How do you compare against the "gents" when you're not having head winds or side winds? Is this just an over all speed issue or do you think they know something about riding in the wind that you don't know?! If it's the second, then you probably just got the best advice. When coming down a hill on a SUPER windy day recently, I told my friend the same thing. First I said, "Brace yourself for bursts of wind." I barely got the words out when one came and she said, "Like THAT?!". One could easily be knocked over if not prepared. Then I told her to crouch down to get the wind moving around her instead of the wind moving HER.

If it's simply a matter of speed, then of course there are tons of posts and information to be found on that subject. It does suck, though, to feel so dang slow with all that wind. I can feel like you're a fish swimming upstream and barely getting anywhere.

I also like the "zen" approach of just bearing down and riding it out. This is my approach to long hills. I used to get so mentally frustrated, which made it worse physically. Now I just deal with it and take it one pedal stroke at a time.