Quote Originally Posted by arnaew
I ride alone, and while I know my average speed is pretty ordinary (12-15mph), it's very difficult to move it up a notch when you're a solo rider. It's not by choice, I'm just too slow for all the riders in my area. We have the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Cycling Division training here all the time, so the pressure is on to be swift, and most can rise to the challenge. Me? It's only been six months since I rode further than a 20k circuit. I'm really really bad on hills, but my endurance is getting better. In January I rode 93k on the Tour Down Under, and a week ago I did 120k (around 75m) onthe Coast to Coast Tour, which goes from the city beachfront of Glenelg to the southern coastal town of Victor Harbor, through the Adelaide Hills and down the Fleurieu Peninsula. About 1200 people do the ride, from Brett Aitken's S&L team to weekend warriors on commuters. Thank goodness for the latter - it meant that I did not come in last by a long shot. There were some mean mean hills in there, and sometimes I did not think I would make it. Towards the end, after some fantastic downhills (top speed of 74k - 45.9 approx) the sting in the tail was a trio of sharp ascents with no real descent between them. Everyone was having a hard time, and they were talking to each other, encouraging, advising. I was spinning, spinning, trying to get there, but had to stop. As I watched people going by, I felt a terrible wave of loneliness, which I don't usually. So I mentally 'slapped myself upside the head', got back on the bike and finished ( in just over 5 hours - v good for me!). Decided that I was just a bit hormonal, with a bout of PM depression. I was very proud of finishing though, with an average speed of 22k (13.6). Over the past week I've been trying to do some different rides - in particular I've been doing intervals. Next year - those hills are mine.
A
Well done. What a fantastic ride. I lived in SA for several years and know the route to Victor Harbour and those hills Yikes . Good for you.