Hill training a newbie

[Cuchilo]

Now I know hills are a personal thing and we all take them the best way we can but twice I have been out with my mate and wonder where the hell he has gone after a hill .
Hes not over weight and kept a good 17MPH until we hit anything that went up and then he just got off and walked .
Im no great hill climber myself and the deal with anyone I ride with is " see you at the top " where you hang around for the other person / people .
Ive told him our mission is to get him up dark hill in Richmond park and he is well up for going out on the bikes even though the hills kill him .
So how do I get him up the hill ?

 

[jack smith]

Make sure he has eaten and drank correctly first off, i notice i cant climb at all if i feel dehydrted or just ate junk food its surprising how much easier it is after the right food ect, i can go on the flat for miles on an empty stomach but get to a hill and ive got no chance. get him into the easiest gear well before he hits the climb and spin at an easy pace til the top and tell him not to be afraid to slow down his cadence, just dont get off the bike! , as he progresses he can change up to a harder gear one by one

 

[nickyboy]

It's a mental problem. Quitting on hills is a bad habit, not a physical problem, for someone who can ride at 17mph.

When he views walking up as worse than having to cycle up, he'll be fine. Ride with him up the hill rather than disappearing off into the distance.

 

[vickster]

I wouldn't choose to walk up a hill in Richmond park. Did it first time a long while back as lost momentum, not since. That said I don't really like riding there, just too busy with Mamils and cars at the weekend!

You need to start with small short inclines and gradually increase. Long steep ones still kill my knee!

 

[outlash]

It's a mental problem. Quitting on hills is a bad habit, not a physical problem, for someone who can ride at 17mph.

When he views walking up as worse than having to cycle up, he'll be fine. Ride with him up the hill rather than disappearing off into the distance.

This. After a weekend in the dales, local hills that I once thought were a bit of a challenge are now not a big deal. 'Spin to win' is a phrase I like to use for hills .


Tony.

 

[PK99]

Make sure he has eaten and drank correctly first off, i notice i cant climb at all if i feel dehydrted or just ate junk food its surprising how much easier it is after the right food ect, i can go on the flat for miles on an empty stomach but get to a hill and ive got no chance. get him into the easiest gear well before he hits the climb and spin at an easy pace til the top and tell him not to be afraid to slow down his cadence, just dont get off the bike! , as he progresses he can change up to a harder gear one by one

Classic description of the problem of low carbohydrate levels - fat is accessible slowly, hence on the steady flat, you have plenty of fat/energy available, Carbohydrate is accessed quickly, hence is the fuel the body needs on the higher intensity hills. Bring able to roll well on the flat and dying on even moderate inclines is the classic indicator.

 

[screenman]

Is that 17 mph a one off with a back wind or say averaged over say a 2 hour ride? If it is the latter then it is purely mental.

 

[Cuchilo]

Is that 17 mph a one off with a back wind or say averaged over say a 2 hour ride? If it is the latter then it is purely mental.

It was just a speed i went that he kept up with and was ok with the pace . Not an average as such just something i tried to keep too and know he was still with me .
I will try and do one of the hills with him but i may end up getting off and walking with him

 

[Mugshot]

It was just a speed i went that he kept up with and was ok with the pace . Not an average as such just something i tried to keep too and know he was still with me .
I will try and do one of the hills with him but i may end up getting off and walking with him

You sure he was ok with it? You may have knackered him before you even got to the climb.

 

[moo]

You sure he was ok with it? You may have knackered him before you even got to the climb.

Probably this. I rode with my brother at what I thought was a slow pace of 16-17mph. By the end of a short 10 mile loop he was completely shattered. Since then he has done the same route on his own and recorded avg speeds of ~15mph.

 

[Cuchilo]

You sure he was ok with it? You may have knackered him before you even got to the climb.

Well i kept asking if he was ok and he said yes so i can only go from that but i do see what you are saying . Maybe he was fibbing to me

 

[Mugshot]

Well i kept asking if he was ok and he said yes so i can only go from that but i do see what you are saying . Maybe he was fibbing to me

Just a thought, I know if I'm not looking at doing a hilly route I'll do a different pace to one which I may do if I know I have some tough climbing ahead. The difference in MPH may only be a mile an hour or so, but it can make a big big difference when it comes to the climbs.
The point is if you asked if I was ok I'd answer yes for both paces, until I got to the hills .

 

[stumpy66]

What gearing does he have on the bike?

 

[Cuchilo]

Hes a mate but i aint walking up a hill for him ! That goes the same for morris dancing , maypole stuff and going to the supermarket ! Theres some stuff you just don't do with other men when you are both single !

 

[Cuchilo]

I joke of course , I love morris dancing !
Got some smaller rides planned , 5-7 miles with a motor way bridge to climb if hes up for it . I just thought , i climb that bridge four times a day and although its small its quite steep and all training for the hills .