Training for hills

Actually I rather like hills... BUT my next race (tour-race) is an exceedingly hilly 130 km, looong hills. I have never ridden hills like this before. (The short version of the very long and even hillier race I complained about in this thread but won't be attempting til next year: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=18887)

So I'm adding a whole lotta hills to my riding the next few weeks. But I'd be happy for some tips as to how, i.e should I:

a) add a little hill every day
b) add a lot of hill every other day?
c) climb hills til I'm senseless once a week? :p
d) climb as long hills as I can find, or do repeats on shorter, steeper ones?

In addition to hills I'll be commuting 40-50 km a day, but recovery pace on non-hill climbing days. One longer ride (3-5 hours) a week, and one day off.

Does this make sense?

we did/do c) to prepare for the 100K engadine mountain marathon. That automatically entails d) - the long version.

I wouldn't climb every day or even every other day.
If you can ride mid week, add some of b) but shorter hills since you won't have 5 hours, right?
Twice a week should be enough and possibly will be all you can take. And more days off if you find you don't recover.

How much elevation on those 130 K?

Thanks alpinerabbit!

Total elevation - I'm not sure, 'cause the elevation profile is only shown for the full route (4609 m over 430 km :eek: :eek: ) but it's about 1500 m I think.

I can tag hills (but not really long ones) onto my commute quite easily, so riding up to 2-3 hours midweek is not a problem, just not every day.

hi Lph,

130km with 1500m climb. figuring half of it is downhill so that leaves you with about 65km of climb. And just because round it down to 1500m of climb in 50km instead of 65km then its about 1.5km/50km is 3% grade. Maybe your worst climb is 6%??

From reading your posts, it sounds like you are in pretty good shape so I wouldn't worry too much. I would definitly throw "c" then take a day off from riding. And during the week, I would add some hill repeats tacking 2-3hour hill climb once a week. You have a good enough base. You just need to condition yourself mentally.

Much of the hill climbs are mental not physical so you need to condition your mind to the hill grind.

Ddon't forget the rest day!!
and wish you lots of fun on your ride ;)
Smilingcat

aaaah - that may be a case of my mouth being in better shape than the rest :D but thanks.

Looking closer at the height profile: first there's about 1100 m elevation from a lowlying village up to a mountain pass, then it goes straight down narrow hairpin bends where I try to not shoot straight off the mountainside :eek:, then it's pretty much flat a long stretch out along the fjord, then there's another hill of some hundred meters elevation, a bit up and down, and finish.

I guess it's mostly mental, but I need to get used to doing long hills without breaks. I'll try for the twice a week tactic.

This is a small race and I risk ending up pedalling all on my lonesome up these (gorgeous, beautiful, spectacular) hills. Ooh, hope we get good weather. Psyched up a bit now :)