Average Speeds -getting Downhearted!

[mimitabby]

Welcome to TE! how many pounds are in a stone??

It took me a YEAR to improve .4 of a mile an hour. You're doing GREAT!

Tell your boyfriend to cool his jets. You're going to get there; but not in the next 3 months. If he's in such a hurry for you to be as fast as he is, tell him to buy a tandem; then he'll never be able to get away from you. (That's what we did!)

keep doing hills, they are the best thing to train you to get faster. One of these days you're going to notice that this hill or that hill is easier than it used to be.

Patience! and keep working out.
mimi

[uk elephant]

yay! another UK'er on TE! Don't worry so much about the speed. It'll come. I started off doing about 10mph and I live in the flatlands of Essex with no hills and have been commuting by bike all my life. I'm now up to 13mph on long rides, but that's after over a year of serious bike training. What got my speeds up was just lots and lots of bike-time, and some focus on pedalling technique to make the most of going clip-less. And I started doing some interval training too which helped. But it all takes time. And in my opinion, as long as you're having fun the rest will come by itself eventually.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I can't believe you did a 42 mile ride after riding only 3 weeks!

I am 53 and I started riding a year ago after not being on a bike at all since I was about 14.
It has taken me a YEAR to go from a 9.5 average speed to a 10.5mpg average. We live in very hilly area. I typically ride about 100 miles per week. My rides vary from 10 miles long to 70 miles.
I go as slow as 2.5mph up steep hills to as fast as 40mph downhill.....but the average comes out to 10.5 overall.

I would say you are doing VERY well so far! It takes MONTHS to build up the muscles in all the places you need them.
Just be proud of yourself and your major accomplishments so far! Your boyfriend should be proud of you too and he should try to enjoy riding with you without watching the computer so much.

[batsheva]

Welcome to TE! how many pounds are in a stone??

mimi

1 stone = 14 lbs -
so just under 10 stone is a little less than 140 lbs

pretty trim for 5' 7" !!!!

bat

[indigoiis]

Give yourself a break... you only started three weeks ago! Just keep riding. Keep it fun!

[SouthernBelle]

Honestly, every time I read about advice from a BF or a DH I cringe. You'll progress at your own speed. Sounds like you are doing fine.

[RoadRaven]

Indy has pointed you in the direction of a very useful thread, Liz.

Remember that training/everyday averages should not be your fastest pace. That means most of your riding should be at a slower speed than your fastest possible speed.

If you rode at your fastest/hardest effort every or most rides, you will wear yourself out and your fitness would actually go backwards.

If you want to measure improvements, then choose one course and measure your speed on it every 3-4 weeks...

There is a lot more detail in the other thread

[teigyr]

I think you are doing well.

There are some riders who are faster than others. I am not a fast rider; I went on a 50 mile ride the other day and between stop signs, hills, and my general wussiness, I averaged 13.6 mph! I've been riding a lot longer than DH and he puts me to shame in maintaining a high mph.

I know you'll read it other places but everyone progresses at their own rate and everyone has a different riding style. I'm not fast and fast short rides kill me but longer slow rides don't.

You haven't been riding long enough to judge yourself Just have fun with it, don't have unrealistic expectations, and don't try to live up to what other people think you should be. It should be enjoyable instead of a source of pressure.

[Geonz]

Hills make a huuuuge difference, especially when you're beginning. It's just mathematical - if you get off and walk the average goes right down the drain. As far as your actual riding time you're prob'ly right there at the 12-13 that BF thinks you "should" be... but I'd suggest finding that song "Don't should on me and I won't should on you" :-)