I am approaching my favorite turnaround, knowing the distance will put me and my bike at 42 miles when I get home. Riding by myself, into the wind, has kept me at a modest 19mph, looking forward to the tailwind on the return. As I pull up to the final traffic light, I notice my regular riding group in the distance. They went long early this morning, already on their return, barreling with the wind. Running an easy pace of 22, they blow by me as I round the turn, hopelessly behind, twenty yards, forty yards, sixty yards.

Even with the wind, fatigue keeps me at 21mph as the group continues to pull away. Then I see Henrik off the back. He has slowed down, waiting for me to catch him. As I slide beneath the protective draft of Henrik’s wheel, my speedometer hits 23. Two minutes later, we are together with the pace line, inside the narrow cone of calm.

What happens when a member of your team gets hopelessly behind? Will one of the stronger members drop off to bring someone along? Have you created a protocol in your company that describes when and how this happens? Do you have a formal coaching or mentoring program integrated with team training?

If I can only catch Henrik’s wheel, he will pull me back to the group. -TF