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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2013 19:51:34 GMT
Hi, I'm looking for a bit of advice on hills, there's a network of great descents near me but where's there's descents there's hills. I set out today to conquer some of these hills but I didn't have the energy it was a bit windy but that's no excuse. I avg about 16-17mph but I suppose avg speed depends on where you go.Any advice than just go out and ride them I did that before without taking any breaks or taking my time and fainted outside my garage which sort of puts me off going over any hills again. I'm planning to head out early tomorrow at 7 when there's no traffic (or witnesses of me struggling up a hill) thanks in advance of any replies
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Post by robertsims on Jul 5, 2013 20:03:07 GMT
You know answer yourself. Best way to improve is to ride them, however no need to kill yourself. If need a break then have one. Don't sprint up every hill. Take it slow and steady first 75% of hill then if feel ok then push it last bit. Far better than puahing hard at start and then dying half way up.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2013 20:17:56 GMT
My first reaction on hearing you fainting is - are you going out without having eaten anything? HIlls or no hills, going out on the bike without some decent food inside you is a recipe for disaster and if the experience doesn't put you off, then a mid-ride flake-out could put paid to your cycling for some time, if not permanently. I don't want that to be sounding sensationalist, but it's a matter of fact. I stupidly did so many years ago after reading about some theory about using up your body's fat stores if there wasn't any glycogen to burn. Sounds plausible until you try it and end up regretting it. In my case, thankfully I made it to my bed before seeing the stars swirl around me.
Going out at 7 in the morning, you won't have had anything to eat for maybe 10 hours, possibly more. Don't ask or expect your body to perform at any level in these circumstances, just as you wouldn't expect your car to go without petrol. I'm not making any assumptions about whether you have or haven't, so forgive me if you are having a good breakfast before heading out. I also hope it does not sound patronising, as that is far from my intentions.
Others may give more reasons not relating to body-fuel, but that's my first concern.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2013 20:50:47 GMT
robert that's one of my main problems i always push myself at the bottom of the hill and end up struggling at the top i think i will stick with the granny ring for now. tribanista from what i can remember from me fainting i had only had a banana in my system (please don't take that the wrong way ) and it was early morning so probably was a bit silly of me not planning my route and getting enough nutrition. tomorrow im going to have a good breakfast and use high 5 tabs they seem to help maybe even a cafe stop. thanks for the replies guys good nutrition and take it slow i should be just fine.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2013 21:09:27 GMT
Calm and steady for as long as you can then get out of the saddle and race the last bit. Try not to hit the hills too early in a route either. They are always easier after you have a few miles in the legs.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2013 22:05:26 GMT
my two penny worth, as a fairly novice rider. Trying to get the right gear at the start of the hill is a must. I sometimes get it right, often dont and end up trying to change gear halfway up and lose all momentum. Make sure you have some food before you leave. I have to have a good hour after Ive eaten anything or it makes me feel sick. Set yourself small goals. See if you can make it to the next tree, the next lamp post etc.. I've found that it takes me 5-8 miles to get warmed up, way more than I thought it would. After that point its definitely easier. well slightly anyway lol I find that one of the energy gels helps, but I like to have something in my tumnmy other than them. last thing to remember is to walk before you can run. It's easy to see pro riders spinning up hills, and see times on Strava that are seemingly out of reach. It takes time and training to master the hills. Im a long way off what other people can do, but even at my slow pace, It's a real acheivement to get to the top of a hill that you coudlnt do a few weeks ago or that you thought you couldnt cimb. Good luck, try to enjoy the hills and take it easy
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Post by Radchenister on Jul 5, 2013 22:06:40 GMT
High 5 tabs come as either carbs (energy) or just salts (no energy) I think; on a ride under 1.5 hrs you might get away without fueling and just using the hydration tabs or just water for that matter (assuming you've had a good meal on board at not too far in time beforehand).
A longer ride and some energy in the drink mix helps, I do this and sip it all the way around - it's not just for energy though, it stops leg cramps and just keeps you feeling sprightlier.
I will be out early tomorrow with Mr Sims (above), the bike and kit is ready, the main aim when getting up early after changing will be getting porridge sorted with half milk and water ... and eaten a while before getting out - probably half a bowl (usually have a full one) as we're planning a bacon roll stop at 1.5 hrs out (half way point).
