I can't get over the hump!

[BikeHN]

Hello, so here's the thing. I want to ride faster. Right now, I can maintain about 16 mph for around a 20-25 mile ride. I can't seem to get over that hump. I've been stuck on the 16 avg. since March. I'd like to be able to ride 18-20 EVENTUALLY. I live in a pretty hilly area so there is no such thing as a 'flat ride' round these parts; however, there are several women in the area who consistently ride at about 20 mph. so I know it's possible. I'm just stuck. Dunno if I should ride longer, hill repeats, tempo rides?

[Artista]

Wow! You're currently averaging 16 mph over 20-25 miles in a hilly area and you want to get FASTER:eek: You could come ride laps around me to improve your speed:p

[Jiffer]

You are riding at a respectable pace. I remember how thrilled I was when I became what called a "16 girl!" But I know how you feel about wanting to ride FASTER!!! :D

Intervals are probably your new best friend. When I started consistently doing interval training, my speed improved pretty quickly. You can google how to do intervals and find a wealth of info.

The basic premise is, you find a stretch of road and push yourself as much as you possibly can for that distance. A lot of people recommend doing it by time, like a 1 minute interval or 3 minute or whatever. The problem with that for me is I find it hard to focus on my bike computer when I'm pushing with that intensity and prefer to have landmarks to start and stop my interval at. Plus, while I might like to do a 3 minute interval, I have to make sure I'm on a stretch of road that I know I can continually ride fast on for 3 full minutes . . . with no stop signs or signals.

If my health weren't preventing me from riding beyond 140 heart rate, I'd be doing intervals right now. However, I'll tell you how I used to do them (and how I will again some day!). There are a lot of hills in my area as well. Pretty much every time you go north, you are on an incline of some sort. I'd find places for intervals within my usual bike routes. I'd make sure I had plenty of distance to warm up at a moderate pace, usually along flat road. When I turned onto an incline, I'd choose a landmark like a crosswalk line or light pole and hit my lap button on my computer. I'd push as hard as I could for whatever that distance was, then hit lap again when I got to the next "landmark" I had previously chosen. Sometimes my distances were chosen by the fact that a stop sign was coming and I'd end my interval with enough time to stop.

Then I'd recover by riding really slowly, catching my breath and spinning my legs. Recovery is key between intervals. Continuing on my route I'd eventually get to my next interval section and do it again. Each distance was usually a little different depending on the route. However, being the anal stat monster that I am, I kept track of every interval I ever did. I would make a note of them on bikejournal.com when I entered my stats for each ride, making a point to note if I did a particular interval faster than I ever had before. I'd mark PR next to it for Personal Record, a common runner's term. And the next time I went to do that set of intervals, I would actually write my previous fastest times on my wrist with a sharpie! (I told you I was anal!) So when I'd start an interval, I knew exactly how fast I did it the last time and tried to do it faster.

I've been teased by people wondering what the heck was written on my wrist. But it worked for me and gave me mini goals within the ride, which made the rides even more interesting. I did this not just for interval rides, but for other sections of routine rides, sometimes club rides. Usually I'd hit the lap button on any climb. It could be a half mile climb or a long five mile climb and I would typically hit my lap button and try to do it faster than previous rides. By doing this, I wasn't only trying to improve my overall average pace, which can vary when you're in a group and they happen to go slower than usual that day, but I know if I'm climbing anything faster. Everyone spreads out on climbs, so you're typically on your own until the regroup.

But back to intervals. The idea is to really push your limits. When you do an interval correctly, you'll probably by dying at the end of it and gasping for air. (Remember, though . . . intervals are your FRIEND! :D) However, if the interval is a half mile, you won't be able to push as hard throughout the entire interval as you can for a quarter mile interval. So you adjust your pace according to the distance you are going. Go as hard as you feel you can sustain for whatever the distance is.

I often did somewhere between 3 and 5 intervals on an "interval day". I read you get your most benefit from about 3. You, of course, need to mix interval rides with other types of rides. Tempo rides are good, too. I won't explain how to do those, since you already mentioned it and can easily google it. Consider doing intervals once a week, a tempo ride once a week and a moderate ride or two. If you're also building endurance, a long ride once a week, but be careful not to over do it. Make sure you are getting adequate recovery between anything particularly hard.

Intervals hurt. But intervals make you FAST! :D

[BikeHN]

Thanks for your advice Jiffer! I will get on these interval workouts stat. I am runner turned cyclist so I too am very anal about keeping track of times. :D

[Anelia]

I vote for intervals, too. They hurt but even my 8-year-old son knows that "no pain, no gain"...

[BikeHN]

Got out and did 4x3min. intervals with 6min. rest in b/wn. I wasn't completely spent by the end of the workout so I added a few more miles in. I was def. gasping for air at the end of the 3 min. though. It felt like FORever. I'm hoping this is the kind of interval wkout I need to be doing. I think maybe next time 2 min intervals with 4 min rest b/wn?