Originally posted by llv24
Does comfort with downhill speed come with time? I'm a complete beginner and will be doing my first tri (sprint) in October and I can't imagine cycling downhill as fast as I've seen experienced riders do. Any words of encouragement?
Downhill road tips:

Relax. Take a deep breath. Put your hands in the drops. Bend your elbows. Look ahead. Focus. Breath. Pedals at 12 and 6, weight on downward pedal, not on the saddle (if your downhill has curves you'll need to adjust your pedals; if you are not "pedalling through" just do one quick pedal stroke and make sure the outside pedal is in the 6 o'clock position). Breath. Elbows still bent? If you need to scrub speed tap your brakes (both front and rear) gently. Tap again if necessary. If you feel out of control, try schooching baaaack on your saddle. Tap the brakes. Breath. Be like water. Descending is a zen thing. Once you "get it" you will grow to love it.