My friend rides faster and Dh got the frame I wanted ... Boo hoo for me!!!

[Trek420]

There will always be someone faster than you.

And someone who descends better than you, and rides further and has better bike handling skills and .... has what they think is a better bike

The competition must be with yourself. Am I riding better today?

A very wise TE member, I believe it was Velogirl told me when it comes to cycling performance I could:
lose weight
gain muscle strength
or both

I'll admit I'm not training as I could now but when I am really in a mode I drop inches (I've gone down 6 pants sizes cycling and probably will do more soon) and not weight. I just keep getting a bigger engine. I'd love to drop 30 lbs and should and could and will. But I know my body and the inches will come off first in any regime.

Ride your ride, enjoy it and most important have fun.

[kenyonchris]

So sorry you had a crappy day!
I am 115 lbs and a good climber...but everyone assumes it is because I am light!! I am sure that this fact helps, but I did NOT start out that way. Pound for pound, I am not as strong as a bigger, stronger rider. And while I may billy goat my way up a hill, *everyone* descends faster than me, and THAT, when you have run out of gear and are just coasting, is frustrating.
Lose the weight if it makes you stronger and better, and think about riding with your friend as training! Don't let her drop you! My guy friends drop me on every hill I climb (and they all out weigh me by 50 lbs)....because they are stronger, better, faster riders. But I constantly chase them, so when I ride with a *normal* group of riders (as in not supermen) I easily lead the group up the hill.
I also keep my ipod on while I climb. I know, I know, I know...but being in your zone and spinning up the hill is important. My ipod helps me do that.