How did that happen??

[pepecat]

This is a slightly odd question, but it's kinda annoying me......
I did a sportive on Sunday - 65 miles. My first one, and with a load of hills, some of them absolute buggers. I did a fair bit of training for it (though not as much as I'd have liked), and finished in an okish time for me.
A friend also did the event, had done next to no training, (the only cycling she does is 3 miles each way to work) and managed to finish an hour and a half ahead of me!! Bloody hell! Ok, I stopped a couple of times - the longest one maybe 20 mins - but even if I hadn't, I still wouldn't have finished much quicker.

Am i just ridiculously unfit?? I wouldn't say i was really, as a 20 mile ride in my head counts as 'piece of piss', and 30 is rapidly becoming that too - both distances that last year I would have said were 'long' and out of my reach. I felt pretty good on the sportive on Sunday, and the last 30 miles were great - I didn't push myself hard at any point (the idea was to finish, not race), but was kicking along at about 15/16 miles per hour for the last 10 miles or so which were pretty much flat.

Are some people just naturally fit, or is my friend some sort of freak?! I was impressed with her time, and told her so, but it's got me wondering, given the differences in training.

 

[Red Light]

Maybe just natural but also it takes a fair time to build up cycling muscles and ability so its likely that years of cycling 6 miles a day trumped a short burst of training.

 

[Dayvo]

Nothing like a bruised ego, eh, pepecat!

But, she could also have had a 'better' and lighter bike with better gear ratios, enabling her to climb and descend quicker than you.

Don't worry about it too much; as long as you enjoy it. And you WILL become quicker!

 

[pepecat]

Nothing like a bruised ego, eh, pepecat!

Lol....I know..... I'm trying to be good about it but am slightly miffed!!

But, she could also have had a 'better' and lighter bike with better gear ratios, enabling her to climb and descend quicker than you.

Don't worry about it too much; as long as you enjoy it. And you WILL become quicker!

I wondered about the gearing on my bike during the event actually - my 'granny gear' didn't seem to be granny enough for some of the hills. There was a chap in front of me up a couple of hills, on a mountain bike, and he was spinning away in a lower gear and still had more to go (i looked at his back chainrings), whereas I was in the lowest I could go. Suppose it's a way to get fitter - if you haven't got the gears, you have to get used to the climbs! I've got a triple at the front - 50/39/30 and a 9 speed 11-26 at the back. Don't often use the highest gears, but could do with more at the lower end!

 

[Shadow]

You enjoyed it, you did not push yourself and the last 30 miles were great! So the only thing bothering you was your 'unfit' friend was quicker. perhaps she is not that unfit! How about going on a 30 mile ride with her and see what the differences are?

The only way to get fitter is to practice, practice and practice more!! But glad you enjoyed it, that is the most important thing. Keep pedalling!

 

[lulubel]

Is cycling the only exercise she does? She could be a lot fitter than you think she is. Either that, or maybe the adrenaline on the day carried her through it.

 

[montage]

cycling can be very much nature not nurture

 

[ColinJ]

cycling can be very much nature not nurture

I'd agree with that. I can get pretty fit fairly quickly if I put regular efforts in, but I also lose my fitness pretty quickly when I don't. In my case, any fitness I have is mainly through 'nurture'.

A group of us did a spectacularly hard 70 mile forum ride in the Yorkshire Dales last weekend and pubrunner made a long drive north to join us. He had been telling us that he had only ridden 14 miles in the past month, hardly ever touched his bike and so on ...

Well, it turned out that he got up the 25% climbs that had many of us walking and he seemed fresh as a daisy at the end of the ride. If he hasn't been doing much 'nurturing' of his riding ability, then he must have had a lot of natural ability to start with!

 

[marzjennings]

Is your friend a lot smaller than you? If she's a wee lass and you're not, then you're going to have to be a lot fitter than her to keep up on the hills.

 

[yello]

Are some people just naturally fit, or is my friend some sort of freak?!

Could be. Or could be something else. A myriad of possibilities really. Best not fret about it in truth. There'll always be someone faster than you and someone slower than you (unless, of course, you are one of those!).

You enjoyed your ride and you're pleased with your performance. That really is all that matters. You set your own targets (or not as the case may be!) and don't judge yourself by what others do or don't do. I'd have given up years ago if I I did that!

Besides, it's not as if you had set off with the aim of beating your friend. If you had then maybe things would have been different.

 

[pepecat]

Aye, that's true. And I'd forgotten she was with her VERY fit husband who was helping her along.

It's ok, i'm' not so bothered about it now. Am just going to get out and train better so I can be quicker nexr year - which was my plan anyway - finish this year, try and do it faster next year!

 

[cyberknight]

cycling can be very much nature not nurture

+1

Genetics that give her a base line advantage from the start along with regular cycle commuting that builds base fitness .

After many years of cycle commuting and now moving into club runs at the weekend i realize i am never going to be a "real roadie" all skinny and able to fly up hills as my genetic make up give me to much bulk to carry, if i get down to what people would call a race weight i feel week so i have learnt just to enjoy it .
My father was an amateur weightlifter , the proper Olympic stuff and at 10 stone he was doing over twice his body weight over his head .I spent many years training at Martial arts in particular Lay Gar and Wing Chun which defined my physique , i had to hand up the gloves when an injury and shift work forced me to realize i had not the time or the capability to train properly anymore so i switched to cycle commuting for fitness.

P.S.
Blatant "me me ! " piccie when i had shoulders