Classtime 

I attribute my slower speeds and inability to suffer to my focus on riding primarily long slow distance. I thought that I was pushing it on solo rides and doing lots of climbing. A few weeks ago, I put new batteries in my HR monitor and realized that my perceived effort was fantasy. 4 or five weeks ago I did hill repeats--3@150 bpm and i was suffering. I was complaining out loud during the latter parts of each 10 minute effort. Then for a couple rides, did that same climb a single time at 160 and while it hurt, I did do it. Last week I did 3 @ 160 and it didn't feel any worse than the earlier 3 @ 150. Part of that is probably improved fitness and part of it is mental. I'll do my regular 25 mile loop today and try to keep my HR at 125-130. I'm pretty sure that when I was riding long and preparing for 200 events, all my rides were too easy and likely 90-110 bpm on the flats. Our doctors tell us that a 30 minute casual ride is enough. But not for us. Keep it up.