How long did it take you to faster?

Just curious, and I know everybody is different.

I just started cycling about three months ago, after a 15-year hiatus. I'm in my early 50s, and want to ride with friends and with a group, but I can't keep up with them. For the last six weeks, I've been doing interval training on a Computrainer two days a week, plus one longish ride and a couple short (around a hour) rides a week. I also work out with a personal trainer twice a week and was doing this prior to getting a bike. I'm not in the best shape, especially with my cardio conditioning, but not in the worst. I have been able to add miles to my rides with few problems (up to 50 so far), but I can't sustain any kind of speed for long, and am only really comfortable at around 15 mph, and if there is even a little wind, that drops down to 13 mph. This is exactly the same as the day I got my bike. I started riding with a friend, who was struggling more than I at first, but is now cruising along at 17-18 mph. Also, I live in completely flat land, but even the most minor incline or bridge just kills me.

My friends have been willing to ride with me at my pace on short rides (20 miles), but I know they want to go faster and further. I want to begin training for a 165-mile charity ride I'm signed up for in the Fall with the group doing the ride, but I need to be able to ride about 18 mph to ride with them. I think I'm doing all I can do, including resting and learning about nutrition, and I'm not going to stop, even if I'm the slowest person on a road bike out there. I'm just interested in others' stories and how things worked out for you.

I'm really new to cycling, but from what I've read on the forums, interval training is the way to go in order to gain speed. I see you said you're doing intervals, so I'm not sure why you're speed isn't increasing.

What is a computrainer btw? Perhaps that's the reason you're not gaining speed. You might try doing intervals out on the road with your bike. Use landmarks and go as hard as you can between them, then rest, then repeat.

Like I said, I'm new, but this is info I picked up here on the boards. I'm interested in increasing my speed as well, but am trying to focus on just getting miles in at this point. I'm usually toast after about 7 miles so congrats at being able to ride for 50 miles!

I'm sure some other more experienced members will chime in as well.

Good luck!

I am no expert on training, but I'll offer my own experience for what it's worth. When I first started road riding as an adult in June of 2006, it soon became abundantly clear that while I wasn't in the worst shape, I struggled with hard efforts, e.g., going "fast" and hills. So, after riding through the summer and fall, I spent the winter on base building in thrice-weekly spin classes. I kept my heart rate at a moderate level and avoided any kind of max effort. I also worked on core strength and flexibility through a regular yoga practice. My spring, I was in MUCH better shape to start working on speed.

Like you, I wanted to be faster so that I could comfortably ride with friends. I've never been one for intervals, but I became a regular attendee at our club's weekday training rides. Those rides are done in a paceline formation at a hard effort. Assuming I could hang with the pack, I would take my turn at the front of the line and that would amount to interval training. In time, I definitely got faster, but it was gradual. By mid-summer, I was able to keep up with most of my friends. It wasn't until the following year, however, that I could do so comfortably over most terrain. I also got better at climbing with practice, but that took even longer.

So, based on what you've shared about your own experience, I have to wonder whether you need to work on building your aerobic base before trying to tackle speed work. I understand your impatience, but you might be better off putting your speed goals aside for the time being and simply work on your endurance. But like I said, I'm no expert.

Faster than what?

I'm faster than a lot of things.
Many moving things are faster than I am.

Thanks.

I get what you're saying. I'm just longing to be able to ride with my friends, who ride faster than I can go now. I'll just keep plugging away.

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Originally Posted by murielalex

Thanks.

I get what you're saying. I'm just longing to be able to ride with my friends, who ride faster than I can go now. I'll just keep plugging away.

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That's pretty much all it takes. If your friends are faster than you, see if you can get one or two to ride just close to your speed or a little above, so that you can push yourself.

I have been tracking all my rides on both Map My Ride and on my bike computer. I have one that shows me overall miles, plus I can do trip measurements, including average speed, max speed, and trip time. MapMyRide includes my "stopped" times, while the computer keeps up with my moving time (stops when I'm stopped) - which helps me see data on my performance (I love data!)

You can do it. It just takes more time on the bike. :)

Murielax,

On another thought along with doing more base miles- if you all started out equal...

Are you shifting the same as them? In the same gearing, same rings? Are you shifting throughout your ride when winds or little uphills/downhills change? There is a good chance that you are just in the wrong gearing and not able to produce the same speed output as your friends.

If you are ever not busy and in town on a Monday evening, feel free to come out to our women's ride- we do a lot of work on the aspect of shifting and how it can help with your ability to maintain throughout the ride.

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Originally Posted by chatnoire

That's pretty much all it takes. If your friends are faster than you, see if you can get one or two to ride just close to your speed or a little above, so that you can push yourself.

