Introspection: Is randonneuring a solo activity, or a group activity? Can it be both?

  Route / Event: Railway City 200 / 200km Permanent [ Ride Log ]

"When the snow falls and the white wind blows, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives."

 -- A Game of Thrones

Is author George R. R. Martin a randonneur? I'm guessing he isn't. I mean I wish he was. I'd love to ride alongside him for 600km and chat about his Ice and Fire series. Nevertheless, the above words were etched in my brain as Marc Deshaie and I pulled into the Railway City Brewery, closing out the first 100km of our 200km permanent. 

It was late November. The two of us had scheduled a permanent late in the riding season. The Radonneurs Ontario club's scheduled events were all done for the season but a permanent is a self-scheduled ride along one of the club's prescribed routes. I still had this ridiculous notion that I could finish a 200km ride in twelve consecutive calendar months. This route was ideal for a few reasons. Firstly, both of us being from London, this St. Thomas-based ride was close to home. Secondly, it's figure-8 design provided us with an opportunity to make a decision about whether we continue with the next 100km after arriving back where we'd parked. (Railway City 200, or "Bailout City 100...as I called it). 

Was this figure-8 design a blessing, or a curse? 

After finishing the first 100km leg, we sat ourselves for lunch at the brewpub. While we waited for out food I was squaring with the very real thought that, had it not been for the fact that I was with Marc, I'd already be in my vehicle and headed home right now. We'd just spent the last hour and a half riding straight into the wind, and I was ready to go home an hour ago. But Marc remained unflinchingly positive about the second half of our ride, so for him I was all in. 

And that's the thought I chewed on for the rest of the afternoon. I could do this ride as long as I had someone else to be accountable to. Someone else who would sing goofy showtunes and lift my spirits. Someone to talk to about everything and nothing. But could I have ridden this entire ride alone? No -- not today. I know for sure I'd have bailed after 100. And then it occurred to me that I'd never actually finished a brevet riding solo. 

"Randonneuring is an individual's sport masquerading as a group activity." I've been told this by more than a few mentors. What does that mean? Does it mean we should enjoy riding together, or does it mean that we should actually prefer to ride solo? 

The sun had already set by the time I surfaced some of these thoughts with Marc. Thankfully he conceded that this late in the season, with the unpredictable weather, and the lack of daylight, he felt safer riding with others. It was definitely the right way to go today -- on that we agree. 

I enjoy riding with others; It's a great way to spend time with like-minded friends. It's what I look forward to when I go out for a long bike ride. But I definitely need to spend some time riding alone, if only to prove to myself that I can do it for a sustained period of time, and to develop the coping mechanisms to overcome boredom, and low morale when it's just me out there. 

As I've become more attuned to this quandry I've come to learn that many endurance athletes seek the company of others on their efforts, to break the monotony and lift their spirits. Still many are capable of long distances on their own. Some even prefer that. 

I know what I prefer. But Wei Sun said it best on Episode 10 of the Endurance Athlete podcast: 

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

What do you prefer? I invite you to comment below.