Kate, I think that, as long as you avoid injury, you won't hurt yourself doing a 50 miler once a week. IMO, I think that will REALLY help you. Just take care of your body, stretch, keep hydrated, and rest when your body tells you to.

Definitely stick with it! These long rides hurt like a mother when you aren't used to them. Actually, once you get used to them they just get longer - so they'll always hurt! But do keep it up. Riding long will have a HUGE benefit to your aerobic system, and does not carry as much of the associated risk that running long does. Also, once you get used to riding 50, your sprint rides will be nothing - leaving you with fresher legs for the run. Your splits (both bike and run) should drop dramatically as your bike fitness improves.

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Most certainly keep with the gang of roadies for the long, fast group rides. It will never not hurt, but that's the point. As noted earlier, long and hard rides are a much safer way to build endurance and strength than long and hard runs. I have two groups that I hook up with every once and a while. Biking group rides longer than I usually do and about 3-5 mph faster (but it is a group with a paceline). Running buddy (not a group) runs about the same distance as my training schedule but at +2:00 pace than I would like. He always offers to run where I am comfortable, but that's not why I run with him. When I started running with him, I was shot at the end. Now, I'm shot but much more comfortable.

We must "learn" and "practice" how to ride and run fast. It's not just a matter of power and endurance, but a skill - bike handling at 20+ mph is different than 16 mph - running fast requires a higher turnover and different stride. Think of these torture sessions as a technique lesson as well as an endurance builder. Then watch your heart rate drop and your speed rise on your solo runs. Listen to your body, though as previous posters suggest. One other thing - BARELY keeping up = KEEPING UP. Good job. You'll be leading that group soon.

Steve

yes, initially these roadie rides will make you faster. At some point you will find that they are not as beneficial as they once may have been. This will usually happen when your fitness level exceeds the level of the group you ride with.

most of my races (TT) are 10,11 or 12 miles long and 20-25 for State. I do five rides per week:

a recovery ride of 75% mhr for 1.5 hrs
a climbing ride of 75-85% mhr for 1.5 hrs
an (ouch) interval ride of 'go till you blow' 90-95% mhr repeat intervals - 2 hrs
an endurance ride of 80% mhr for 1.5 hrs
and a 70 miler (3+ hrs) with two 20 min TT's in the middle

I do zero group rides now and for Tri or TT you should do most of your bike training solo as you would in a race, IMHO.

Thanks for all the advise folks. I'll be thrilled if and when my fitness level exceeds these guys! They were pretty intense. Think I'll go ahead and suffer through the rides with them for a while. Anything that hard must be good for us, right?

Also started running hills last week. First time my training made me feel like I was going to toss my cookies - so that must be really good!;) although I had a PR by almost 2 minutes on my training run this morning. Hills must be working. It's 90+ here in balmy Chicago now so we have to run at the crack of dawn or be baked! Thanks again. Next race in 2.5 weeks!

Kate

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Most people don't recognize opportunity because it wears bib overalls and looks like work.
~Teddy Roosevelt

Listen to Gary here. I suggested earlier to stick with the road group because they will build you up. What I did not mention is to do it occassionally and only when it fits with your training plan. Group rides have an objective and it might not be your objective for that specific day/week. I am sure you are realizing the demands of balancing three disciplines and strength training. It might be lonely, but you have to stick to YOUR plan - pace, distance, HR, etc. - and YOUR objectives. Otherwise the balance falls apart. I have worked out a system where the group rides I do (one about every 2-3 weeks) fit into my overall plan. Same for my faster running buddy. But if I am tired or sore, those workouts are the first thing I sacrifice.

Most of my group training is done in the off-season and that works best for me. Just make sure that the group rides do not constitute most of your bike training. My $0.02. Keep on.

Steve

Thanks Steve. Definitely won't comprise the majority - only my weekly long ride, and only for a while. I think the group ride will accomplish 2 things for me:

1. These guys are more conditioned than I am n the bike right now, so this ride pushes me harder than I would push myself.

2. To be honest, these roads are GREAT to ride, but are a bit desolate, (corn country) and I'm concerned about riding them alone.

It does seem like their pace and distance are set - they're not trying to increase, so hopefully there will come a time (in the not too distant future!) when the ride won't be as beneficial to me.

Also, thanks Gary for the bike plan, I will use it.

Kate

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Most people don't recognize opportunity because it wears bib overalls and looks like work.
~Teddy Roosevelt

While training for my first IM in 1999-2000, I found that training for longer distances, helped my speed at shorter distances. This was true for all three disciplines.

So, go for it.