Faster?

[indysteel]

So I decided to not get discouraged. I realized there has to be some level of riding at which I can feel completely free. Its probably not going to be at working every day to get to 20mph. I would have to give up so much else to do it, and at that point, would I really be enjoying life?
I also realized I'm not going to feel free at not trying either. Giving up will not make me happy either.

So I went home last night, made my dinner and left it on the stove. Got on my bike and went out a rode one of the longest, steepest hills around me. Took my 5.5 minutes to go from bottom to top, and my heart rate got up to 191, which I believe is one beat from my max.

Then I did it again.

Awesome.

[maillotpois]

And now another question that just popped into my head: I'm not sure I've seen my "mountain goat idols" posting their speed info? Maybe you ladies avoid these discussions of "I go this fast" ??? Those of you who regularly do climbs like Mimi's amazing ride last weekend: if 17-18 are "only" averages, do you have "miserable" average speeds too?

I don't think people who do the super long rides with a lot of climbing talk much about averages, because we know they really don't compute with most peoples' 50 mile and under or flat training rides. There's really no point in comparing the mph on long and/or very hilly rides - other than comparing one's own performances from one year to another. Every ride is different, are you working in a paceline, is it a ride where doing that is even all that helpful, etc.?

I have to say I don't think my averages are "miserable"! But i do like comparing from one year to another - which gets back to the OP about whether and how much one can improve one's own speed.

Point is - no one knows what terrain, conditions, whatever anyone is riding. Average MPH is basically worthless from one person to the next or one ride to the next - compare yourself to yourself.

[Eden]

I have to agree with MP. My averages won't mean anything to anyone else. It's not meaningful to compare my race to your solo ride, my flat ride to your hilly one, etc so there isn't any reason to say anything. I think there are probably a lot of women who think they ride slow that are very strong. They read some of these posts and get discouraged and I don't feel the need to be part of that.
(oh and to give you an idea about how much of a difference conditions can make.... my 20 something mile zone 1/2 recovery ride was accomplished at a faster "average" speed than my 101 mile mountainous race this weekend - now which do you think was the harder, more challenging ride..... even comparing me to me we're still talking about apples and oranges)
Just be aware that when you are talking club rides many of them aren't classifing rides on the average ending speed of the ride - they are talking about the average pace of the group on flat ground in ideal conditions! You may fit nicely into a faster group than you think.