Getting Faster-How to Train?

[goldfinch]

I just spent a couple of hours in a bookstore reading about this very thing. The main point I took away from it is this...if you currently avg. 13 mph on your rides then on your next ride warm up for a few miles and then speed up to 14-15 mph and ride that speed for a few minutes or as long as you can. Recover and repeat 4 or 5 times. Over time your overall avg. speed will increase and your "intervals" will become faster. This will work for everyone. Just throw in a couple of minutes at 1-2 mph faster than avg., recover, repeat.

I'm looking forward to trying out this less structured type of training myself.

Stick with it. You'll get faster.

Edited to add: I didn't notice how old this original post was...oh well.

Thanks for this post. I am going to give this a shot. I am kinda stuck right now and this may help me speed up.

[marni]

And boy on those days when I look at the computer and get anything over 15.5 mph I just know I have a tail wind.

I have been trying for years to get my average up to be a steady 16+ but in spite of intervals, running, sprints, heavy fast pedaling and spinning, I just don't have enough fast twitch muscles. On the other hand I can ride for hours and hours and hours at 14-15 mph, head winds or not.

I am obviously a tortoise, not a hare but that's ok because I am totally non competitive and much prefer distance to speed.

marni

[li10up]

And boy on those days when I look at the computer and get anything over 15.5 mph I just know I have a tail wind.

I have been trying for years to get my average up to be a steady 16+ but in spite of intervals, running, sprints, heavy fast pedaling and spinning, I just don't have enough fast twitch muscles. On the other hand I can ride for hours and hours and hours at 14-15 mph, head winds or not.

I am obviously a tortoise, not a hare but that's ok because I am totally non competitive and much prefer distance to speed.

marni

Marni, don't give up...I don't think you are some sort of genetic mutant that can't get faster. Keep working at it - you can do it!