How to get "faster"?

[Giulianna23]

Ride with people faster than you. And if you are above your normal weight it always helps to drop a few pounds. I have not drop any weight in about 6 months. I have been fluctuating in between 5 lbs up and down but that is because I am not really watching what I eat. But I never stop riding my bike. I can tell I am way stronger than before and also lost a few inches and triming down . I trained for about 3 and a half months indoors 3 times a week and the first time I did a real ride with this group on a really challenging hilly terrain with some winds in mid April, It took me about 2 hrs 45 min to complete 32 miles and barely made it that was about 13mph. 5 weeks later I did the same ride in almost same weather conditions in 2hrs ,thats 16mph even though I havent lost a pound. I can imagine if I lose the 25lbs I need to. This ride is once a Week and I try not to miss it. I do ride the rest of the days but this is my training ride. I do another one on Thursdays but I feel the hilly one is the one that really works and I realy like it. To me , when you see others climbing those hills like nothing..that is a motivation for me to try harder and push my self a bit more.

[mariacycle]

Riding with faster people helps. Try to find people who ride 13-15 to start with.

+1 I was amazed at how much longer and faster I rode with other people (even if you aren't drafting).

[Crankin]

Molly, where I live, there isn't much flat, either. When I started cycling, I lived closer to some flat roads, but it still was rolling. Of course, my definition of rolling may be different than others! That's what I mean, when I say that my regular riding, with lots of hills, puts me at an advantage in compared with others. I get my fill of suffering without doing intervals at all. I see this when I go on a group ride and I will be riding at the same speed as others, until we get to a hill. These people mostly live in the city and don't *have* to climb as much. I may not be the fastest climber, but I can get up almost anything. I got faster from riding with my DH, who pushed me a bit (he only does this occasionally now, as he is happier with riding my speed now!) and going on group rides. I do intervals once a week, weather permitting, but I am queen of the "no train" philosophy. This year, I am actually being a little more disciplined, but it's for me, not because I race or anything. I'm doing a hilly metric century in 2 weeks, and while I know I could do now, I want at least 2 more rides to test myself. I suffered greatly last weekend, on purpose, and it felt like I accomplished what I set out to do.
Don't obsess so much. I don't know how old you are, but I started riding at age 47 and I'm almost 60 now. The key is to keep riding.

[MollyJ]

I'm laughing at myself. I was perusing that plan for intervals and I misread it. I am not at all fluent at bicycle lingo. Suffice to say, I worked harder than intended but I'm smarter for it.

Crankin, you and I sound somewhat similar. I'm 56. I like mastering distances and am not obsessed but want to get a little faster here. I did my 50 earlier and I want to do it again and the one I'm looking at would definitely be in hillier terrain. Eastern KS is relatively more hilly than central and western KS.

I just have not done any group riding (except for the charity ride in May). I tend to ride when it suits my schedule and at first I just felt too squirrelly on my road bike and like I shouldn't be around other riders.

I may have to--as my teacher friends say--be _intentional_ about sucking it up and doing a group ride offered by my LBS. I would get pushed and probably learn some improved bike handling skills.

Again, thanks TE friends. I really mull around in my head what I read here and I know I have learned things here.