I started noticing a big improvement in my speed when I started doing intervals. There are lots of ways to do them, so do some research to figure out what makes sense for you. A basic way to get started is to find a route with some distance where you won't have signals or stop signs stopping you. After a 10-15 minute warmup, push yourself as hard as you can for maybe 30 seconds. This is maximum effort. The length of time you do the interval for will vary based on what you can do, so you have to figure out what that is. Could be 15 seconds, could be 2 minutes. The first day I did this, I believe I went 30 seconds for my first and a minute for two or three more. Eventually I got to 2 minutes on future rides. However, on a specific route I do, I can't go a full 2 minutes in certain areas, like between a signal and stop sign, so I do it in those places for distance and keep a record of how fast I did those specific sections.

Always do some good recovery between intervals. Spin at a super easy pace for 2-5 minutes. The length of recovery kind of depends on the length of intervals. But the better recovered you are, the better you'll do your next interval. So recover as long as feels right to you, but may be longer than you'd think.

Lately I sometimes do intervals the way a coach has my husband doing them. Two minute intervals with the first minute standing and the second minute sitting. If you do those, (which might be 15-30 seconds standing if that's all you can do at first) ... it will build those muscles and your ability to stand and catch the group if they're starting to get away ... maybe on a small climb, after a turn or if they take off faster at signals than you can keep up with. Sometimes you can stand and get on someone's wheel faster than you can do it sitting.

You also have to ride smart. I often ride near the front of a group whenever possible. Draft the 1st to 3rd person if I can (without having to pull if they'll be nice and allow you to draft near the front without pulling). The farther back you are, the harder you have to work because of what I call the accordion affect. With a big group, when someone near the front slows even briefly, and then speeds up again, as each person behind that person slows and speeds back up, the further back it gets that quick little "touch the break and speed back up" becomes exaggerated, making you slow more than the people in the front and then have to work even harder to catch back up to speed. If they guys you ride with understand this and are willing to work with you, they'll let you draft near the front and not pull. If they don't "get it" and tell you to draft in the back, explain to them that it's harder to draft in the back than the front. The pace is more consistent in the front.

When you find yourself in the back for whatever reason, the next time the group stops at a signal, cruise around the side of them to the front. Or on a downhill where maybe they're not pedaling. You pedal and work your way to the front. Be assertive in getting on someone's wheel. Be focused and ready to push yourself to stay with them when they are about to anything where you realize you fall back sometimes. Like if they are about to go over a hill, maybe a freeway over pass, be ready to shift, pedal harder just "before" the climb starts and push yourself over that hill at their speed if you can. I have learned sometimes it is simply in being focused and aware. I have to do the same thing at turns. Sometimes I expect a group to slow more on a turn onto another street than they actually do. I have learned to expect that they will maintain pretty close to the same pace we are already going, and ride accordingly. Sometimes they do slow more, but I am prepared either way. But if they do get away from me, hopefully my standing intervals will help me catch up.

Also, be careful who you draft. Whenever possible, I try to get on someone's wheel who I am already familiar with and trust, or who at least appears to be riding a consistent pace, without swerving too much to the left or right, and who points out things in the road. Some people are not the greatest to draft and you figure that out the more you ride.

Intervals, intervals, intervals! When you push yourself your maximum effort for short periods of time, you teach your body to go at an over all faster pace for longer periods of time.