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Old 04-06-11, 02:55 PM
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hobkirk
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Acton, MA (20 miles west of Boston) - GORGEOUS cycling territory!
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Bikes: 2007 Specialized Roubaix Elite Triple - 1st ride = century 9/19/2010 , Ultegra

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You simply can't compare your rides the way you're seeking unless you identify what your goal is and define your personal equation.
* Distance might be your goal - if so, 15 MPH for 50 miles is better than 15 MPH for 30 miles, unless "other factors" figure in
* Speed might be your goal - 20 is faster than 15 MPH, but "other factors" can make that truly meaningless
* Both speed & distance probably matter to you - this is where your equation gets personal

"Other factors" can blow away any ride comparisons between distance and speed -
* How hilly is the course? Avg. climb/mile on a ride: 89' = 12.6 mph, 63' = 13.0, 43' = 15.9, 15' = 17.4 (I'm old and slow, but the effect of hills is consistently huge)
* Are you riding with others? Drafting?
* How much effort are you exerting? What's your average heart rate?
* Is the ride aimed at speed or distance? Does it include interval training?

Carmichael's training book is excellent (and hard core). Training for speed means practicing going very fast (intervals are almost surely the best way to do this).

FWIW, I started last June and rode 5,000 miles by the end of the year. I,e,. LOTS of miles. I rode two centuries in September, both with a 15.3 average. I did not do any interval training. By the end of the year, it was still rare for me to average above 16 MPH (most my rides were 30-50 miles).

Suggestion - forget trying to get a "performance index", do some rides for distance, do some speed interval work, and establish a standard route that you can ride once a month (or whatever) to measure your progress. And remember your body needs time to recover - not every ride can be a max effort.

Hope this helps. Good luck.
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