Climbing Club - April Goals

[annisk2000]

since everyone is talking about climbing hills and mts, I thought this might be a good place to seek advice regarding such. Here's the probelm, on the flats and smallish inclines, I'm ok and average 18-19 over the long haul. But when the incline goes up, I lose power and fall behind the group. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing wrong. someone told me that my gearing is too hard, someone else said not hard enough. Can anyone tell me the basics of climbing a hill so that I'm not always pulling up the rear? I'm starting to be embarrassed. I've been riding for about a year (just started the hilly parts about a month ago) and in my own mind, I should be doing much better on the inclines. The last time I rode with the group, I saw stars by the end and almost threw up. Geeze.

Thanks for any info.

[maillotpois]

Just a quick Arnie Baker diversion - for years he was the speaker at all the TNT pre-event dinners - before centuries. He'd show up on the podium to speak wearing a pig nose. Then he'd say that we were all pigs - maybe we'd been "interested" in doing whatever century it was we were planning to ride the next day, but now we were "committed". And that's the difference between bacon and eggs. The chicken is "interested", but the pig is "committed."

I'm a pig.

[maillotpois]

Staci - if you've only been riding hills a month, give yourself some time. And don't try to keep up with others on the hills until you have more riding under your belt. CLimbing at a pace that makes you see stars and want to barf means you are pushing way too hard. That's fine if you are doing interval work but not if you're trying to do a longer ride.

The thing that makes climbing hills easier is climbing hills. Practice. Hill repeats are great training - and perhaps you should do some hill work on your own, without the group, and practice until it becomes a bit easier for you.

It does get easier.

[GLC1968]

I came here for some advice about climbing and training in the midst of stress, but my stress doesn't even compare to Starfish's! I'm so sorry for your loss!

But I do still need help.

I've signed up for and am in training to complete a ride out of Chattanooga called the 3-state, 3 mountain on May 5th. 100 miles, 8k - 9k of climbing with the last climb being the worst with grades at 18% near the top. It's easily the lowest total elevation of all the mountain centuries in my area, but I still think I'm in for a shocker.

For training, I've been alternating weekends of long rides of moderate climbing (locally I live in a 'piedmont' area with rollers upon rollers upon rollers) with rides in the mountainous areas locally that are steeper but shorter. This past weekend I did 75 miles of regular hilly terrain (in unexpected winds!). The weekend before it was 55 miles with a mountain climb at 20 miles for a total of 4500 ft. Next weekend will be another 'mountianous' ride of about 65 miles and the week after that, 85 miles of moderate terrain. During the week, I typically get in one evening ride (25 miles), one lunch ride (15-18 miles) and one commute (14 miles each way). All of these are hilly but not 'mountanious' terrain.

My problem is this...work keeps getting in the way. Over the past 3 weeks, I've been lucky to squeeze in two rides during the week. I am constantly driving around with my bike on my car and constantly having to appologize to her for not actually riding her. I'm totally stressed from work, but it's even worse when I can't get out to ride. I literally just spent 10 minutes in the bathroom trying not to cry from frustration. I've had this awesome training plan pinned to my wall and I keep having to admit that I just can't always get these week day rides in.

Am I screwed? Will the weekend riding be enough, or am I going to get my rear-end handed to me on May 5th?

Oh, and top all this off with the fact that I have not lost 1 single pound in 4 weeks even though I've been trying. I'm still WAY heavier than I should be and it kills me that I'm going to be lugging all this extra 'me' up those mountains, too.

Any words of advice or encouragement?

[jobob]

Well, GLC, you have to ask yourself, what's the worse that can happen?

Perhaps you'll be slower than you'd like to be, and finish towards the back of the pack. A bit bruising to the ego, for sure, but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you finished a realy tough ride.

Perhaps you'll have to stop and rest a few times going up some of the hills (infinitely better than barfing, methinks).

Perhaps you'll have to walk up a hill or two. I've seen experienced riders doing that!

And if worse comes to worse, you might have to call it a day at some point and SAG back.

But c'mon, really, is any of that so awful ??

And then next year, with another years' experience and training under your belt, do it again, and you'll be really happy with how much you improved!

[GLC1968]

Thanks, jobob!

