Leighko, I would say part of is the heat and humidity in our region. I rode in a century today that started in Campbellsville and the heat was a killer. By the end of the ride today everytime I saw a hill approaching I cringed, said a prayer and had a long talk with my legs.

How much riding are you doing each week? I found last year that if I simply increased my milage by 10% each week great things started to materialize about two months into my riding season.

Also, as lightsaber mentions, utilize your gears to the fullest. I found it really helped to calculate my gear inches and to make a chart which I attached to my top tube. Since I'm not a numbers person having the numbers in front of me has made a big difference and has allowed me to utilize my gears to my advantage.

Eating a good meal before, hydrating yourself before you begin and keeping the fluids moving during a ride make a world of difference.

Do you participate in the Louisville Bike Club rides? They offer a variety of rides and club members are great about offering words of encouragment. If you don't participate in the club's rides but would like to let me know.

Finally, it is nice to see someone in this area post a note.

makbike (Marcie)