Climbing - oh those hills!

**maillotpois** · 08-27-2009, 01:52 PM

OMG - that is hysterical! How did I miss the whole discourse on Dachsund's cheerfulness whilst climbing what I suspect was the Skaggs loop??

So glad I looked at this thread.

**jobob** · 08-27-2009, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by maillotpois

OMG - that is hysterical! How did I miss the whole discourse on Dachsund's cheerfulness whilst climbing what I suspect was the Skaggs loop??

It was just before the summit of the Gualala Wall, on the Terrible One/Monte Rio ride (err, yep, the Skaggs Loop)

**staceysue** · 08-27-2009, 02:17 PM

There are 3 hills on my ride, and I've got this game I've been playing by myself. I've never won it. Every time I go out riding I think "I'm gonna do it this time!"

I try my very, very hardest to not look up even once (like everybody keeps saying about only looking 10 feet ahead). I concentrate really hard on just looking at the wheel or a few feet in front of it and I can't do it. It's hilarious. It's such a huge struggle - one part of me saying "don't do it, don't do it, don't do it" and the other part saying "I HAVE to!" then my eyes are just jerked to the top of the hill.

Last time I got up 2 of the 3 without looking - so I'm getting closer.

**indigoiis** · 08-28-2009, 07:41 AM

I have a new trick learned while mountain biking, where I force myself to look at the top of the hill, at some point (like a mailbox, pole, or tree) and focus myself forward to that point. I chant "I am a hunting dog, I am an awesome dog" because the visual of a hunting dog pointing up the trail comes to mind. It is working wonders. Try it!

**staceysue** · 08-28-2009, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by indigoiis

I have a new trick learned while mountain biking, where I force myself to look at the top of the hill, at some point (like a mailbox, pole, or tree) and focus myself forward to that point. I chant "I am a hunting dog, I am an awesome dog" because the visual of a hunting dog pointing up the trail comes to mind. It is working wonders. Try it!

I'd have to chant "I am a hunting turtle. I am an awesome turtle."

On the brighter side - my 3 hills seem to be getting flatter. I'm riding them faster, in higher gears. Yay!

**indigoiis** · 08-28-2009, 03:44 PM

Oh I definitely could out-turtle you. I get dumped on hills. I really take them slowly and use my grannies. But I don't stress about it any more. I just try to enjoy the ride! I still get jealous of people like my husband and my best friend, who both can plow up hills.

**owlice** · 08-28-2009, 04:14 PM

I'd have to chant "I am a hunting turtle. I am an awesome turtle."

Oooh, that's great, and I may have to borrow that!!

**tctrek** · 08-28-2009, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by staceysue

There are 3 hills on my ride, and I've got this game I've been playing by myself. I've never won it. Every time I go out riding I think "I'm gonna do it this time!"

I try my very, very hardest to not look up even once (like everybody keeps saying about only looking 10 feet ahead). I concentrate really hard on just looking at the wheel or a few feet in front of it and I can't do it. It's hilarious. It's such a huge struggle - one part of me saying "don't do it, don't do it, don't do it" and the other part saying "I HAVE to!" then my eyes are just jerked to the top of the hill.

Last time I got up 2 of the 3 without looking - so I'm getting closer.

We climbed an awful hill last weekend. The last time we were out there, I walked up the last 1/4 mile of it. I had made the mistake of looking up and saw the grade getting much worse.

This time, I refused to look up while climbing that blasted hill. I had the GRADE % displaying on my Garmin. The first mile is 5-6%. Then it goes up to 8-9% for about a mile. Then it rises sharply to 11% and the last 1/4 mile is 14%. Finally, when I dropped below 3 mph, my Garmin put me out of my misery and went on Auto-Pause and stopped telling me how steep the grade was. My body was telling me that I was doing something I had never done before... but I really believe that not looking up saved me.

No, I was not smiling while climbing. I was yelling at the top of my lungs "This Hurts!!!" DH was in front of me dancing on the pedals. I hate when that happens.

**staceysue** · 09-01-2009, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by tctrek

We climbed an awful hill last weekend. The last time we were out there, I walked up the last 1/4 mile of it. I had made the mistake of looking up and saw the grade getting much worse.

This time, I refused to look up while climbing that blasted hill. I had the GRADE % displaying on my Garmin. The first mile is 5-6%. Then it goes up to 8-9% for about a mile. Then it rises sharply to 11% and the last 1/4 mile is 14%. Finally, when I dropped below 3 mph, my Garmin put me out of my misery and went on Auto-Pause and stopped telling me how steep the grade was. My body was telling me that I was doing something I had never done before... but I really believe that not looking up saved me.

No, I was not smiling while climbing. I was yelling at the top of my lungs "This Hurts!!!" DH was in front of me dancing on the pedals. I hate when that happens.

That's dedication. I don't know if I could force myself to keep going. In fact - I'm sure I would have walked it. I'll remember your story next time I'm having a hard time with a hill.

My hills are so small you'd probably be laughing if you saw them.

**Cataboo** · 09-01-2009, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by staceysue

That's dedication. I don't know if I could force myself to keep going. In fact - I'm sure I would have walked it. I'll remember your story next time I'm having a hard time with a hill.

My hills are so small you'd probably be laughing if you saw them.

don't you have a 3 speed beach cruiser? I'm sure that makes your hills much bigger!

**aeiea** · 09-01-2009, 08:52 AM

Thanks for the article! The best (and weirdest) part was this quote:

'There is a French saying that roughly translates to: "Put a frog into boiling water and he will hop out and dash away. Put the frog into cool water and heat it slowly, and he will swim around happily until he is cooked."'

Along with this mental preparation, a few months ago, I was faced with this ridiculously steep hill and was just about to get off my bike to walk. A man sitting on a bench nearby yelled "You can do it!"

My immediate response? I yelled back, "No I can't!" ... then my body proceeded to beat my mind into submission and climb the hill. I think my body was remembering the little engine that could.

So now, when faced with a big climb, that memory serves as my storybook lesson / mini-pep-rally to get me moving.

**staceysue** · 09-01-2009, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Catriona

don't you have a 3 speed beach cruiser? I'm sure that makes your hills much bigger!

ROFLOL - yes! Just a few more days until I have a real bike . . .

**Cataboo** · 09-01-2009, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by staceysue

ROFLOL - yes! Just a few more days until I have a real bike . . .

I'm so excited! and so excited we talked you out of that trek!

**staceysue** · 09-01-2009, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Catriona

I'm so excited! and so excited we talked you out of that trek!

Me too. That would have been a BIG mistake!

I still haven't gone back to tell the bike store guy. Maybe I'll ride my road bike the 30 miles to town and pick up a couple of things, let him down easy. LOL

**Cataboo** · 09-01-2009, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by staceysue

Me too. That would have been a BIG mistake!

I still haven't gone back to tell the bike store guy. Maybe I'll ride my road bike the 30 miles to town and pick up a couple of things, let him down easy. LOL

did you put a deposit down on the bike? You would have ended up upgrading quickly if you'd bought the trek.

Don't ride the 30 miles to town till you get a helmet! You can go a lot faster on a road bike and get yourself into trouble.

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