I feel the Need for Speed!

[Bklynmom]

I have been biking since March 2007. Just completed my first Century, and am starting to ride around the Park longing to be able to jump on the Peleton. Would love to hear from those who are fast about how they got that way!

In our park, groups of riders form spontaneously and you can jump on if you can keep up.

My average speed is around 15 mph - 18 on flat, 10-11 on the hill. I know my cadence is pretty slow.

Anyone have a training program that worked for them? I am ready!

I am learning to ride in a paceline with a local coach, but I need a ride program I can do on my own too.

Thanks, I know there is lots of great advice out there

[Happy_Wheels!]

I know what you mean, Bklynmom !

I Like to go Fast, too!

I have one word for you: Intervals!!

Intervals Are Your Friend!

Intervals Will Make You Go Fast!

Intervals might also make you Puke but Hey, at least you will be FAST!

Luv,
Happy_Wheels!

[nomummytummy]

spin or rpm classes are great too

[RoadRaven]

Have you checked out books like Bernhardt's "The Female Cyclist" or Friel's "Cyclists Training Bible"?

They both give a good break down of the type of training you can do for the goals you have?

I have bought both - hated giving them back to the library

[Bklynmom]

I will get going with my intervals this weekend on the flats in Long Island then try them on our Brooklyn Hill. Thanks for the book suggestions.

I am going to try and do a Metric Century in Oct. and try and do it as fast as I can - maybe with the help of my fast new training partner! Wonder what book he has, he sure pulls me around Prospect park at a good clip.

The new bike seat and clips will help too.

L

[rij73]

Did you do the NYC Century? I heard mixed reviews about it... I chickened out after thinking about trying it.

I have to start trying intervals too. Actually you and I are going at about the same speed in the same park! Maybe we should ride together sometime? I think I might be brave enough to try that. I used to be too insecure.

[Eden]

Just be sure to not do intervals every day! Give yourself a few rest days every week too.

[Jiffer]

Hey ... I'd say we ride at a similar pace. And I just finished my first century as well.

One thing I can recommend is to ride with someone a little faster than you. I rode with someone yesterday that got my pace up faster than I would have made myself do on my own. I was proud of myself when I was done.

I know riding hills helps your pace on the flat.

Shorter speed rides where you really push yourself on time are good, maybe once a week.

I've seen my speed improve mostly just from riding and riding. Pushing myself a little more as time goes by. I think I may look into those books, though. Good luck with your quest for speed! I know I see women out there faster than I am and I tell myself, "Some day I'm going to be that woman!"

[ChickWithBrains]

I signed up with CTS (Carmichael Training Sytems, trainright.com) to help me prepare better for the triathlons I signed up for this year. The change has been AMAZING, both because the schedule for workouts is right on (based on your field tests when you sign up) and because, for me, it adds that additional layer of having someone else (my coach) make a schedule for me and evaluate my efforts during those scheduled workouts... and I feel bad if I miss too many because I feel like I am letting HER down as well!!!

If I don't sign up for events, I don't train. If I don't have a coach, I don't train enough or train right. So even though it can be pricey it is sooooo worth it to me.

[Bklynmom]

I just made an appoiontment with a coach for next week - he is mostly focused on technique, but I think it is good to have someone watching. I did my firs big Century in August, and I can tell I've lost focus since.

I am also going to sign up for the escape NY Century Metric and try to do it in a good time. That gives me a goal to work toward. I have done 2 Centuries, and it just gets too boring. Shorter and more intense is a beter personality fit and time fit too.

I have to get a traing book too - the one I have is just too complicated and contrived to follow.

I did do an interval work out from it on friday, and I now understand the comment about intervals untill you puke (came close!).

Lisa

[violet]

Did you do the NYC Century? I heard mixed reviews about it... I chickened out after thinking about trying it.

i did the nyc century and while some of the views were amazing, i didn't enjoy it. my biggest issue was with the poorly laid out course - there were times we were climbing stairs (in cleats! not fun!) up bridges ... being dumped into serious intersections with no safe crossing (for peds or bikes) ... countless times we got lost since the green spray-painted Cs were hard to see or non-existent. and while i think it's great it's open to everyone, they may consider allowing groups to leave by experience level - a man who wasn't too savvy on his bike crashed in front of me going up a hill and took me out with him. my knee is a big swollen mess.

those things said, it was really fun to try out a velodrome (i think it was in queens?) ... ride down broadway through times square at dawn ... ride over the brooklyn bridge ... and through countless numbers of really beautiful ny neighborhoods. it was hard to keep a good pace, though, being so concerned with getting lost. in the end, it took 10 hours - which is absolutely ridiculous! i've done centuries in about 6 and was not prepared to spend all day on my bike.

anyway !!

in line with this topic - how fast do pro women riders generally go? i realize that is a broad question...but i really have no idea what to expect as far as a comparison.

[OakLeaf]

Ride rollers rather than (or in addition to) a trainer during the winter months. It'll really smooth out your spin and make you more confident with your balance. As for paceline riding, there's really no substitute for doing it, but the people you're riding with need to be understanding that you're still working on your skills. I find the best way to learn *any* physical skill is to join a group of people just slightly better than I am. Learn from your pro coach too, so you don't pick up any bad habits from your group.

And +1 on the intervals. And read about training nutrition - I'm sure there's lots on this site and many other places - timing and quantity of protein and carbs are really important when building muscle.

[Geonz]

So... is there that much connection with speed and distance? I mean to the tune of 100 miles.

I'm suspecting that interval training would be more important than piling on the miles, tho' I got fast with both. I also think that once you're pushing past 18, equipment starts to matter a lot more.

[ccnyc]

I am also going to sign up for the escape NY Century Metric and try to do it in a good time. That gives me a goal to work toward. I have done 2 Centuries, and it just gets too boring. Shorter and more intense is a beter personality fit and time fit too.

FYI: The Escape NY Metric Century is a wonderful ride. I've done it several times and it goes through very scenic, low traffic areas. The NYCC has great ride leaders so think about doing one of the group rides instead of doing it on your own.

Carol

[Eden]

So... is there that much connection with speed and distance? I mean to the tune of 100 miles.

I'm suspecting that interval training would be more important than piling on the miles, tho' I got fast with both. I also think that once you're pushing past 18, equipment starts to matter a lot more.

yes and no - you still want to train to the distances you expect to be riding, even if you are looking to increase your speed. Plus, you still want to have at least some period in the year that you put in base miles, which are longer and slower. So some days may be interval based and shorter rides, but some days will be longer rides too.
For someone like me that trains for a specific season I have a whole period of time (several months) that I'm doing base mileage and hardly do any harder riding. Those rides will work up to a bit beyond what I expect typical race milage to be. If you just wanted to go faster in general I would guess you could spread out the base mileage rather than periodize it?
So really it depends on what you are working towards. If you are looking to be a beginning racer (for women that usually means between 24 and 40 miles) you probably won't see any 100 mile days in your shedule, but if you are looking to do higher level racing or training for a fast century you would see longer days.