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  1. #1
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    Getting Faster-How to Train?

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    I am really slow, averaging 11-12mph. How do you improve on speed? More miles, riding hard all the time, hills? Thank You
    2011 Specialized Secteur Elite Comp
    2006 Trek 7100

  2. #2
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    Apr 2006
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    I'm the only one allowed to whine
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    By riding faster?

    Really, I got faster just by making myself ride about a mile an hour faster all the time.

    Shift up a gear, wollop on the pedals until you are spinning back up at your preferred cadence, and keep going.

    Up hills. On flats. Downhills.

    There's nothing wrong with 11-12 mph, by the way.

    Last edited by KnottedYet; 07-04-2011 at 06:02 PM.
    "If Americans want to live the American Dream, they should go to Denmark." - Richard Wilkinson

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    12
    Quote Originally Posted by surgtech1956 View Post
    I am really slow, averaging 11-12mph. How do you improve on speed? More miles, riding hard all the time, hills? Thank You
    go for slopes and increase the speed every interval. do not immediately increase it cause itll only make your body more susceptible to get tired right away.

  4. #4
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    Apr 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by KnottedYet View Post

    I love it.
    At least I don't leave slime trails.
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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    Central NJ
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    Ride with a group that's faster than you. Try to hang on.
    Girl meets bike. Bike leads girl to a life of grime: http://mudandmanoloscycling.com/

  6. #6
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    That works for some people. If you find it demoralizing to keep getting dropped all the time, perhaps intervals? Even if it's nothing exactly organized, Knot's technique works (for me, at least). I'd try keeping a pace 1-2 mph faster than I normally would, and I gradually got a bit faster.
    At least I don't leave slime trails.
    http://wholecog.wordpress.com/

    2009 Giant Avail 3 |Specialized Jett 143

    2013 Charge Filter Apex| Specialized Jett 143
    1996(?) Giant Iguana 630|Specialized Riva


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  7. #7
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    Michigan
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    I have gotten a little faster, my average 11.7mph compared to 10.5mph, for 10 miles. Its flat here, I've been doing intervals for about 30 mins. Its working for me, wish I had some hills.
    2011 Specialized Secteur Elite Comp
    2006 Trek 7100

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    somewhere between the Red & Rio Grande
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    I have never trained to get faster on the road, I got faster by riding lots. But I am training for longer endurance and thus faster for mountain bike racing. I can't do anything too structured, it tends to make me anxious. Right now I am focusing on time in the saddle with loosely structured goals. Here is a typical week (usually 4 days, sometimes 5):

    Saturday - Long road ride, no real goals can be rolling, can be hilly, can be flat. Goal is just 3-4 hours of saddle time. Usually a 50 miler accomplishes this.
    Sunday - Mountain bike. Again long, no goal just time in saddle. Often pre-riding a race course. 2-3 hours generally.
    Monday - Off if it was a race weekend or very easy spin on the road.
    Tuesday - Short track races, this is actually a fun substitute for high intensity/sprint intervals.
    Wednesday - Off although I will probably be changing this to a ball based core training day.
    Thursday - Hill Repeats. I use a long hill with several very steep sections. Right now I am tempo climbing (just get up in an easy gear) but after I get more comfortable I will be adding gears or jumps (getting out of the saddle). Goal is builing endurance, you can go faster longer if you have a good strong engine. **You can simulate hills on the trainer, it isn't nearly as satisfying for me mentally but physically it hurts the same. **

    My first race of the season I shaved about 8 minutes per lap off my time from last year on the exact same course. I do have a race bike now so that might be accounting for some but mostly I think I am getting faster.
    Amanda

    2011 Specialized Epic Comp 29er | Specialized Phenom | "Marie Laveau"
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  9. #9
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    Maybe I should be riding longer, then riding as fast as I can for about an hour? I wish I had others to ride with - at least others around my age. Now thats its getting cold out, I wont want to ride for distance.
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    2006 Trek 7100

  10. #10
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    Apr 2011
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    Quote Originally Posted by surgtech1956 View Post
    Maybe I should be riding longer, then riding as fast as I can for about an hour? I wish I had others to ride with - at least others around my age. Now thats its getting cold out, I wont want to ride for distance.
    Wish you were nearby as I go your speed and also would like to be a bit faster. Interestingly, back in September I did my longest ride ever, a charity ride of 50 miles (all flat). I averaged 12.5 mph which was by far my fastest time for any long ride.

    I usually average anywhere from 10.5 to 11.5 mph for 20 to 30 mile rides, maybe a bit more if the ride is really short and I am working really hard. I am very slow on the uphills, that is part of the issue.
    Trek Madone 4.7 WSD
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  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    SF bay area
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    151
    +1 for riding with folks who are faster with you. is there a group ride where you can try to hang on as long as you can (then ride alone afterwards)? it can be a bit demoralizing, but you will ikely see improvement over time and that's always encouraging. make sure you know the route if you take this approach!

    also, interval training and weight work can help

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Southeast Nebraska
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    Put two computer magnets on your bike

  13. #13
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    Sep 2009
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    Tucson, AZ
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    I think riding a lot does help and definitely trying to hang on with faster people. I get discouraged when I drop off the back a lot, especially if they decide not to wait for me.

    Wind is the flatlander's alternative to hills. So you might consider that.
    I think intervals are also good.

    My average seems to be creeping up - from 13 mph two years ago to almost 15 now. Sometimes lately it has been higher- over 16, but I don't know if part of that is due to weather. Unfortunately, everyone else I ride with has been doing Carmichael Training spin classes for the last 3 months and they have all gotten faster than I have gotten faster, so I still can't keep up with them. Does that sentence make sense?

    Keep riding. Push yourself when you can. And have fun.
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  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    Michigan
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    Thanks azfiddle, I never thought about the wind. Unfortunately, winter has arrived here in Michigan and I think my riding is done for the season unless I take a spin class at a local YMCA.
    2011 Specialized Secteur Elite Comp
    2006 Trek 7100

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    Concord, MA
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    I am one of those people who gets totally demoralized when I am dropped. To the point of wanting to quit right then. For some reason, I don't like being reminded that I am slow, old, whatever. I always say I am not competitive, but I think I am, in my own weird way.
    I like intervals for improving my strength, speed, whatever. It really works.
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