Getting Fitter - Does This Sound Right?

Manc33

From July 2010 to July 2011 my average speed went up by 1.5 MPH.

From July 2011 to July 2012 my average speed went up, again by 1.5 MPH.

I have worked out that over those 2 years I have done an average of about 2.5 miles per day. This was mostly due to me smoking (I "quit" 4 months ago by switching to an ecig).

Now, 2.5 miles a day is absolutely pitiful and I want to eventually be doing 25 miles a day on average. This is an increase of ten times!

Assuming I can possibly ride day after day doing 25 miles (or at least keeping the average up to that much per day) does this mean that me gaining 1.5 MPH per year could really be something like per 6 weeks? Is that really pushing too hard and no human can do this without fatigue and hence, nothing like the speed gains?

Many people have said a lot of cyclists hit a plateau at around 17 or 18 MPH average. Any more and you're special. So I know it would be insane to gain 1.5MPH every 6 weeks, but how insane is it?

July 2010 - 9.5 MPH
July 2011 - 11.0 MPH
July 2012 - 12.5 MPH
Switch to 25 miles a day not 2.5 miles a day...
September 2012 - 14 MPH
November 2012 - 15.5 MPH
January 2013 - 17 MPH

That is insane and probably impossible.

You know, I might just try it. If I am averaging 17 MPH by Christmas (from 12.5 now) I think Santa Claus will appear and give me a new bike.

t.m.h.n.e.t

You'll find that riding your bike longer will help a lot.

nwmlarge

just get on the bike for longer
i smoked up until a year or so ago
i have been riding into work approx 15.5 miles each way for about 2 weeks.
if you set yourself up like that then you almost can't avoid continuing to ride so you will get better.

i have put 1.5mph on to my average speed for most journeys now putting me up to 16.2 average

NITR8s

What sort of distance are you doing to get these averages and does it envolve many hills.

For example I can average about 18 to 20mph on the 7 mile cycle to work but on like 30 to 40 mile rides I am looking at an average of 15 to 16 mph. Also the difference between cycling on in a hilly area to a flat area makes a big difference. I can easily average around 23-24mph on a flat but add a slight gradient and this can reduce to 13-14mph. Another example of this is when I did a sportive in Stratford upon avon, I done the first 30 miles in 1 hour 36mins compared to my best time in my local hilly area of 30 miles in 1 hour 52 mins.

Hals1967

NITR8s wrote:

What sort of distance are you doing to get these averages and does it envolve many hills.

Exactly.

People get far too hung up about average speeds, just ride your bike to the best of your ability and enjoy it

Manc33

Did 10 miles tonight and managed to average 14.6 MPH mostly on the flat. My personal best over any distance, ever!

That 10 miles was just a ride to "maintain" (although I pushed hard tonight because I felt like I could so I did) as I am not even able to do 25 miles every day yet, I am sort of doing it like this...

Monday: 25 miles. Up Snake Pass (the short side) and back. About 12.2 MPH.
Tuesday: Nothing.
Wednesday: 10 miles on the flat. Average is about 14.5 MPH but I am pushing quite hard.
Thursday: Nothing.
Friday: 25 miles, Snake Pass again.
Saturday: Nothing.

So basically if I do 25 miles I will do nothing the next day (always shattered!) and a 10 miler the day after, then nothing the next day then the 25 miler again (repeat).

This is purely because I have found I just cannot do 25 miles a day - yet.

One nice thing is I do feel like it gets easier each time I do it. :twisted:

Someone said I shouldn't even be trying to get up Snake Pass yet... hahahahaha really? :P