Originally Posted by
Runner 1
I like to consider the laws of physics to be suggestions.
Anyway, a lot more replies than I expected! In case you're wondering, the reason I'm trying to "compare" my average speed is because I'm a college kid without a job who has all summer to train as much as I want each day (nice, right?) and it's really the only method of comparison I have to see how well I'm doing. Racing's not too popular where I live and I won't be able to get into that until I go back to school in the fall, so I can't compare myself against cat-whatever racers. And there's no way I can afford a power meter. So that pretty much leaves average speed.
Although... I just realized there is a perfectly flat 1 mile loop around a local high school. Once the school is empty for summer, I can go and time trial around it and I think that would give me the best basis for comparison.
Anyway, thanks for your all's help! It does seem like the hills can indeed make a good bit of difference. In regards to the climbing, I'll take 10-15 minutes going up a hill on the way out, and it takes me like 5 minutes on the way back in, so I do spend a lot more time at a slower speed.
So practise and watch your average speed over a known loop. Be aware that some days you'll have a headwind and some days you'll have a tailwind. Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue. Hopefully over time your average speed will trend upwards.
If you find yourself being the guy who always overtakes everyone else then your speed is above average. If you're always being overtaken then you're below average. If you get your average speed up to X mph and come on here to find people claiming X+5 mph then either they are fitter than you, or they are measuring it a different way, or they are lying.