Average Speeds -getting Downhearted!

[rij73]

Don't worry Indy... seems like a lot of us are feeling that way! That's why I wish liz_999 would come back and answer some of our questions!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Don't worry Indy... seems like a lot of us are feeling that way! That's why I wish liz_999 would come back and answer some of our questions!

She's probably busy pedaling up Mt. Everest!

[lauraelmore1033]

I smell a replay of the CaliSunshine smackdown in the breeze...

[KSH]

Hey, you are a new rider! It takes months to get your riding legs under you.

How do you get better at hills? Ride hills. Plain and simple.

And don't let what you see other people doing discourage you. You don't know their terrian or how flat it is for them. I ride in Dallas, TX USA- and it's pretty much flat here. So my average will be faster than yours. If I rode hills, it would not be.

Keep at it. Do not get discouraged. It takes time to get better.

[Eden]

I smell a replay of the CaliSunshine smackdown in the breeze...

I honestly don't think this gal is being rude... she hasn't disparaged anyone else. She's new, probably young and she's fit, and what she's said she has been able to do does not sound outrageous.

[RoadRaven]

I agree Eden
I don't think she's being rude or whatever the CaliSunshine reference referred to.

If Liz had experience in another endurance sport... or used low gearing... or is young and fit... then I can understand much more.

Thats why I posed my wonderings, because from my perspective - middle-aged, on a compact, only 2 years on the bike... I don't think I could do even one of Le Tour "hills"...

Looking forward to you popping back, Liz

[kelownagirl]

Sometimes you do hard stuff because you don't know you "can't" or "shouldn't". I did my first hilly 55km ride with almost no riding experience beforehand. It was 100 degrees out. I was on my old mountain bike. I did it and survived. That was before I knew that 55km was a long ride for a beginner. Sometimes "not knowing" allows you to get out there and just do it.

[lauraelmore1033]

sorry, for those mystified by my comment: Lisa's sarcastic remark about cycling up Mt Everest reminded me of a rather explosive thread from, maybe a year ago, in which a young woman made some rather extravagant claims about having bested a whole paceline of experienced road bike riders while on her mountain bike. The forum's collective response was, at first, "you GO girl!", but soon turned to questioning and then to unmitigated rage, prompting at least one administrator to intervene.

I would agree that we don't know what liz999 is capable of or even the particulars of her tour. Just a look at the crowds lining the TDF routes during the race--most of whom got there under their own steam-- should be proof enough that it is possible for mere mortals to "get up there". Maybe not at a break neck speed, or with comfort or ease, but it is possible...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

sorry, for those mystified by my comment: Lisa's sarcastic remark about cycling up Mt Everest.....

Sarcastic?? No, I was serious! Any woman who can go from having "stick legs" and not being on a bike in 15 years and averaging 9mph to three weeks later having muscles on their calves, toned thighs, and pedaling up the Tour de France ascents with full camping gear loaded on their panniers would absolutely be able to ascend Mt. Everest! It's truly amazing and I honestly want to know the secret. ...or maybe the secret is just being young?, in which case there is little hope for women like me.

[liz_999]

Hello all, sorry just started new university course so been a bit busy to reply...

First of all, I did Alpe d'huez without panniers, left them at the campsite in Bourg d'oisans. I do have a triple, and was in the lowest gear possible, and it wasnt that bad because the hair pins are flat so give you a couple of seconds every 10m or so for your legs to have a break. The Col du Lautaret i did do with full panniers but i did as a 'tourist' with regular breaks to take pictures and let my legs have a break!!!

I am 22 (nearly 23!) so I am young, and of reasonable fitness - did no organised sports before starting cycling (in August) but i did go to the gym a few times a week although i am the first to admit i didnt exactly push myself!

Before i went on the tour i was convinced i wouldnt be able to do more than 30 mile days and even in the first few days we nearly changed the route so that it avoided as much of the alps as possible. The first few days I found incredibly hard and there were lots of tears and tantrums! but somehow my legs got used to it and as mentioned by one of you its a lot easier touring when you know you can take a break at any point. My 60 mile days were lasting all day so i wasnt exactly completing them in 3 hours but that was ok because we could take time as we cycled through places.

Oh and i seriously havent been on a bike since I was 15 although i did used to attempt to cycle for 5 - 10 minutes at the gym but didnt like it.

Will add photos when my camera charged -just tried but battery has gone!

