Hilly100 & R.A.IN

[Miranda]

I know we have some TE members that have ridden both of these events in the midwest (IN). I read some things just using the search function on the board. But, if you could help me on a couple more novice:o simpleton:rolleyes: questions, I would appreciate it:cool:.

Hilly 100...

How did "heart break hill" get it's nick-name?

Just from viewing the hill data on the event website, there seems to be other hills that are steeper inclines, etc. Is it simply because it's the first one up and it hits people like a brick wall why they call it the *hilly* 100?

Without disclosing local specifically for net safety reasons, the steepest I have to train on is about 10% grade my Garmin says. The best I know to do, short of figuring out a road trip to the event area, is ride hill repeat intervals on what I have. Any other thoughts? I'm skeptical it will be enough to prepare me. OH... and right now my compact crank has a 12-25 cassette... assuming a 12-27 would be a plus?

R.A.IN...

I know for this event you must provide your own SAGs. I might have one aquaint from the club to do that for me. He has ridden it before. However... in my simpleton chick mind, I ask him "uum, so how do you plan out rest-room stops etc.?". He just looked at me like "...yo, chick--IN has corn-fields". Well, I have done that before. But surely there's some suggestions (from ride organizers maybe) of where you are not a business invasion to use the facilities? Btw, when I have stopped at a gas station for this just rec riding, I usually make a store purchase at the same time.

OK... I did preface this with 'simpleton':rolleyes: re: my questions:p.

TYIA:)
Miranda

[Mr. SR500]

RAIN: Has official stops at 40, 63, 90, 130'ish, with plenty of food, water, restrooms, etc... Plus plenty of stores along the route for whatever you might need. Easy enough to do without a SAG. SAG's really help if going for time etc... Also transportation to and from can be a challenge, although there are a couple buses that go back to Terra Haute.

HILLY: Best to Camp and enjoy the weekend. I usually just go for the ride. I don't think the hills are that bad, most are fairly short, plus daily mileage is only 50 miles. Still not sure why they have fried chicken for lunch? Nice big vendor tent. The 27 would be better then the 25. Spinning is easier on the legs IMO.

Both are well run events, I think you would enjoy both.

[indysteel]

I'd echo what Mr. SR500 said about RAIN. There are plenty of places to go to the bathroom, at least until after the last SAG. I had to use a bathroom at a firestation in some tiny town in 2008. They were nice about it though.

Trust me; bathrooms really are your last concern at RAIN. If you stay hydrated enough past the last SAG to actually need to pee you're lucky! The bigger challenge is the logistics of getting to Terre Haute for the start and home from Earlham College at the finish. If the weather cooperates, it's a great ride. I love doing it.

As for the Hilly, I don't usually do that ride. Too many people for my taste, but I'm pretty familar with the climbing in southern Indiana. I don't know how Heartbreak Hill got its name. Local legend, perhaps. It does hurt a bit because your legs aren't quite warmed up yet and you can count on it being chilly, especially for as late in October as the ride is this year.

For gearing, I'd definitely recommend the 27 tooth cassette. I'm always hestitant to tell somebody that the hills are either easy or hard. There are too many variables that have nothing to do with the hills themselves for me to say that. All I can tell you is that they're mostly short and mostly steep. Some are really steep. The worst that (usually) happens if you can't climb one is that you unclip and walk your bike. Plenty of people do that, and there's no shame in it.

Do I think your 10% gradient is sufficient to help you train for it? Probably not, unless you go up it in a bigger gear than you'd otherwise choose. Would I let that stop you from doing the ride? Heck no. Like I said, the worst that happens is that you walk up a hill. It's otherwise a fun ride and weekend.

[Miranda]

RAIN: Has official stops at 40, 63, 90, 130'ish, with plenty of food, water, restrooms, etc... Plus plenty of stores along the route for whatever you might need. Easy enough to do without a SAG. SAG's really help if going for time etc... Also transportation to and from can be a challenge, although there are a couple buses that go back to Terra Haute.

HILLY: Best to Camp and enjoy the weekend. I usually just go for the ride. I don't think the hills are that bad, most are fairly short, plus daily mileage is only 50 miles. Still not sure why they have fried chicken for lunch? Nice big vendor tent. The 27 would be better then the 25. Spinning is easier on the legs IMO.

Both are well run events, I think you would enjoy both.

Rain... that makes me feel better about it (the SAGs). This year I got a late start to the season. Just didn't have the training lead time to prep. But, I do really want to ride it. Ghee, can ya tell? ...since I'm already thinkig ahead.

Hilly100... OK, I think you have given me some inspiration:cool:. The paperwork for it has been sitting on my desk for a while now. My brain and cycling body parts have been having this on-goin discussion :rolleyes:"...hmm, can we ride this?:cool: or not?:eek:". Re: the fried chicken... yea, I don't know? Only thing I can think is it's some country type homefood? One flatter century I'm doing in Sept. states "if cold & rainy hot potatoe soup is served at SAGs"--which makes sense for warmth & potatoes for carbs.

Thx:)

[Miranda]

Trust me; bathrooms really are your last concern at RAIN.

As for the Hilly... count on it being chilly, especially for as late in October as the ride is this year.

The worst that (usually) happens if you can't climb one is that you unclip and walk your bike. Plenty of people do that, and there's no shame in it.

...a fun ride and weekend.

Thx for those words of advice and encouragement:). I'm a bit of a detail freak:o that's not big into 'surprises'. I always have to 'think about' something for a while before I can wrap my mind around it. Then I'm set. More info makes me less stressed mentally = perform better & have more fun.

Rain and the bathrooms... yes, that is probably the least of my worries:rolleyes::o. Being in July the humidity is a factor. But, that is just part of riding in the midwest. I think some of the club guys took the bus service once.