I have been tracking all my rides on both Map My Ride and on my bike computer. I have one that shows me overall miles, plus I can do trip measurements, including average speed, max speed, and trip time. MapMyRide includes my "stopped" times, while the computer keeps up with my moving time (stops when I'm stopped) - which helps me see data on my performance (I love data!)

You can do it. It just takes more time on the bike. :)

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Yes, it does take time, but I'd reiterate that speed work and intervals won't be particularly effective without a sufficient base, which I'm not sure the OP yet has.

This article explains the concept, albeit somewhat superficially.

I know how frustrating it is when you can't keep up with friends, but I would encourage the OP not to elevate that goal to the point she disregards what her body might be telling her. Hopefully, her patience will be rewarded eventually.

I hate to be the one to say it but if you feel like you aren't getting faster quick enough it could possibly just be age. I am knew to biking but i have alot of experience in training. I was a dancer for 17 years and frankly there was nothing I couldn't do, or get up to speed with, in a short amount of time. Problem is...when you take off an extended period of time it can be increasingly harder to get back into something. The aging process can multiply this fact exponentially. Your body has muscle recognition that kicks in and mentally you feel like you're working hard enough to have been there by now but because your body has aged it will take longer than you expect to actually get there. The upside to this....(yes there is an upside) YOU WILL GET THERE!!!!! If you are doing all the right things, it may take longer but you WILL get there. So just keep on keeping on and it will come. Just don't expect it to be as soon as it used to be.

ditto on the "give it time" and equally "you will get there!!!!!" I am 50 and have never quit exercising of my own accord but have come back from injuries and a bad car wreck. Healing and improved fitness come more slowly with every passing year.

I would add one tip to cycling speed: RPM! working on speed of leg turnover and smoothness of pedal stroke can really improve your speed- a lot of folks try to mash along in too high of a gear. Once you crank up your RPM and have built up strength, then you can pedal fast in a high gear and keep up with anyone (:

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Originally Posted by murielalex

J I started riding with a friend, who was struggling more than I at first, but is now cruising along at 17-18 mph.

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The most difficult thing for me coming to cycling in my late 50s is to not compare myself to others. There is a wide range of native ability, of muscle memory from long past exercise, differences in age, fitness, and more. It took me more than a year, and 3200 miles of riding, to get up to a 66 mile ride at 13.7mph. I too am trying to get more fit to ride with friends. Fortunately, my friends average around 15mph so I think that at some point I will get there.

Good luck!

I feel your pain. I worked hard to get faster and enjoyed the small improvements along the way. I remember when I got a 15 average pace on a long ride and exclaimed, "I'm a 15 girl!" And each time I moved up in pace, I'd exclaim the new number. I was "A 20 Girl!" on a few occasions when the route was "mostly" flat. I did get to where I could average in the 18's fairly often, depending on how much climbing there was. I "almost" got a 19 average on a century once, but the slow traffic at the end of the ride caused me to go from 19.1 or so to 18.8. Arrrrggggghhh! :mad:

So, I get your desire to be faster and, for me, it was not just because I wanted to be fast, but also about keeping up with other people. Initially, that's ALL it was about. I'm not a great climber, so I worked on my climbing a LOT because I hated being the one everyone was waiting on at the top of the climb all the time.

Okay, so as for advice. What everyone has said about being patient and just keep on keepin' on is pretty much the best advice. You already have a personal trainer, so unless he/she is not a good trainer, they'll help you get your speed up in due time.

I also agree with not comparing yourself to others. It's so hard to do, but everyone is different in their ability to do any sport. Some people take to things more easily than others and sometimes it has to do with muscle memory or other factors. Smaller riders have a harder time with speed on the flat, while bigger riders have a harder time climbing. I'm 5'9", so great on the flat and slow on the climbs.

I have learned to take advantage of my strengths, though. On club rides (lots of riders), I used to do my best to stay at the front of the pack down the long flat section, taking advantage of the red lights to move to the front if I have fallen back. By the time we get to the big climb, I'm at least starting near the front.

When there's a small climb that I fall back on, I take advantage of the following downhill (if there is one) to get back to the front.

Working on technique is important too. As someone said, pedaling technique for one.

Do you draft? You and your friends can both go faster if they pull you. You get to go faster without getting tired as quickly and they get to go closer to the speed they prefer, if not at speed. Drafting helps more than a lot of people think, but it takes some getting used to.

Another option, which you probably won't like, is to simply find riders that ride at your pace. It IS good to ride people who are faster than you, because they push you to become faster. But maybe at least some of the time you can ride with others that are closer to your pace. If you do some searching, you might be surprised what groups you find and you might love the change.

I leave you with a word of caution. Be careful you don't try to do too much too soon. What has been said about getting a good base is VERY VERY VERY important. I'm not even sure you should be doing intervals so early in the game.

