How to pick up the pace?

[shadon]

"They" always say that exercises energizes you.

I know the more I exercise... the less sleep I need at night. Now, I get tired around 10:30 at night... but then my body wants to get up at 5:30 AM... and it can sleep until 7:00 AM!

That's the rub...I'm *really* tired. I *need* to be able to sleep better! MD apt on Thursday to see if there's an organic cause for this.

I'm avoiding naps too...which is a real fight right now

[Triskeliongirl]

It takes time to get faster. I have improved my speed considerably over the last several years due to many factors including riding more, getting a better fitting lighter bike, and riding lots of hills, and riding with people better than me. What I found, is that by trying to ride with people faster than me, even if I can't keep up the whole ride, is a great interval training exercise. For example, we have a very large club, so the pack breaks into many smaller groups. I'll try going out with the fast group, hang on as long as I can for dear life, get dropped, recover, then jump on the back of the next fastest group when they pass, etc. Or sometimes, I'll go out a bit before everyone to warm up, and again, jump on the back of the fastest group, see how long I can sit in, move to the next group, etc. What I have found over time is that I can stay with faster groups for longer periods of time. I also learned a lot of bike handling skills by riding with better people, just imitating their style, when they climb out of the saddle, etc. Learning better gear management for optimum speed. Like, I used to shift down as I'd crest a steep hill, now I just jump out of my saddle. Riding very hilly and windy courses are another way to crank up the intensity.

[RoadRaven]

Time... yes...

Intervals... yes...

The other thing I would recommend is pace-line training. Its kinda what happens when you go out in the bunch and spend your time making enough effort to hang on to the tail...

Get yourself 1-2 people from the bunch you know are faster with you and plan to go out on a recovery ride with them.

Ask them to ride a few kms faster than you would normally do on your own and to keep that pace steady (if you normally avergae 27km/hour ask them to ride at a constant 30km/hour). This will be a recovery ride for them after a race or a long ride the day or two before your ride with them, so psychologically you will feel ok because you are not "slowing them down".

This will be a good training ride for you, because your job is to hang on to the back, not lead at all and if you feel like you are pushing pushing yourself ask them to lift it by a km or two and see how you feel.

You can also do it with someone who has a scooter or a car, and they can drive at 30km per hour and you have to stay with them.

Its a good way of lifting both speed and endurance.

[shadon]

Thank you so much! I even have some team mates that would do this with me. This and intervals (and time), are what I need to do.

Now if it would just warm up. I'm *so* sick of being cold (by Northern California standards).

[uk elephant]

I was reading this tread before heading home from work actually learned something. I have no idea about cycling technique, only that it involves pushing pedals around to propel myself forward. So on my way home from work I thought I'd try your suggestions of moving to an easier gear and increasing my cadence (a new word I have just learned). It totally worked! I was flying home! Next thing will be seeing how long I can keep it up for. My commute only involves a 2.5mile ride to the train station.

[Nanci]

That reminds me of a story my cave diving instructor told. Underwater caves are kind of like rivers, underground. You start out swimming against the flow, which is hard, and incredibly hard if you swim right down the center, not close to the sides or bottom or ceiling. Instructor ran into these two guys who had been diving the same cave for _years_, and never gotten further than a couple hundred feet in before reaching the air supply turn-around limit. One day they noticed the instructor taking a class through, way up in the ceiling, out of the flow, where the walls are close together (think upside down keyhole) and you can (gently) pull yourself along, and stop behind an outcropping to rest. They were amazed- it had never crossed their minds to swim up there where it was easy(er).

What a great revelation for you! Have fun now!

Nanci

[SnappyPix]

UK Elephant - So that old Disney song WAS right ... When I see an elephant fly!

There's always something new and wonderful to learn about cyling, no matter how many years you've been doing it! Have fun pedalling!