Bizarre Speed Increase on Longer Rides

[vorsprung]

I have noticed I am doing 100km+rides faster this year.

I don't think I am doing anything much different except last year I commuted more
I have a new bike but it's not much better than the old bike
I haven't done any special training
I haven't rested more than last year

Speed is up from under 25kph to 28kph+ over the distance

Full details of my bafflement on my blog

Given that "commuting more" isn't a recognised way of going faster, any ideas?

 

[iAmiAdam]

If you've been commuting more, you've been riding more, that'll explain the slight increase.

 

[vorsprung]

If you've been commuting more, you've been riding more, that'll explain the slight increase.

The yearly total for 2009, including commuting and all rides was 222 rides covering 14,318km in 699 hours
The total for 2010 was 263 rides covering 16,789km in 831 hours

I think you'd agree that this is not a significant difference in total volume

 

[Flying_Monkey]

The yearly total for 2009, including commuting and all rides was 222 rides covering 14,318km in 699 hours
The total for 2010 was 263 rides covering 16,789km in 831 hours

I think you'd agree that this is not a significant difference in total volume

Come on, you are being rather over-modest, it's a more than 15% increase!

 

[montage]

Could be mental....are you enjoying riding more? More determind?

I reckon there are two kinds of mental fitness, the conscious and the unconscious. The conscious is that voice in your head telling you to give up or to keep going, which only truely gets tested when you've been on the absolute brink of exhaustion/ a large amount of pain for a prolonged period of time. The unconscious is more like an on/off switch. Events in your life flick this switch on and off at will, without you realising it - stress/depression etc being obvious off switches. For me, 2/3 years ago I wouldn't have described myself mentally weak... I was into long distance running and had a a couple, one race in particular, where I should have dropped out because of whatever reason, but I didn't....however, having spent 2 years off the bike, I just absolutely love being back on it, and every ride I go on seems better than the last.... in some cases, I've gone faster on the bike within the 6 weeks being back on it properly than I was pre-injury (mainly the sprinting)..... this can only be explained by something flicking mentally in my subconscious, as there is no way I'm fitter than I was before.


I think I've confused myself writing that....nap time

 

[ColinJ]

I'd say that the speed you are now riding at is a decent, but not super-fast pace and with the regularity of your rides and the distances you are clocking up it doesn't surprise me that you can manage that. If I could motivate myself to ride as much as you then I know I could manage that kind of speed because I used to ride the Manchester 100 at 27+ kph on about 25% of the annual training distance.

I think I'd be turning the question round and asking why weren't you riding this fast before? Do you think you are pushing yourself harder now?

How long have you been doing these big annual distances? If this is just the 2nd year, then that probably explains it. You've built on the fitness base you created the year before. If you've been a mile-eater (km-eater?) for many years, then that obviously isn't the explanation.

 

[vorsprung]

How long have you been doing these big annual distances? If this is just the 2nd year, then that probably explains it. You've built on the fitness base you created the year before. If you've been a mile-eater (km-eater?) for many years, then that obviously isn't the explanation.

I'd say since 2005. Like you mention if it was my second year I would not be surprised to see an improvement.

However, as Flying_monkey points out, the increase in mileage was about 15% which is the lower end of a "significant difference"

 

[Seamab]

Maybe you are commuting faster than before?

 

[vorsprung]

Seamab: I haven't done a comprehensive analysis of commute speeds but they seem about the same.

I've done another blog post summarizing the feedback I got:

"Faster: the Feedback"

The main reasons seemed to be:
1) You are trying harder. So in other words I am not any fitter but I am making more effort

2) Your bike actually is a bit faster. Some physical aspects of the bike make it roll faster for less effort

3) The riding you did last year has had some effect on your fitness, even though it was mainly low intensity

4) Although the routes you follow are “similar” they are not the same and so must be a bit easier

 

[Banjo]

Could it be that you are eating better ? More nutritious food combined with 15% more miles could be the difference,

 

[Garz]

Or were unwell?

I had a friend who is a strong rider with years of cycling experience. He ended up having a major chest infection which he never addressed for a while. This got remedied in the short term once diagnosed however he was a stubborn git which meant his riding suffered for a while.

 

[iAmiAdam]

It's not the distance, it's time, an extra 200 hours on the bike is a massive increase.

 

[totallyfixed]

Hey vorsprung, I see Colin reckons that you are only doing a "decent" pace, well, if I lived in Devon and averaged nearly 18mph I would be just a bit pleased. Most of the faster club runs I have done have only just managed that kind of pace and that is in much flatter terrain. So I would call that quick.

 

[ColinJ]

Hey vorsprung, I see Colin reckons that you are only doing a "decent" pace, well, if I lived in Devon and averaged nearly 18mph I would be just a bit pleased. Most of the faster club runs I have done have only just managed that kind of pace and that is in much flatter terrain. So I would call that quick.

Oh - I don't know how that important fact slipped past me! I was sure I checked where vorsprung was located ...

I agree that achieving 28 kph on the Manchester 100 in flattish Cheshire is nothing like doing 28 kph in hilly Devon and that it would be extremely pleasing to be able to manage that pace down there! That is a very decent pace - apologies vorsprung!

I think the best I ever managed on rides in (similarly hilly) West Yorkshire was about 27 kph but that was on shorter local rides of 35-50 kms. I only managed 20 kph on my fastest 200 up into the Dales and back.