Climbing Club

[five one]

I have never been very good at hill climbing. Part of it is lack of lung power. Part of it is mental - I sometimes psyche myself right out of getting to the top. Especially if it's a hill I've had trouble with in the past or if others are passing me easily. DH is training for Climb to Kaiser in July. I plan to train with him, but have no aspirations to do the ride. There are other rides I plan to do this year and two have *those* hills. Maybe this will be the year I can get up and over them without stopping or walking. That's one of my goals for this year.

[maillotpois]

fiveone - good for your DH on C2K! And if you're training with him, you'll surely get better at hills even if you don't want to do that particular ride. What rides are you looking at doing? A great one for hills is Grizzly Peak in May. Also the Mt. Hamilton Challenge is a good ride as well.

[five one]

fiveone - good for your DH on C2K! And if you're training with him, you'll surely get better at hills even if you don't want to do that particular ride. What rides are you looking at doing? A great one for hills is Grizzly Peak in May. Also the Mt. Hamilton Challenge is a good ride as well.

Oh...I'm still working on Table Mountain on the Chico Wildflower. It was in the 90s a few years ago when I tried the 100 mile option for the first time. I bonked badly and that's stayed with me. I've always done the 100K since then to avoid that climb. Tustin Rd. on Strawberry Fields Forever is another one I can't seem to manage. I've cr*pped out in the same place three years in a row .

We're definitely doing Chico again this year. Hopefully the weather will cooperate because I signed us up for the 100 mile ride. Don't know about Strawberry Fields yet. I think I'm more inclined (no pun intended ) to just train and ride on roads I know are tough rather than sign up for organized rides. The South Bay has plenty of hills! Once we get into DST, we'll be doing hill repeats once a week, aka Thigh Burners in our little ride group. That helps, but I'm usually bringing up the rear with every interval. (Insert heavy sigh here).

BTW, DH had a total knee replacement two years ago. Long story leading up to it best saved for another time and thread. He's been slowly coming back cycling-wise and C2K is next on his list of challenges. He's never ridden it before. I'm not so driven. I just want to ride, get better at a few things, and have fun. First I need to revive my flagging endurance base, however, before I think about tackling the hills.

[Trekhawk]

Thanks ladies - looks like we have a few interested riders. I will start a thread in the last week of Jan so we can state our goals for Feb.
Hmm now I just have to decide how much energy I can muster in chilly February.

[Lifesgreat]

Hmm now I just have to decide how much energy I can muster in chilly February.

What, it's gotten below 60 F??? Count me in, but I do need to wait to ride until the temperature gets above 15 F

[SadieKate]

Uh, you been following the weather in California? Yesterday when TrekHawk left her house to drive here it was 17F. The start of the ride was maybe 28F. The high was 48 with 18mph winds and we rode 61 miles. When you aren't used to it, I'd say the gang of us earned our Tough Cookie Awards for the day. Go see the California Randonneuring thread for pics of frost in "60F" California.

[Lifesgreat]

Uh, you been following the weather in California? Yesterday when TrekHawk left her house to drive here it was 17F. The start of the ride was maybe 28F. The high was 48 with 18mph winds and we rode 61 miles. When you aren't used to it, I'd say the gang of us earned our Tough Cookie Awards for the day. Go see the California Randonneuring thread for pics of frost in "60F" California.

No, I haven't been following the weather in CA, just thinking about my San Joaquin valley upbringing and the cold weather then. I am also wallowing in self pity because it has been below 0 F here .

I hereby bestow the "Tough Cookie Award" to all of you-yay! You rock!

[crazycanuck]

Is it ok if join the climbing club?

I might have to drive to the good hills in Perth though..

c

[Trekhawk]

Is it ok if join the climbing club?

I might have to drive to the good hills in Perth though..

c

Of course you can join CC, the more the merrier. LOL makes me happy to know I will be sharing the pain of hills with others.

[anakiwa]

Sounds good to me, I love hills.

This year I'd like to do better at the Mt. Equinox hillclimb race.

Long-term goal- Mt. Washington (not likely to happen this year it's the same weekend as a triathlon I want to do).

[jobob]

Yes, we need to get Trekhawk down here for an assault on Diablo. evil cackle


Oh, and mark your calendars for Wednesday Feb. 21 for the Second Annual Hugga-Chugga up Sierra Road to watch the Tour of California racers whiz by at an annoyingly fast pace.

Leebob and I will be making the ascent, I think V mentioned she and Thom were going.

Lee and I will probably stop partway up again - for the good vantage point, yeah, that's it!

[jobob]

Lee and I are planning on going up Calaveras on Saturday - Rougedog's post about Calaveras inspired me, and it should be really lovely up there right now with the hills greening up after the recent rains.

Maybe I can talk Lee into talking a left at the bottom of the Wall and going up Felter and then down Sierra.

[Veronica]

What time Jo? We have so much to do with fixing the garage door and the gate that was damaged. But maybe...

V.

[Orions.Star]

I can only go up or down. I would like to go over the mountain by April. So this will help motivate me! and I use to complain about being a flatlander before moving here....

[kelownagirl]

I definitely need to join this challenge. I have managed to go from avoiding hills altogether, to choosing them and not despising them. Someday I'd like to welcome them. Hills are what separates DH and I when we ride so I really want to get better at them. Don't have any fancy device for calculating data so will state my goals as the number of times I do certain hilly rides.

I have some major "hilly" goals this summer anyway (120 km hilly ride around the lake, part or all of 320 km Banff to Jasper, and climb Alpe D'Huez this summer with only 14 stops - haha) so it will be good to have a focus and motivation here.

I can't start riding outside for at least another month so won't be able to do February goals yet. I'll stay on the side lines and cheer you all on till I can ride though!