I don't think you SHOULD be but I'm certain you WILL be. I've had a somewhat similar thing however mine was with a group of guys who I first entered Triathlon with. We used to train together, organize race schedules and then celebrate afterwards. As time went on (2 years later) I became more and more focused on performance at Sprint distance events and supporting the local series. Meanwhile they got an ego and wouldn't do anything less than a 70.3 and just wanted to call themselves "Ironman" to impress people. My volume and structure increased and theirs became stagnant or non-existent and I even offered to help them put together a better plan to reduce race day stress. Nobody ever followed through.

This all left me in a vicious cycle for 2 additional years because I would have periods where I thought one or another of them were serious about getting "back into training". Inevitably though they never were and to top that off none of them ever come out to even cheer me on in the local events which are less than a 30 minute trip for them. In the end I just amicably withdrew myself and I respond when I'm sent a message or receive a phone call. Socially I still get together with them when time permits.

Edit: I did go to their 70.3 events to cheer them on just so thats clear and I'm not expecting a cheer squad

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"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"

i don't think there's much insurance that you won't be disappointed, given your huge efforts.
that said, this is a very common feature of our society today and probably has zero to do with you, personally. i'm guessing it's more the frequent attitude of "hey, that was easy. i'll just go and have fun." meaning: no investment or, essentially, skin in the game (entry, outfit, etc.). gratitude, and especially expressed (words and/or action) gratitude, is somewhat hard to come by right now.
BUT----you get major kudos for trying and all of your efforts.
peggy

Why not ride with them day of? It's a fondo for fun, so no need to drop them. Hang back, encourage them, and they may feel more motivated to make the time cut.

This.

I get that you put in some effort to get this "done". But, I say "finish the job". Have a pre-fondo social gathering to get to know each other (dunno how big your company is...mine is huge), maybe even a group ride, or two. Ride with the group...make sure the weakest rider has a good time.

Maybe it goes nowhere. Maybe its too much work for too little reward, and you don't want to do it again. But, if you started it as the leader...finish it that way. Walk away after that.

Should you be disappointed? Yes. Should you be surprised? No.

I used to do a ton of work with volunteer organizations. Anytime we had a worthwhile event to promote, we made sure to charge the participants SOMETHING. Over a 12 year period, I discovered to be true what I had been told before I started . . . if something is free, you get a surge of sign-ups followed by lackluster and/or no participation. If, on the other hand, you charge SOMETHING -- $5, $20, anything -- participation comes up and is maintained at a high level to the end of the program. It's basic (odd) human nature. If they've paid something, they're a lot more likely to participate and be enthusiastic about it than if it costs them nothing.

I do plan to ride with everyone between the timed segments. Once we reach one, I'll do my effort and wait at the aid station at the top. Then let them rest also, and pull them to the next one. It's not timed in-between the climbs, but you have to reach the start of the climb before a cutoff.

I was saying, there are probably 1/2 of them that won't make the cutoff over and after the first climb. First climb is only 3 miles into the event. I'm guessing I'll be looking at the clock at the aid station deciding when to head out.

But, you're also right. There should have been some kind of financial or other obligation. I think for reimbursement of the entry and kit, everyone should have been obligated to meetup at least once ahead of time or something.

I'm probably going to send out a note asking all the 100mi folks to drop to 50mi and a couple of the 50mi folks to drop to 25mi. Then try to hold a meeting to talk strategy, like the 25's ride together and 50's ride together and help everyone.

Doesn't it seem at all... nonsensical to ask other people to tell you how to feel?

Pound from the start and drop them like Chris Froome did in the Giro stage 19. Make them pay for lack of training and be the proud office champion!! Make sure and wear your AWA kit with as much other M-dot stuff while doing all of this.

Read bowling alone by Putnam, people are anti social and often fail to turnup for socal events. Add in training demands and the turnout dwindles ever more.

Well, you're right. I can't change how I feel by asking strangers, I am disappointed.

I guess the question should have been "if I feel disappointed by this, should I have known better".

It isn't really a group thing anymore anyway if nobody cares to be a group. So no, I wouldn't feel bad dropping folks if we're going to miss a cutoff.

you're definitely setting yourself up to be disappointed if you're treating it like a team building session and talking strategy for a fondo event. let people show up and ride how they want to ride. they'll enjoy it much more that way

So these people have done a fondo in the past (albeit with more people from the company involved), completed said fondo, and now you think they can't even make the time cutoffs?

How do you know?

Why not look at the results from the past fondos and see how any of these people did? It seems like you're not giving them enough credit. Hell they might drop you!

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Strava