Yay - made the hill!

[DebTX]

20 mile hilly ride in Dripping Springs this morning (same route as the Austin LS Challenge) and I made it up a 6% grade that's stopped me cold every other time I've ridden it. I always hop off the bike 3/4 of the way up, but today, I rode to the top - yippee!

2nd time this season doing this route with the new bike (road bike vs. hybrid last year) and I had less of a death grip on the handlebars through the whole ride. Average speed rose from 8.8 last week on this route to 10 this week (still pretty dang slow, but improving at least!)

Progress is slow going at age 47, but it does occur!

[Red Rock]

Congratulations! It is such a good feeling when you can finally make it up the hill. Each time will be that much better. Great Job!!

Red Rock

[Tuckervill]

Way to go! I made it up my nemesis hill twice this year already. I don't ride it regularly, or I woulda been kicking its butt all over the place.

Karen

[pardes]

That is wonderful!!!!! I'm green with envy. I also have a nemesis hill, a 6% up to a revervoir with a beautiful view.

[Aggie_Ama]

20 mile hilly ride in Dripping Springs this morning (same route as the Austin LS Challenge) and I made it up a 6% grade that's stopped me cold every other time I've ridden it. I always hop off the bike 3/4 of the way up, but today, I rode to the top - yippee!

2nd time this season doing this route with the new bike (road bike vs. hybrid last year) and I had less of a death grip on the handlebars through the whole ride. Average speed rose from 8.8 last week on this route to 10 this week (still pretty dang slow, but improving at least!)

Progress is slow going at age 47, but it does occur!

Congratulations! I know the area and that is some tough country. I have trouble getting to 13 mph average in the Hill Country and I have four years of riding experience. No shame in being a hill slug, you still get there.

[amy]

Good for you! Personally, I'm ok with going slow as long as I make it up. Speed will come.

[DebTX]

Made that hill for the second week in a row (yay!) I was worried that last week might've been just an outlier. Added 4 miles to my normal ride, pushing it to 20.4 (with an added hill at the end) and did just fine.

I'm really proud that I'm getting slightly better on hills though I'm hardly graceful. I still curse my way through to the top, in the easiest gear, with a cadence in the 50s. I keep reading about keeping your cadence in the 80s on a hill -heck, I'm still working on keeping my cadence in the 80s on the flats/rolling hills, let alone the climbs!

Average speed still slow at under 10, but I guess if I'm making progress getting up hills I had to walk last year, something's getting better.

As my LBS tells me, "Deb, it's gonna take more than one season to get fast at this..." I'm so impatient!

[Aggie_Ama]

Great job. I throw all "you should" out the window on hills. I made it up the hill upright, that is enough thankyouverymuch. And I am far from lady like on hills, there is some cussing (I watch for kids, don't want to teach them those words). My Nanny would slap me but luckily she isn't along for the ride.

[rij73]

DebTX, you're doing awesome... I am also working on appreciating the riding skills I have than letting the slowness of my progress get me down. Think of all the middle-aged women (and men) you know that do *nothing* for exercise. 10mph for 20 miles on a ride with a hill is inconceivable for a huge number of people!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Average speed still slow at under 10, but I guess if I'm making progress getting up hills I had to walk last year, something's getting better.

As my LBS tells me, "Deb, it's gonna take more than one season to get fast at this..." I'm so impatient!

It does. At 54, it's taken me 3 years to get from a 8.5mph average to a 10.5.

But I'm thrilled! Plus, I can do rides much longer and hillier than I used to be able to do.

Progress is slow at my age with a background of no sports...but it's happening nonetheless.

[jobob]

Yes, like everyone says, just keep at it. Doesn't matter how slow you go, if you stay upright it's all good.

A few years ago I had a nemesis hill that took me months to finally climb all the way up.

And this past weekend I finally conquered my nemesis route - after a few months of trying.