Oh No. I'm THAT Guy. And I'm Sorry.

This is not a sponsored post.

Hello there. I write today feeling quite disappointed in myself. See... I recently read an article on on Facebook which was posted by Bicycling Magazine.

The article title read:

"11 Most Annoying Types of Cyclists"

Interested, I clicked to read just what they were considering the most annoying types of cyclist were. I had experienced my own frustrations during group rides, which I talked about in previous posts. I also wanted to make sure I wasn't one of those types unaware of how my behavior might be affecting everyone else. 

As I scrolled down the list I identified some of the types in others from my group rides. This article had it right too. They were annoying to ride with. These were people I avoided and for the reasons described. They seemed to be oblivious, not picking up on social queues, or understanding how their behavior was affecting everyone else. 

And I was one of them. Two of them, actually. 

Gasp! 

Described as the excuse machine, I primarily did this with my husband. But still... I'm sure it's annoying. It's the person who always has an excuse for why they are not up to par. The crazy thing is that my husband never applies any kind of pressure and seems to genuinely just be happy that we are out together. I guess I just know how much he loves to go fast and hard and wanted him to have fun. I couldn't keep up and I always had an excuse for it even though he was totally cool with just cruising around. Talk about annoying. So on our last ride I decided I would not make up any excuses and believe him when he said he was just happy to be out. Guess what happened! Guess! Guess!

I awoke to find that scientists were able to bring dinosaur's back to life but they didn't like McDonald's. Then there were hostile alien abductions and THEY didn't like dinosaurs. Then I found out that Hillary Clinton & Donald Trump were the last two running candidates for American presidency. 

So glad that was just a bad dream.

What really happened?

I relieved myself of pressure (the woods are great for that) and had one of the most fun and fast rides I have ever had on our local technical trails. My husband was totally pleasantly surprised. We had a great time and I even scored some Strava cups! (If you aren't sure what Strava is, it's a phone app where you can record rides. It keeps track of your mileage and speed. You can also connect and compare your rides with other riders. You can find me there under the username Busy Mom Bikes.)

The on the opposite end we have he second type:

"The Half-Wheeler"

Described as the person who, "Always stays a few inches ahead of the riders next to her, pushing the pace on a group ride. (If people stop talking and start panting when you hit the front of the group, this might be you.)"

This one I quickly identified as a more public behavior. When given the option of either fast or slow group I'd opt for slow group and stay at the front pushing the group leader, when I should be at the back of the fast group instead. More concerned about my own pace in the group I didn't think of how discouraging that could be to others who were new, starting out or there trying to learn. How inconsiderate of me. After all... I claim to be all about the beginners. Just shameful.

Doesn't sound like scaredy cat behavior, right? I know you're thinking, "If I were scared I wouldn't be pushing the pace on a group ride.". And you're absolutely right. Which is why I only do this on trails I'm familiar with and features I have gained confidence on. Not giving the less confident riders a fair pace. Not cool.

It was not pleasant to discover myself on the list, but I'm happy to have identified it before someone else brought it to my attention. It's not easy thinking about how many people have been effected prior to my discovery, but I'm glad to have identified it on my own. Being addressed by someone else would have been so embarrassing. Just as embarrassing as wondering how long the behavior has carried on. Either way, they both suck. So to everyone who has been negatively affected by my behavior, I want to say I am truly sorry. 

With that said, I was happy that I wasn't some other types I find pretty darn annoying. We all have stuff to work on, right? The important thing is to value personal growth. Identify weaknesses and be quick to admit them. In this you'll find freedom and improvement. 

Or you can deny you have problems and find yourself totally isolated or with the wrong comapny. Whatever works for you ;)

I prefer getting real and honest. It's not easy. Especially when you have a lot of pride like I do, but it's rewarding. 

Thanks to Bicycling Mag for posting this article and helping me in my personal growth journey. 

You can find the article on my Facebook page here. Which of the types do you find most annoying? Did you see yourself on the list? 

Thanks for reading. As always feel free to leave comments here, or find me on Facebook & Instagram under the username or hashtag Busy Mom Bikes.