How to pick up the pace?

[shadon]

Shadon,
...
From your post, it sounds like you ride with a bunch. Are you sure the bunch is the right pace for you in the first place? There's nothing more demotivating than trying to keep up with a group who are just gonna burn you out. Has your performance plateau-ed, or dropped? How do you feel after your rides - is the pace comfortable or do you feel over-stretched?

I just have to take a chance to RAVE about the group of women that I ride with. We are a training/fundraisng team for ALC of all varying abilities. I'm the least experienced of any of us, yet they have been so very good to me. One woman in particular always sweeps behind me, coaches me, encourages me up the Sausalito hill, etc, etc. The others are there at the top of the hill cheeering me on, and giving me advice about riding down the others side.

They are an amazing group. I'm pushing myself, but always feel good at the end. I think that the craving sleep thing is something else, hormones, I suspect.