But perhaps some of it is terrain. You say Springfield is flat. Where I live and ride, on the Fall Line, it’s just about all hills. I ride fast on the downhills, slow on the uphills, and moderately on the few levels. I try to use momentum from one downhill to help me up the next uphill, I generally keep it in a lower gear than I could be in, but by the time I crank to the top of a hill, I’m usually sweaty and puffing hard. Fortunately, I have a gradual downhill followed by a level stretch before arriving at the train to work, but my house is on top of a hill, so I’m usually a mess by the time I get home. Not racing–just getting there.