Originally Posted by colombo357

The hill you're trying to attack just happens to be perfect for the intervals you should be doing.

Climb it on the hardest gear you can push without having to downshift, and repeat 3-5X with 3-5 minute breaks in between (the descent alone should be enough for recovery). Too much recovery will hamper your progress.

And don't say you're "already in very good shape" because clearly you're not nearly as fast as your buddy. Lose this mentality or you won't improve.