Have taken a long break since I have got back - just went to the gym last night but did 30m slow on the bike just to get my legs spinning. Will take on board the advice about the knees! I intend to go to yoga anyway as my back is quite weak due to poor posture and if it will help with easing the pain of cycling thats a bonus!

Liz

My bf asks if he can chip in:

Sorry to invade the female only zone! I just thought I'd add a few thoughts. I got into cycling a couple of years ago after two friends suggested a tour in France. After a months preparation we then did a month long tour in France and Switzerland taking in Galibier, dhuez, courcheval and tons more in reasonable times. Granted I played quite a bit of sport in the year leading up to it such as football squash and going to the gym. My point is I was no cyclist and I managed 800 miles in three weeks. My thinking was when asking my girlfriend to join me on this tour was that with a few weeks training she would be able to do a tour with me with shorter days at much slower speeds. We had a training weeked in the hilly lake district to prepare for it. And from my own experience the initial adaptation is incredible.

People make too much out of Alpe dhuez and tour climbs. Doing 120 mile days averaging 25 mph like the tour riders do over such terrain is unthinkable of mere mortals like me and my girlfriend. But anyone with reasonable fitness can do it. Ive seen kids as young as ten riding up as well as overweight blokes on mountain bikes. Its just the speed that you do it that varies. Thats not to say it isnt an achievement to feel proud about because it hurts like hell getting up there!! Ideally more base miles would have been put in but we didnt have time. ps Lizs calves arent muscular ... and she is very slow, but determined. I don't think she would be good enough for racing at anytime in the near future.

[spokewench]

There really is no reason that this young woman could not have done what she did. We all seem to think that things are harder than they really are.

Last year, I went to do the Bicycle Tour of Colorado, lots of climbing, mountain passes, approx. 480 miles in six days of riding with one rest day. I really thought it was going to be hard and I have been riding bikes for almost 20 years. But, some of that feeling is because I don't really like to ride for more than 4 hours at a time, 6 at the most. Well, I trained quite a bit, mostly just rode lots of hills before we went and that worked for me. I was able to ride the route without being miserable and without taking all day!

But, to my surprise, there were a ton of people that ride those rides that don't look like they could ever finish them. They are overweight, riding junker bikes, underweight, riding junker bikes, people with cancer, and other diseases who are just heroic, and they finish those rides. They may get up really, really early, before light and ride till dark, but they finish! So, it is really incredible what people can do, and who those people are too.

So, I think it is really in what kind of riding you are willing to do, what speeds, and how much determination you have. It is amazing what any one person can do physically.

I surprised myself on that ride - and I think that a lot of TE'ers would surprise themselves as well if they push their limits! We have wonderful surprises and abilities that we really don't know are there until we try them out.

[indysteel]

Liz, I think that's just awesome!!!! As some of you know from my own thread about my upcoming ride in TN, I've had some moments of weakness--including a bad one yesterday--when I have really doubted whether doing the tour is a good idea. Reading Liz and Spokewench's stories have really given me a renewed sense of determination. Thank you ever so much.

K-

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I surprised myself on that ride - and I think that a lot of TE'ers would surprise themselves as well if they push their limits! We have wonderful surprises and abilities that we really don't know are there until we try them out.

I think that is generally true- people tend to think they "cannot" do something they have not tried yet.
Good for you doing that huge tour!

I've ridden over 4,500 miles over the past year- far more than I ever would have dreamed possible. Yet sometimes I start out on a really long ride, full of strength and confidence and towards the end I am really exhausted. I think it will take me many more months to increase my strength and stamina. I like to think my age (53) is not going to hold me back too much.

And I look forward to seeing a few of Liz's pictures.

[Crankin]

I think the key phrase is that if you push yourself, you can do it. The problem is that after a certain point, i don't want to push myself. Now, I'm not saying that I haven't done things on the bike that I thought I'd never do and I know what seems normal to me astounds my non-cycling friends. But, sometimes I am just as happy doing my 16 mile loop. In fact, most of the time, I am. I've done a century, done 50 mile rides with 5,000 feet of climbing, and I can climb 18% grades (slowly). But the thought of doing those things most of the time, when I sit here and think about it, doesn't thrill me. I keep wondering if I am just a wimp, when I see those people on beater bikes finishing long rides. I mean, I am always happy when I finish doing one of those challenging rides, but in my head, I am never very happy in the beginning of a ride that is challenging. It definitely is in my head, because I always finish, but I guess I will never be one of those people training for a double!