i've been riding for 2.5 yrs now, and i really want to learn how to build speed. i can maintain about 16 on flat, but i don't see why i shouldn't be able to increase that. also, i still slow a lot for hills, and just coming off RAMROD, i really want to increase hill speed, too.
are there some tried and true training tips for this? i'm completely self-taught, so any advise is appreciated! thank you!!

Intervals. Intervals. Intervals.

I agree.

If you want to do intervals, you have to make sure you are well rested. Very well rested. Rested enough that you can really go all-out. If you aren't well-rested (you've worked out hard in the past few days), you don't get all the benefit you could.

Tempo rides can also be very useful, though you have to be careful not to overdo them.

how does one do intervals? what about tempos? is there a book i could use as a guide? i'm unfamiliar with a lot of the vocabulary.

The easiest thing to do, at first, is to just find a group of people that are a little stronger/faster than you, and stay with them. If they don't drop you (leave you behind) at some point then they aren't fast enough and you have to find faster people. If they drop you right away, they are too fast and you have to find slower people. Anyway, try to "hold on" to them as long as you can, and keep coming back ride after ride. Hopefully you should be able to stay with them a little longer each time. The basic method of getting faster is to ride faster than you would normally be able to ride, for a short amount of time. This builds up your strength and gradually you will be able to go faster and/or for a longer period of time.

Intervals do the same thing. You ride fast for a short period of time, recover, and then do it all over again. Its best to think of it as similar to weightlifting in the gym, where you do "reps" in a "set". There are different length intervals and different number of repetitions depending on what you are trying to target. A variation is the hill repeat, where you ride up a hill for some amount of time, coast back down as your recovery, and then go again.

If you are "self taught" you might also be inclined to be a rider who mostly rides alone. You can do modified intervals by mixing up your ride. Suppose you do weekend rides by yourself and go out 40 miles or so. Use a route that you are familiar with and has some flat portions without traffic lights.

During those rides, go for a burst of speed, first a normal pace and then begin to accelerate and reach a speed and hold that speed for a period of time. Then slow down and let your heart rate ease down.

Then repeat. Not only is this a physical challenge, but interval work plays on your mind as well. Your mind will tell you to quit after a few repeats. This is where mental toughness gets developed.

You actually should have a coach, otherwise you miss out on a lot of objectivity. My first encounter with intervals was in distance running for competition. I thought the coach was crazy when we had to do 20 repeats of quarter miles. After the 3rd repeat, I started to dread the next 17.

If you just rode RAMROD, perhaps you are in the greater Seattle area. And if so, check out www.cascade.org for group rides. If you are riding 16 on the flat, that would be high Moderate. Try some Moderate rides. Goose Bumps Laughing Group on Sunday mornings is fun. Per puts on good rides, too.

And congrats on completing a tough ride!