My problem is two-fold...1) I am extremely stubborn so admitting defeat and accepting a SAG ride back may never happen. 2) I'm also extremely competitive - so I am more likely to hurt myself by pushing too hard, than to admit that I'm not capable of something.

That said...my main goal is to finish. I don't care about time, I don't care about speed...I just want to finish. I'd really like to finish with enough energy to appreciate it, but if self-congratulation has to wait until the next day, I'm ok with that.

[Kano]

since everyone is talking about climbing hills and mts, I thought this might be a good place to seek advice regarding such. Here's the probelm, on the flats and smallish inclines, I'm ok and average 18-19 over the long haul. But when the incline goes up, I lose power and fall behind the group. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing wrong. someone told me that my gearing is too hard, someone else said not hard enough. Can anyone tell me the basics of climbing a hill so that I'm not always pulling up the rear? I'm starting to be embarrassed. I've been riding for about a year (just started the hilly parts about a month ago) and in my own mind, I should be doing much better on the inclines. The last time I rode with the group, I saw stars by the end and almost threw up. Geeze.

Thanks for any info.

It's okay to bring up the rear on the hills -- I do it all the time! I stop and rest on the hills if I want to (or need to!) EVENTUALLY I get to the top of them, and then I get to enjoy the ride down. Last summer, ONE TIME, I rode a whole ride, with hills that I didn't stop to rest because of the hills, and I think I celebrated for a week! So far, I haven't done any real hill practice this year, except for one ride, where I rode to a hill that I decided would be "my" hill this year, and I struggled up it once, even thought, "next time I stop, I'm just turning around and going back down DAMMIT," but kept on, and enjoyed the HECK out of the celebratory lap in the parking lot at the top of the hill! I don't even want to know how long it took me to get there, I think it was less than a mile and a half, and I'm pretty sure there was more time recovering than riding. I'll hang my head and cover my fingers as I key in that it was under 300 ft. of elevation -- but everyone starts somewhere!

I've been sulking today, there's a wicked wind here in Boise that is keeping me in the house, or I'd go give "my" hill a try with the new bike. Maybe tomorrow is going to be better! (I hate wind more than cold!)

Karen in Boise

[SadieKate]

It's okay to bring up the rear on the hills -- I do it all the time!

I'm usually (but not always) the last one down, but that's okay. It just averages out in the end and then I don't have to listen to my husband whine on the climbs.

[Starfish]

Well, got in 1011 feet today. Only went 8 miles, and it took me almost an hour! Kind of a sad little ride. I had set out to do more, but felt pretty crummy and decided to do a nice recovery swim tomorrow and live again to fight another day.

[Starfish]

Hi fellow climbers!

I could use a little encouragement and/or advice. It has been a week since I have been on my bike or worked out , and I don't think I will make my goal for the month. I am in the midst of serious house packing/sorting, and dealing with siblings, and trying to grieve my parents, continuing to work of course, etc.

I know that I need to be gentle with myself right now, and I also know that one of the best things I can do is keep moving toward my biking goals. My goal event is not for another 16 weeks, so it is too soon to throw in the towel! Yet, I feel like I have lost so much fitness in the past week or two, not to mention mental momentum.

Any words for me?

[Veronica]

You have a lot going on in your life. It's okay to take some time off. But you also have to take time to do things for you. You know you can go for a ride or a swim without it being a workout.

I see you do an after school program. Is it all academic? Can you make some of that time playtime? Every now and then I play with my students at recess. It's fun for everybody.

V.

[Starfish]

Veronica, thanks.

The after school program is all academic, unfortunately, although we do some funky lateral thinking exercises, so I try to get some laughs in and so forth. I have been wondering if I should try riding my bike there. I am at two different schools, so the rides would vary. I am just a little concerned about bike security, frankly. Maybe I could sneak my bike inside with me. My other excuse there is that we are having a lot of dreary, overcast and rainy days. I have become weary, not with riding in the rain so much, but with the intense clean-up on my bike!

I had been doing a lot of cross-training...swimming and so forth, and for some reason, I just haven't in the past couple of weeks. I simply need to get moving again, and cutting out the time for it.

One thing that is good: I also do janitorial work in our business at night, so I get in about 3 hours on my feet and moving around. It is not a workout, but at least it is activity (if not exactly play time!)