Thoughts on My First Organized Ride

Well it is Tuesday and we took our last long, long for me and my son, ride today. No, not forever just till the next step in this adventure, an organized ride. On Saturday morning we will be riding the 14th annual Greenwood Village Goose Chase. This is a very user friendly event for families, recreational riders and us nubies. A run, walk and ride event with a 15, 30 and a 45 mile bike course. At least that is what people keep telling me.



Enough of the advertisement stuff. We did a flat 22 mile loop on the Platte River, great weather, scenery and company. I have read that when you are going to do an organized ride you need to cut down the training the last few days before that ride for muscles recovery. Now everything being relevant, not being in super great shape calls for the same muscles recovery even if the muscles are not of god like proportion. I have found through my “training period” that my muscles function very well with every other day rides throwing in back to back days every 4 – 5 days just to keep the muscles confused. So we are looking at the 30 mile loop for the Goose Chase and I have been mixing up my ride distances with my fat badonkadonk interval system. This, for me, seems to have worked well since even though I haven’t ridden over 35 miles for any given ride in the last year I am not worried about the mileage at all. I think my son may have more of a problem and anyone who has had a teenager knows where I am coming from when I say, he does not think he needs a mileage base, 30 miles isn’t that far. But he’s a good kid and will tough it out for the last 8 miles.

My biggest fear is, of course, the unknown from Psych 101a, but mainly the hoards of riders I am totally unfamiliar with. With luck or a vision, no, I really just hope that after the first 2 miles people will be settled in and spread out so we are not running over each other. I have never ridden in a group, which is a scary step to take, just with my son through occasional groups. We normally are in the way and end up being passed and I have no problem with that, we like our pace. With a large ride I know there will be people that we, or should I say, I will be able to pass and riders that probably should not be on this ride but are. Those are the few that worry me.

After our ride today, we stopped by the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and picked up our bike jerseys. This is also fitting since this is our first organized ride and the Goose Chase’s first year to have a jersey. A plus is they really look good. Another coincidence is that the number my son was assigned is his birthday, yes this will be a great ride. One more very short ride on Thursday and we have taken another step in this really cool adventure.

Next Post; The night before jitters

Ride Safe Out There, and Don’t Run Me Over (please)

“G”