Thanks for all the feedback.

You would think that after riding 679 miles this summer my speed would have improved. I no longer have to walk up any of the hills I used to, except for one hill that I don't know if I will ever be able to conquer. Most of my rides include some type of hill. I find I like the challenge of not having to walk up them anymore.

I don't really like to ride groups but I do have a group of friends, The Purple Pumpers, that I would like to ride with occasionally. They alternate riding in the St. Paul Classic and Minneapolis Bike Tour every other year. Everyone starts together but then everyone gets all split up. We meet at someone's house after for lunch. I don't feel so bad about my speed on these two rides. They also ride in the MS150 every year. I rode with them one year and they waited for me many times and I felt awful.

I kind of went with them on a "maybe the end of the season" bike ride on Saturday. I left 45 minutes earlier and then met them for lunch. I waited 30 minutes after they left before I rode back. I didn't want them thinking they had to wait for me. This is the only arrangement that works for me where I can kind of ride with them and not worry about holding them back.

So how can I increase my mph? I thought maybe riding a lot and going up hills would help, but I am still where I was four years ago! Most of the time I don't care because I like riding alone, but I really would like to be comfortable riding with the Purple Pumpers a couple times a year.