...[jokes]), so my anxiety over the ride is ramping up too. I've never met anyone else that will be there, so there's that too. A total first day of school experience at 59.
Group Ride Anxiety
MMS
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There's a group ride scheduled for Saturday morning at one of my favorite trails. I'm considering going. It's been 20+ years since I've done a group ride (minus 1 big charity road ride thing). I ride with a buddy, or my son when they're available, but normally solo. I'm interested in doing the ride because I wanna check out other's line choices etc. on a trail I think I know pretty well, and there's supposed to be a work day after and I wanna give back some sweat, and have a say in "what's next". Since "retiring", the number of people I'm comfortable being around at once continues to shrink, and I'm not a fan of the "who's d@ck's the biggest?" game (it's the crying after I win that gets to me...[jokes]), so my anxiety over the ride is ramping up too. I've never met anyone else that will be there, so there's that too. A total first day of school experience at 59.
I combat the increasing anxiety by not going.
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285 Posts
Anxiety in these situations goes away when you realize it's just the other side of self-importance. Nobody is going to think twice about you. After the ride, you'll probably never see or hear from any of them again, unless you'd like to. It doesn't matter how you ride, if you fall, that you know the trail, etc. nobody is judging you.
Just go have fun. Or don't if you don't want to.
Just go have fun. Or don't if you don't want to.
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3,626 Posts
Go in with low expectations and it will turn out better than that (maybe). You never know. You might have a great time and meet people you want to ride or dig with again. And you will probably meet some idiots. The trick is to figure out who is who. Sometimes it takes a couple rides.
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yeah it's no big deal. if it's a cool group, everyone will break up and go their own pace anyway. maybe there will be intermediate meetups, maybe not, but the group should be clear about those expectations.
personally, I think smallish groups can be fun. I just don't like the big crowd type groups over about 10. if more than that show up for a ride, then everybody should break up by desired pace (and stay separate the whole time) or do different routes.
personally, I think smallish groups can be fun. I just don't like the big crowd type groups over about 10. if more than that show up for a ride, then everybody should break up by desired pace (and stay separate the whole time) or do different routes.
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I don’t group ride unless it’s with @Curveball and Friender Friends.
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10,262 Posts
I rode with a group of about 20 last week, 18 of whom I had never met. I was intimidated going in, but had a great time. I like to start at the back and see how the group develops. I am usually the quiet guy off to the side observing what is happening. I got into a groove and found others of similar ability and speed with whom to ride.
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Once you get there, you’ll be fine, it’ll be fun and you’ll be glad that you went.
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this is the way
If they're trails your comfortable with already that usually removes a lot of anxiety for me because I know I can ride the terrain. My struggle is usually with the group ride pacing and finding people who like to ride similarly to I do but that's a me issue not a group ride issue.
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288 Posts
Xanax.
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5,983 Posts
The last group ride I went on was with a bunch of Chatty Kathy's. All they wanted to do was stop every five minutes to chat.
We were riding SART and conditions and weather were perfect. I did an Irish Exit and slipped away to ride.
That was in 2009.
We were riding SART and conditions and weather were perfect. I did an Irish Exit and slipped away to ride.
That was in 2009.
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