Missed the century.....settled for the metric century

[Cassandra_Cain]

Sorry you didn't make the full century but a metric is nothing to sneeze at by any stretch. Plus you have something to work for and a goal is never a bad thing.

About hills...

I think there is a big difference in doing well in hill-climbing vs. flat riding. Riding fast in the flats is all about how much power you can produce as well as aerodynamics. These are by far the two most important factors, nothing else I think is even close.

For hill climbing the name of the game is power-2-weight. It isn't raw power, but how much you have as compared to your body weight. Aerodynamics are largely a non-factor.

To be better at climbing I think, well, obvious as it sounds, you have to do hills. Three components specifically are to be looked at: a) force - how hard you can consistently push down on the pedals, b) leg speed - how fast you can turn the pedals, and c) economy - how efficient your pedal stroke is which becomes a very big thing in hill climbing.

If I were you, I would definitely include hill climbing in my training/rides. Also I would do some higher intensity work, say +/- 5-10 beats of your Lactate Threshold HR. Do these once a week, say 3 intervals, of about 8-12 minutes each, with perhaps 4-8 minutes of rest between them. When you are doing them, try to pedal a big enough gear that your cadence is about 60-80. In time, your body will overcompensate to this stress and your strength will grow accordingly.

More info here: http://ultrafit.com/library/Bike/#7-Climbing.doc and http://ultrafit.com/library/Bike/climbing.htm

Bets wishes on doing that century and becoming a climbing queen