I say this as a person who overtrained and developed adrenal fatigue, which has kept me from "really" riding for over a year now. It happened the year I pushed myself more than I ever had, doing lots of intervals, tempo rides, lots and lots of climbing, several long rides, including a few centuries, as well as my first three road races. It didn't "seem" like I was doing anything more than a typically healthy person should be able to do. My riding buddy did almost all the same stuff I did and was fine. But apparently I wasn't as healthy as I thought. Had a yeast overgrowth (candida) and hypothyroidism. Stressing my body further with training . . . oh, and weight loss . . . pushed my body too far. I'm also plagued with low hormones. Not sure which came first, the chicken or the egg, but I'm all messed up!

Better to be safe than sorry. 15 average pace is actually very respectable for a person who's only been riding a short time. Like I said, I was thrilled when I first started riding at that pace! :D I'm lucky if I get 14 these days and even that is sometimes stressing my body too much, even with only 30 minutes of riding.

By the way, it took me a good two or three years to go from 15-ish to 19-ish.

Listen to your body and be careful. In due time you will get there. :)

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Yes, it does take time, but I'd reiterate that speed work and intervals won't be particularly effective without a sufficient base, which I'm not sure the OP yet has.

This article explains the concept, albeit somewhat superficially.

I know how frustrating it is when you can't keep up with friends, but I would encourage the OP not to elevate that goal to the point she disregards what her body might be telling her. Hopefully, her patience will be rewarded eventually.

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Originally Posted by Jiffer

I leave you with a word of caution. Be careful you don't try to do too much too soon. What has been said about getting a good base is VERY VERY VERY important. I'm not even sure you should be doing intervals so early in the game.

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I know you are right, and I am paying attention to every thing you're saying. Sometimes, you just need to be told :)

Thanks for taking the time for your thoughtful responses. I really do appreciate it.

Maybe you need new friends

yeah, what Zen said!:rolleyes::cool:

I'll let you know if I ever get any faster! Probably happen about the same time I get taller!

Zen makes a good point, if not a tongue in cheek one. If there's an active cycling community in your area, then I'd encourage you to join some club/group rides. You'll likely meet some people with similar abilities and/or similar goals. And don't assume that your current friends have no interest in riding with you just because you can't necessarily keep up with them at their top speed. Not every ride has to be a fast one.

I think you're on the right track. You may be guilty of over training a bit though. Ditto what was said about cadence. I would suggest that at least on your shorter rides you never get out of the small chainring. This will force easy spinning, which may feel a little funny, but you'll get used to the decreased resistance and higher cadence. Other than that............time. I got faster last year by riding in pacelines with people who were faster than me. Unfortunately I'm a little behind this year because of a wreck that kept me off the bike for 5-6 weeks, but that's ok. Hang in there, it will happen.

I've been riding for 7 years. I'm barely faster now than when I started. At first I averaged in the 13-14 mph range for rides. Now I'm in the 14-15 mph range. And I have a MUCH lighter, MUCH more expensive bike that fits me MUCH better than back then.
It can sure be frustrating, and literally all my tri friends are so much faster than me that I can't hang with any of them. Most have progressed much better and are consistently riding in the 18-20 mph range now.
Oh well, I got VERY frustrated last season then said to he!! with it. I ride what I ride. Same as running; I run what I run. Even when I was 40 lbs lighter, my running and riding pace wasn't any faster. I am what I am, and now I just enjoy getting on my bike and riding.

It's not always easy to be so blase about it, though. I wasn't for years...

I started at a 12-13 average (I live in a hilly area), got up to about 15.5-16.5 after about 3 years. Then, about 2 years after that I got sick, lost a lot of my strength and took about 1.5 years to get back somewhat back to where I was. But, my attitude has changed. Aging has also kicked in. I need more time to recover and frankly, I just don't care about my speed anymore. My goal is to ride until I croak, and I know that I am not going to keep getting faster at age almost 59 unless I put in some serious training. I am still too fast for "slow" groups and too slow for fast groups. I found one group that I can ride with, and now they often split into the regular group, who averages about 13 on rides and the "spirited" group who averages about 15-16. I am on the edge of that and they are encouraging, but I just don't ride much with the group anymore.
I do short rides (15 miles) where I push the speed, and my hilly riding serves as intervals. Other than that, I don't care. Today I rode 43 miles, with several very steep climbs. Until the lunch stop, my average was 12.5. After lunch, we had a long flat stretch where we were going along at 18-21, so my average was 13.8 for the ride, that is, until my cool down, which involves climbing a 10% grade hill to my house.
I can go along at 18-20 mph if I am on flats, but the thing is, there is no place around here to ride that is flat. I can also climb better than a lot of women my age, and I am not afraid to spin up a hill in a very low gear. I don't like descending, so my average suffers because of that.
Cyclists get very competitive about their speed, etc. I found people to ride with who just aren't into that. They are great riders, but not particularly competitive. This is why you will never see me doing a tri or even a charity ride where some people make it into a race.