Building Climbing Strength

I wouldn't try climbing buildings until I was really strong on hills.

I'm not a really strong climber, but I am getting better. I have strong legs and I have always just powered my way up hill - taking pride in being able to conquer the hills in higher gears. Then I got a cadence meter and started doing more Spinervals and trying to keep up with the cadences that Coach Troy recommends - I can't always do it, but my cadence is getting faster. And because I now spin up hills at a higher cadence, I'm finding my speed has increased too. I'm still a long way from being fast on hills, but I'm better than I was - which is nice.

Thank you for starting this thread, OP!

This is my first year to join the local race team in my ripe 1/2 century age, and I can hold on, on the flats, but as soon as the road climbs, I get dropped...:( I live in a VERY FLAT as a PANCAKE area, and it's 25 miles to ride to get to some hills.

But I just gotta go and ride them! I'm in my lowest gear possible just getting up, and slow as molasses, but then again, a couple of years ago, I wouldn't have made it up at all!

Thanks for all the experience and advice shared so far!

I know I'm late to the party on this thread, but a couple years ago training for the climbing ride down at Shasta, this online book was really helpful.

One of the key points is how to use a trainer to simulate long climbing rides, and it really helped. I'm thinking of KG who says she does not have sustained climbs in her area...

ACE: Altitude Climbing Endurance by Arnie Baker