Posts By: Gord Fraser

I’m looking forward to another wonderful week of riding bikes.   Once again, there are plenty of events upcoming;  Mt Graham Hill Climb, Team El Grupo tryouts, Fall Bike Camp and the Fall Fondo.  Other events happening around the state and close by that could be of interest include the https://thecactuscup.com/  or the https://www.bearjawevents.com/

Practices remain listed here for both riders and volunteers;

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ea8aa28aaf58-team1

Lastly, I’d like to thank Nathaniel for his service on the El Grupo board of Directors.  Attached below is a fantastic opportunity for one of our team to gain an incredible experience to see what important work goes on behind the scenes of this amazing organization.

Hello everyone! This is Nathaniel.

As you all probably know, El Grupo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Because of this, we are required to have a Board of Directors. This board provides invaluable insight and direction when it comes to leading the future of the team. At the current moment, there are about 10-ish board members, each of them providing different perspectives on matters of the team. Some members help with the finances, others with special events, but there is another role played by a current rider on the team. This role is the Youth Representative, which I have had the honor to fulfill these past two ish years.

The Youth Rep is responsible for connecting with every rider on the team, and giving feedback to the board as to how the riders feel about different changes. You have to be committed to the team and have good outstanding relationships with all of the riders on the team. You need to be able to communicate with fellow riders, and because of this, you ideally should have at least one year of experience with the team, and regularly attend practices. Additionally, there are responsibilities associated with this role, such as attending most monthly meetings.

I have loved my time on the board. It has been an amazing learning and developmental experience for me. Please reach out to me at 520-425-0256 if you have any questions. I look forward to connecting with the next youth rep.

Many thanks,

Nathaniel Cross

It’s nice to feel some cooler morning temps, albeit with smoke induced skies.  Our Fall season is filling up with some awesome programming.

First up this coming weekend is Sunday’s traditional Mount Graham Hill Climb Time Trial.  We have 2 riders signed up currently.  We will take care of your entry fee if you can confirm your interest before Tuesday night.  Let me know if you want to attend. Information is here.

http://presteza.homestead.com/MtGrahamIndex.html

We will be holding Team El Grupo tryouts from Oct 2-4.  We hope we get many new interested riders; young men, women and femme participation all wanted.

October will also entertain our rescheduled and beloved Summer Bike Camp.  Fall Bike Camp (October 12-16) will offer young riders a chance to ride, learn new skills and most of all have fun! Not only will our heralded coaches partake but also our Team El Grupo members themselves will be on hand to coach the youngsters!  This is a very rewarding experience for participant, staff and Team El Grupo members alike.

Lastly but certainly not least is our remote Fall Fondo on October 18.  Many events have had to be canceled during these unique times, and we look forward to seeing as many supporters as possible for our altered but equally fun event.

Here’s our latest practice schedule;

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ea8aa28aaf58-team1

There was another example of change this week with the cancellation of the much adored and anticipated NICA mountain bike series.  The race organization did their very best to make the races happen, but there were just too many hurdles to overcome.

Team El Grupo had 15 athletes signed up to compete and the news came with disappointment but understanding and we’re very proud how team digested the news.  We were overdue for some rest, so this week’s programming is all about rest, fun and resetting.

Looking forward, we still have a Southern Arizona tradition;  the Mount Graham hill climb on September 27.  Also coming up in early October are new Team El Grupo tryouts.

Here’s the upcoming practice week.  Note that this coming Saturday will move from 5:45am to a more reasonable 6:15am.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ea8aa28aaf58-august

Change is good.  It’s an old adage that can blanket many aspects of life. We’re seemingly in a world of perpetual change.  Perhaps the only certainty is the notion that further future change is inevitable.  It can be nerve wracking and stressful but adapting to change is often very rewarding and fulfilling.   It certainly… Read more »

Afternoon practices have meant soaring temperatures that the team has navigated quite well.  We pre-soak riders before heading out from the clubhouse and have taken precautions to provide extra water once we are out riding.  We’ve talked a lot about pre-hydration and a reminder to try to drink 4 liters of water per day.  Coach… Read more »

Last week we dove into our initial round of VO2max work.  Working in the ‘attic’ of our house of fitness is always tough, especially under first exposure but all the kids responded to the challenge really well.   We will continue to load this intensity level to get the best benefits.   I appreciate the improvement… Read more »

Not all of you returned to school today, but if you did as was the case in my household, then hats off for surviving a very unique day.   It won’t be the usual ‘first day of school’ photo, that’s for certain.   Cycling has also altered normalcy with this weekend holding Milan-San Remo.  This classic… Read more »

It’s hard to believe August is already here.  Hopefully we will see more monsoon rains and someday soon a return to school.  Whether you’re in classroom or taking courses remotely, getting back into studies remains a top priority and thus our midweek practices will return to late afternoon at 4:30pm.   There are many light… Read more »

Box Canyon proved to be a worthy bucket list challenge.  Us old timers think of this route as Greaterville but whichever guise it’s referred to, it gave us another memorable day in the saddle.  The recently flooded dirt road gave us fits and flats a plenty. We did however, profit from overcast weather which cooled… Read more »

We had a great turnout today.  I greatly enjoyed the Robles mountain bike trails. We will continue cross training maintenance after some of the rides that will compose of simple balance, core, and stretching.   Saturday will be our first bucket list ride.  This will be a full century with the gravel section of Box… Read more »