Psychological preparation before you climb a hill?

[NorvernRob]

There is a Strava segment that starts by going up Blaze Hill from Bollington then Pyms Chair via Jenkins Chapel and then Goyts Lane to Long Hill it is iirc called A Masochists Delight. Pyms Chair in the middle is a right bugger horrible near the top. The Goyt Lane climb after seems easy but does go on and on with nowhere to hide. Until you see a car at the top you think it isn't that far then you realise you aren't even half way up. Lol

We did some of those on Sunday, Whalley Bridge - Pyms chair climb was 3.3 miles, goyt valley to the top was 4.2 miles. I actually enjoy long climbs in a perverse way, it's the ones that steepen and keep on going that are the real killers.

There was one somewhere on our route that went straight up and kept getting steeper, my mate had his Garmin on gradient setting and I heard him behind me saying '12%' '14%' '16%' then he went silent, a minute later I just heard him gasp 'f*ck me' haha. It was easily 20% near the top and an out of the saddle lung buster.

I only started riding in feb, but I do find though that living in a hilly area and constantly doing loads of climbs has made me improve really quickly. On the major climbs I look to get into the top 20% of Strava times now.

I have two techniques, one is head down looking a few yards ahead, relax my upper body and spin at a good cadence. The other for shorter climbs is get out of the saddle and give it a good bash.

 

[Hacienda71]

Did you go up to Pyms Chair from Whaley via Wingatherer?

 

[NorvernRob]

Did you go up to Pyms Chair from Whaley via Wingatherer?

I have no idea, we just put the route of the Peaks Epic Sportive into the Garmin and followed it.

The route is here if you want a look:

https://www.strava.com/activities/200503231

 

[Hacienda71]

I have no idea, we just put the route of the Peaks Epic Sportive into the Garmin and followed it.

The route is here if you want a look:

https://www.strava.com/activities/200503231

The way up to Pyms Chair past Jenkin Chapel is from the other side. It is a right bugger. Half way up you think not too bad then you go round a bend and it ramps up to 25% plus for the last third of the climb. I called my bike some very choice things honking up it.

 

[Gray01974]

Well I have enough trouble riding up the slope of my drive , as for hills .....well I approach them by thinking if I survive this I promise not to eat another family pack of m & ms , I promise to have a couple of beers less .I promise to to try and sort my waist line out .......guess what ????? I'm crap at keeping promises .......now pass me that beer and where's my m & ms ....

 

[Rob3rt]

Actually it will, the rule is that if you feel thirsty it's already too late so you need to drink a load at the bottom to "pre-load" and then again at the top or risk the dreaded bonk. This is a rule for riders of any level.

That's the rule is it?

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I look at the hill, say 'oh bugger', and just get on with it.

 

[Learnincurve]

That's the rule is it?

http://cyclinguphill.com/ is really worth reading, he's a pro but he's aware that people of all levels read his site and manages to write well without either dumbing down or coming across as patronizing. There are guides on there, (I picked up on the water thing from one of them iirc) but I find the pieces he does on the climbing/comp days are also good to read from a newbie perspective as you get actual incite and pictures on how it should be done as a reference point for your own climbing. I don't doubt he's right because pre-loading is something racing car drivers also do for races that they know they will sweat a lot in to prevent leg cramps and whatnot.

edit: of course there may be factions within the uphill TT community who will argue against this, but then there are factions in every single thing in cycling that will argue pretty much everything.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Just tell yourself it's not compulsory you don't have to climb the hill,and you can get off the bike at anytime,

 

[Hacienda71]

http://cyclinguphill.com/ is really worth reading, he's a pro but he's aware that people of all levels read his site and manages to write well without either dumbing down or coming across as patronizing. There are guides on there, (I picked up on the water thing from one of them iirc) but I find the pieces he does on the climbing/comp days are also good to read from a newbie perspective as you get actual incite and pictures on how it should be done as a reference point for your own climbing. I don't doubt he's right because pre-loading is something racing car drivers also do for races that they know they will sweat a lot in to prevent leg cramps and whatnot.

edit: of course there may be factions within the uphill TT community who will argue against this, but then there are factions in every single thing in cycling that will argue pretty much everything.

I am not sure he is a pro. I suspect that Rob3rt has raced against him on more than one occasion. He is a one of the better uk hill climbers and a fairly good tester.

 

[nickyboy]

I have no idea, we just put the route of the Peaks Epic Sportive into the Garmin and followed it.

The route is here if you want a look:

https://www.strava.com/activities/200503231

Yeah, that's the climb out of Whaley to Pym's Chair via Wingather, I did it this week, it's quite a drag with lots of changes in gradient.. Well done on such a tough route at a very respectable pace. I use the same technique on hills. Less than 2 minute efforts I try to blast up them out of the saddle. More than that I sit and try to maintain a decent cadence and try to not go so hard that my breathing gets out of control

 

[nickyboy]

I am not sure he is a pro. I suspect that Rob3rt has raced against him on more than one occasion. He is a one of the better uk hill climbers and a fairly good tester.

Current UK hill climbing champion and record holder on quite a lot of climbs. You often see him at hill climb events in the Peak District like Snake Pass, Cat & Fiddle, Long Hill (although he is something of a blur going so fast)

 

[Brandane]

My tactics are to mutter "awwwww f*** it, not another ba***** hill", then either get on with it to the best of my meagre abilities, or turn around and find somewhere more enjoyable to ride!

 

[Hacienda71]

Current UK hill climbing champion and record holder on quite a lot of climbs. You often see him at hill climb events in the Peak District like Snake Pass, Cat & Fiddle, Long Hill (although he is something of a blur going so fast)

Yes he did win it in 2013. Rob3rt raced in lasts years national as well iirc.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I just ride up the hill at a reasonable pace*** and enjoy the scenery .

*** Disclaimer: I have been known to time myself riding up hills.