Altitude Climbing Anxiety

[maillotpois]

hey starfish -

I know you'll do great, but I wanted to caution you about jumping to conclusions about grade steepness (shasta being harder than hurricane) based on driving. you really can't tell grade steepness based on driving. things often look steeper in the car.

example: we have our death ride folks ride passes 3, 4 and 5 in training. years of doing this ride have shown these are the toughest. the night before the event, one of my more challenging participants announced she had driven pass 1 and that is was steeper and harder than any of the others. I simply asked if she had *driven* passes 3 and 4 and she hadn't. the next morning as we're climbing pass 1, she says "wow - this really isn't steep at all. it seemed a lot worse in the car. you *were* right!"

so don't let your drive trouble you. it *may* be steeper, but most likely it is not.

[jobob]

hey starfish -

I know you'll do great, but I wanted to caution you about jumping to conclusions about grade steepness (shasta being harder than hurricane) based on driving. you really can't tell grade steepness based on driving. things often look steeper in the car.

A big ditto to what MP said ! To me, routes always look harder, and hills always appear steeper, when I'm viewing them from a car than when I'm actually riding them.

[Starfish]

Jo & MP - thanks! MP, I had to laugh at your description of "one of my more challenging participants". I think I am getting high maintenance. Uh oh. That is very good and interesting info about your experiences with newbies judging climbs from cars! I appreciate that perspective. Thank you.

This morning, I went out for an easy 40 minute ride just to relax and loosen up. It was mostly flat-ish, with a few gentle hills. My average HR was 8 beats higher than my whole rides up 5000 feet to Hurricane Ridge. And, my maximum HR was way up there...really near my actual maximum. Easy little rises were taking my HR a full 20 beats above my normal climbing rate.

Well, it will be what it will be.

Thank you all so much for your support. It really helps.