Ride with people faster than you. And if you are above your normal weight it always helps to drop a few pounds. I have not drop any weight in about 6 months. I have been fluctuating in between 5 lbs up and down but that is because I am not really watching what I eat. But I never stop riding my bike. I can tell I am way stronger than before and also lost a few inches and triming down . I trained for about 3 and a half months indoors 3 times a week and the first time I did a real ride with this group on a really challenging hilly terrain with some winds in mid April, It took me about 2 hrs 45 min to complete 32 miles and barely made it that was about 13mph. 5 weeks later I did the same ride in almost same weather conditions in 2hrs ,thats 16mph even though I havent lost a pound. I can imagine if I lose the 25lbs I need to. This ride is once a Week and I try not to miss it. I do ride the rest of the days but this is my training ride. I do another one on Thursdays but I feel the hilly one is the one that really works and I realy like it. To me , when you see others climbing those hills like nothing..that is a motivation for me to try harder and push my self a bit more.