Hilly Hundred? Need advice

[Miranda]

Excellent advice. Spot on!!

We have mapped out several hill rides on 'our' side of the state that mimic the Hilly as far as length, gradient, and number/type of hills. We ride thousands of miles per year, but there's no substitute for hill training. For me, it's a mental thing -- nothing says "Suck it up!" quite like climbing for a mile, rounding a curve or cresting what you mistakenly thought was the top, only to realize that thare's still more snarly climbing to do.

That's one of the best hill climb challenge / wording (whatever I am trying to spit out here lol) descriptions I have ever heard. Love it!

Getting to the top of a hard hill is a nice life stress release too. Sometimes when the rest of life is crazy outta control... something about that sense of accomplishemnt--overcoming what you thought you might not be able to... is satisfying and calming. Not that the average non-cycling population might see it this way...

OKAAAYYY... back to on topic post to this thread lol.

[Bike Chick]

Amen! There is one on the Hilly Hundred that will do that for you.......Mt. Tabor I think they call it. What a confidence builder! It's the toughest climb of the bunch and just when you get to the top there is a turn and another pitch. When you make it you just want to get off your bike and say "WoooHoooo" but instead you just play it cool and keep riding while you are smiling inside to yourself. My how we like to suffer!

[Bike Chick]

Just wondering if you did the Hilly Hundred, Chicagogal.

[chicagogal]

Just wondering if you did the Hilly Hundred, Chicagogal.

Oh, sadly I didn't do it. My cycling partner and I had decided to do it, but only Sunday b/c he had to work Sat. We were going to drive sat night and ride sunday morning - were in the processes of booking a hotel when I realized that I had tickets for the ballet on sat night . . . so in the end it was impossible for both of us. I was really dissapointed about not doing it, and especially now that I read about how much fun it was. But I'll do it next year, with a little more advance planning so that I can make a weekend of it without other obligations getting in the way!

By the way, I did get a couple of very nice ride in that weekend anyway, so it wasn't a whole waste cycling-wise. That made me feel a little better!

[Bike Chick]

Thatagirl! Maybe I'll see you there next year!

[Mr. Bloom]

Congrats on the climb...Mt. Tabor is a bear. For the first time, this year I was apprehensive...but still made it.

See ya' next year!