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I have been cycling for about 3 yrs now and I have finally accepted that I am built to go the distance...
I am NOT built for climbing, I am NOT built for speed or racing... but once in my groove I can just go forever... :)
so what are YOU built for? and are you happy with where you're at or do you want more of yourself?
I love to call the flats "flatouts" because that's what I love to do on them...ride flat out as fast as I can!
I haven't been riding long, but with all sports I've learned I'm also an endurance kind of person; my first couple of rides were 30 and 40 miles and I'm up to just shy of 60 miles now. I'm sure I'll be hitting 70 very soon. Hills hate me (otherwise they'd be kinder to me, right?), but I do also love to go fast. I can maintain about 18mph average on a flat which isn't very fast, but I'm pretty sure I'll be getting faster with time. I don't even have the blood vessel network built up yet!
I'm tall and heavy so hills are not my friend but I have strong, massive legs and on the flats I can hang with the best of them (averaging between 22 - 25mph)! If choosing between a climber, sprinter or time trialist, I would be the sprinter but I also have alot of endurance and can ride forever, even with some hills thrown in - I'm just not fast!
hills and distance/endurance... i haven't been blessed with speed yet.... i always say i'm a tortoise: slow and steady.... that's my pace! :o
I haven't done enough yet, but everyone who has seen me says I'm made for shortish distances at sustained speed...
...hence my "title" <<<<< TT Wannabe
I want to TT competitively - its where I feel most comfortable and right
I don't think hills will ever be my strength
I'm definitely a distance girl. As you can see from my fast twitch post, I'm not a sprinter. I can climb pretty well also, I can do 18 up a moderate hill. A big hill slows me down to about 13. I also get this weird gratification from one of those long gradual climbs that seems to go on forever. But for me I'm happiest on a loooooooooooong steady, flat ride. When I was in H.S. I was a swimmer, and all I wanted to do was the 500 freestyle. So I think that's ingrained in me. I would like to broaden my skills though. I think if you can hang for the distances, you're ahead of the game. Now we just need to work on being speedy :D
before cycling?? I would've told you I was built for bearing many children and pulling the plow all day. Now: not a clue. No matter where you go in this town ya gotta climb so I just accept that. I do seem to climb faster than most women but not at some of the speeds ya'll are talking about. I sprint at the green light, to cross lanes of traffic, and sometimes just coz but I don't think of myself as a sprinter. I get bored on short rides just coz I don't feel like I"ve really ridden. I don't mind doing long rides and my avg on 1/2 and full centuries is about 15 mph. I guess I'm just an average all-around Jill! :p
Texas sized hills and a head wind. That always helps me stay with a group... because neither one bothers me. I LOVE TEXAS HILLS!!!!
What I am NOT made for... decending DOWN any kind hill. Scares the crap out of me.
with these hips? I must be built for bearing children, but until that day - I'm a better climber than a sprinter and I can usually hang with long distance rides.
I just go and go and keep going and going and go and keep going....no speed but point me in any direction and say you'll meet up 100 miles from there and I go and go....workin' on some speed though. On climbs sit and spin, hardly ever stand. :rolleyes:
:eek: :eek: :eek: you are fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! on our local climb we all practice on.. i'm lucky if i can do 10 mph up it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by betagirl
when i did breathless agony (12000 feet total of climbing)... there were times i was even as slow as 4 mph!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I was running I preferred sprints, as distance nothing longer than 5K. I ran plenty of 5 milers and 10K's, even trained for and did a 1/2 marathon and a marathon. The distance training killed me... my body hated the impact and I started resemling an AAMCO transmission ad, parts falling out everywhere.
With cycling I'm not sure yet what will be my stronger suite. I love speed, descending is a blast, climbing makes me swear like a marine. I just don't know... with my build (long/lean and gettin' older) I'm guessing climbing wouldn't be a natural fit.
clueless spazz
Spazz, I'd say you're the fast on the flats racer girl.
I have always had "ample" thighs - even at my skinniest - 110 pounds. When I'm in good form - I like climbing. I figure that's why I have these legs!
So far I seem to be extremely well engineered for falling off my bike :D
Ha, ha! That's what I was going to say!Quote:
Originally Posted by CorsairMac
Hey, you're on my team!! What are the "builds" of all these varieties of specialization? I know climbers are little, light fellers. What are big, heavy riders good at? Are they all-arounders? Big Georgie seems to be keeping up with his much lighter boss in the Tour.Quote:
Originally Posted by bikerz