Hilly100... that is exactly what one of the club boys said to me on last ride. "There is no shame in walking a hill". After I told them I was thinking about doing Hilly, the club ride then detoured off map to some of their favorite hills. One of which I did not try. It started from a dead stop. I was afraid I'd fall over clipped in if I could not make it. I need to practice that if needed. Fall is absolutely my favorite season. I think I do better breathing w/the asthma then as well (vs. the humidity). I have heard that the event was nick-named the "chilly hilly" before as well.

[indysteel]

Go for it--with respect to both rides. They're great challenges. The best advice I can give you for the steep stuff is to just be patient with the climbs. Don't hit them too aggressively or you'll poop out. Don't look up or you'll get discouraged. If you have to stop, move right and call out that you're stopping. The Hilly is crowded so you really have to pay attention to everything around you.

Dress in layers. Unless you get a freakishly warm morning, it will be cold at the start, but it could easily warm up quite a bit.
As for the chicken lunch, they do offer PBJ sandwiches, too.

Good luck and have a safe, fun ride!

[Mr. Bloom]

Miranda, we'd love to meet you at the Hilly and ride with you. Mt. Tabor is the steepest on Day 2. It peaks at a 21% grade, but it is short. While I huff and puff (at a speedy 3mph), I think the "Three Sisters(?)" are worse...they just keep going and going and going.

I think Hill repeats are a good idea. Prior to doing Boltinghouse Hill in Bloomington (a longer version of Tabor), my steepest grade was 10%.

It's all in the gear - yes, THE GEAR with no "s" (granny, that is) and the wheels...all you have to do is keep vertical!

I don't recall, where do you live?

Also, I will have a full house this year, but I could probably offer an extra (and humble) bed or two...or unlimited floor space. I'd never camp it...I get allergic smelling hay...

RAIN: we didn't have any SAG...although we had a lot of logistical support from Mr. & Mrs. SR500 and knew we had someone to call for a catastrophe...

[Mr. Bloom]

Mt Tabor:

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa201/MrSilver1963/hilly2.jpg

I think it's the first leg from the last low dip about 35 miles in (each tick is 5 miles). I assure you that every hill on there is doable, but I've loved the attitude of one oldish woman I passed pushing her bike up the hill - she said "There's no hill that can't be walked!"

[Miranda]

Go for it--with respect to both rides. They're great challenges. The best advice I can give you for the steep stuff is to just be patient with the climbs. Don't hit them too aggressively or you'll poop out. Don't look up or you'll get discouraged. If you have to stop, move right and call out that you're stopping. The Hilly is crowded so you really have to pay attention to everything around you.

Dress in layers. Unless you get a freakishly warm morning, it will be cold at the start, but it could easily warm up quite a bit.
As for the chicken lunch, they do offer PBJ sandwiches, too.

Good luck and have a safe, fun ride!

indysteel... :)Thx for the great advice and well wishes on both! I seriously do not know how to unclip on an incline without falling over atm:o:(. That's always been my motivation to just keep climbing. Though at times, my HR was suggesting otherwise. I need to work on this in the meantime.


Miranda, we'd love to meet you at the Hilly and ride with you. Mt. Tabor is the steepest on Day 2. It peaks at a 21% grade, but it is short. While I huff and puff (at a speedy 3mph), I think the "Three Sisters(?)" are worse...they just keep going and going and going.

I think Hill repeats are a good idea. Prior to doing Boltinghouse Hill in Bloomington (a longer version of Tabor), my steepest grade was 10%.

It's all in the gear - yes, THE GEAR with no "s" (granny, that is) and the wheels...all you have to do is keep vertical!

I don't recall, where do you live?

Also, I will have a full house this year, but I could probably offer an extra (and humble) bed or two...or unlimited floor space. I'd never camp it...I get allergic smelling hay...

RAIN: we didn't have any SAG...although we had a lot of logistical support from Mr. & Mrs. SR500 and knew we had someone to call for a catastrophe...


Mt Tabor:

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa201/MrSilver1963/hilly2.jpg

I think it's the first leg from the last low dip about 35 miles in (each tick is 5 miles). I assure you that every hill on there is doable, but I've loved the attitude of one oldish woman I passed pushing her bike up the hill - she said "There's no hill that can't be walked!"

Mr. Silver... Thx for the advice and very generous offer:cool:! I might take you up on that. Time with plans will tell. I really love Fall. The area is so beautiful that time of year. Riding sucking wind like crazy up hill, or pushing it... at least the surrounding scenery will be breath-taking regardless.

[silver]

I'll also add that the hill names are very much for amusement. The "Three Sisters" includes at least one half sister and "the Sister Uglier"

[Miranda]

I'll also add that the hill names are very much for amusement. The "Three Sisters" includes at least one half sister and "the Sister Uglier"

HA! That's good to know. I figured by the three sisters it was similiar to one of hills at home... just winds around a curve, or the like, and keeps going and going. But, the ugly sister or half, now that's pretty funny. PLUS, it does paint a picture in your mind of what the hill looks like. And what's left ahead to climb. Thx.:)

[Miranda]

The Hilly has a long standing running. The names of the hills would be kinda a fun tirvia game. Would be interesting to see what different people thought the rational was behind them. Plus, maybe something else to think about besides the effort of climbing.:)

[Mr. Bloom]

But the course has changed over the course of 40+ years.

indy: You're a CIBA member, maybe you can find out the name origin.

A bit of history:
The Hilly was started by the Bloomington Club, but it outgrew the small clubs ability to sustain, so the Indy club took it on...and the Bloomington Club put its resources behind RAIn