Hill fitness through the non-summer months

[gnat23]

I'm annoyed that the days are already starting to get shorter. Hrmph. I've still got a few weeks of my "Hilly" commute to work, which takes 1.5hrs, but when I leave the house and it's dark/cold, I'm less likely to commit to that sort of thing.

Then I figure a few weekends of hilly rides, but even that is likely to drop off when it gets cold.

What's the best way to keep my hill fitness up over the next coming months? I'd like to not have to start from scratch in the spring again!

Fixie-commuting? Interval workouts? Any specific DVDs for the living room/trainer?

-- gnat!

[alpinerabbit]

Hill intervals is what a coach told me. Lowish (he said a number so low that I won't do, like 30-40) rpm, 15-20 minutes, 3x, at 10 bpm below AT. Well actually at 10 bpm above Lactate balance point, but that's the same thing for me. Done in an hour and builds watts, says he.

[indysteel]

I spin in the winter and thankfully have one particular instructor who likes to "climb." That said, it still takes some time in the spring to get back into the swing of climbing. It's part of the challenge/fun of it for me! Or that's the way I try to look at it.

[mimitabby]

here too. for two seasons i took a spin class in the dark short days of winter.
it's not like climbing hills, really, but it helps.

[Grog]

Over the past two years I did a lot of running in the winter, which around here means a lot of running on hills, and very little cycling. I found myself much stronger in the spring when I took my bike out, which really surprised me.

If you live in a snowy area, perhaps cross-country skiing on hilly grounds, or snowshoeing on hills, would help too (and be softer on your joints...)?

[OakLeaf]

I'm in a different situation as I go south to Flatland for the winters, but riding in the wind actually kept me in pretty decent hill-climbing shape. So just putting some extra resistance on the trainer, to build/maintain strength on some of your indoor rides, should be good.

[indysteel]

I try to maintain some degree of cycling fitness during the winter through spinning and riding when I can, but I also see winter as a time to take a mental and physical break from it. I run, I go to more yoga classes, I get a little more rest, I catch up on other projects. When I came back this spring, it didn't take me long to feel really good again on the bike so something seems to be working. Right now, I'm starting to feel some burn out and am actually looking forward to the change of pace that winter will bring. Don't get me wrong. I'll likely whine and complain when the weather really starts to turn nasty, but I think there's something to be said for mixing it up.