I often find myself wondering if it’s better to ride with a group for my bike workouts or ride solo.
And for me I realized the answer is both.
For the past few weeks I’ve been riding primarily with groups. I try to ride 3 times a week with my training plan and often look for similar paced riders to join up with (but often end up taking whatever group rides are available). Sometimes these rides are on the slow side and sometimes I’m lucky just trying to hang on to the back. Regardless I find that I really enjoy group rides as they make the time and miles fly by.
What I have noticed though is that group rides can make you lazy. They are great interval workouts as you take your turn at the front pulling but once your shift is done, assuming you can attach back on to the line after your pull, there is a lot of recovery and down time riding behind others. As the group goes faster the drafting become more obvious (and easier to maintain). While it’s a terrific ego boost to be able to ride 50 miles at 23-24mph in a group, it doesn’t help a lot come race time when you’re on your own.
So this past week I headed out for a 60 mile solo ride and was shocked at how much harder it was. The first 15-20 miles seemed just as easy as the group rides but then the boredom set in. Riding for a few hours alone is definitely a mental challenge and although I’d like to say it’s peaceful, my mind is the most annoying and noisy person I know. He just doesn’t shut up and I have to listen to him drone on and on about useless stuff over and over again.
Then around mile 40, having just battled a few hills and the wind for the last several miles, the fatigue sets in. This is the type of fatigue where your legs and body just say enough and there is no place to hide, no one to tuck in behind, nobody to help pull you along. It’s just you, the road, and 20 long miles still to go. This is where it’s as much of a mental challenge as it is physical, which for me usually doesn’t come with group rides.
Riding solo is such a different challenge then riding in a group and something that I’m committed to doing at least a couple times each month. It’s a great race simulation and workout (both mental and physical) experience. And once you finish a solo ride there is a certain level of satisfaction knowing that you did it all by yourself and you’re stronger for it.
If you don’t do much solo riding, I’d highly recommend it. Just make sure you let someone know where you’re going, what time to expect you back, take your phone, and take all the necessary precautions while out on the road as most drivers don’t.