I've got two lots of half strength iso-energy in 500ml bottles in the fridge already (other times I might make one bottle a bit stronger). If we weren't on a breakfast run I'd probably take a cereal bar for the return half (perhaps two or a banana and a bar).
The hills advice above is sound, pre-planning gear changes and pacing yourself, + knowing when to stand (and sometimes sit back down again for a rest) is part of the skill set, as well as good paced standing climbing (not just sprinting).
Some days the hills feel easier than others; keep doing it and they get easier - I got up my 'Nemesis Hill' on the middle ring the other day; at Christmas I had to stop on the first few circuits when I tackled it.
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Post by captslog on Jul 6, 2013 13:34:08 GMT
You don't say how long you've been riding or your age.
My own experience is starting about 20 months ago and I'm now 54. I can tell you that it does get easier and not to be too hard on yourself. If you're getting up the hills at all you're doing ok.
There are great many skills in life which benefit from breathing correctly, they vary from singing to rifle shooting. Distance running is one I had to get right years ago and I've eventually realised that cycling is another. For a long time I found that I was breathing too fast and not getting any 'goodness' from it. This induces panic, the response of this makes you pant and so on, I was nearly hyperventilating.
Slowing the whole thing down and getting a grip on it helps a lot, as does breathing with your cadence as much you can (in for so many strokes and out for so many).
But mainly take your time, you've nothing to prove as you're already doing more than most of the population, and you've no sponsors to look good for.
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Post by Radchenister on Jul 6, 2013 19:22:26 GMT
Like that captslog, good advice for life on and off a bike - we should have gold star post awards ! My other half had what I initially thought was a fairly 'hippy' book on her shelf when we were young uns, which for some reason I picked out when looking around her book collection in the early days - 'Holistic Living'; it was a sudo Yoga text and started the path of the book with breathing. I had previously come at this issue from a sports perspective beforehand, this book was a bit more zen about it all; whatever way you skin it, breathing and focussing on your own engine (the carburetor) and doing this in relation to the level of mental state (the cpu) is a fundamental that doesn't often get discussed. Nice new subject slipped in for consideration!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2013 9:17:50 GMT
I used to hate climbing, now I find myself going out of my way to find a hill to climb up. I am not the quickest, and I am not interested in what people passing in the comfort of their motorised vehicles think of the speed I am achieving. If I wanted to get to where I was going really quickly, with no effort, I could use my car like them. The only way to find climbing easier is to climb more. Just take all of the good advice above on board. Eat well, climb at your own pace, and just enjoy it. I get my satisfaction out of getting up hills I would never have attempted at the turn of the year, whatever pace I do them at.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2013 11:45:18 GMT
You don't say how long you've been riding or your age. My own experience is starting about 20 months ago and I'm now 54. I can tell you that it does get easier and not to be too hard on yourself. If you're getting up the hills at all you're doing ok. There are great many skills in life which benefit from breathing correctly, they vary from singing to rifle shooting. Distance running is one I had to get right years ago and I've eventually realised that cycling is another. For a long time I found that I was breathing too fast and not getting any 'goodness' from it. This induces panic, the response of this makes you pant and so on, I was nearly hyperventilating. Slowing the whole thing down and getting a grip on it helps a lot, as does breathing with your cadence as much you can (in for so many strokes and out for so many). But mainly take your time, you've nothing to prove as you're already doing more than most of the population, and you've no sponsors to look good for. I find concentrating on breathing out really useful, that way the inward breath takes care of itself.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2013 11:53:07 GMT
Good advice all round. I still fear the hills, but over the years I have learnt that the best way to increase cycling fitness and overall enjoyment is to train on the hills. The best advice I have had was to work backwards with regards to gears, most people will try and conquer the hill in the highest gear that they can, and when it gets hard, drop to a lower gear, I was tough to start in a low gear, and stay there, comfortable cadence, and just slowly make it to the top, once that gets to easy, go up a gear. If its a long climb, try and get out of the saddle when you can to relieve your legs a little. Also make sure your arms are not restricting your chest, making it harder to breath, I overtake quite a few people in my club on the way up as they try and get into a streamlined position going up, and on our local 14% climb that really does cause them a problem, not only do they miss out on oxygen on the way up, they are so knackered that on the way down they cant get tucked up into a good decent position, missing out on the "weeeeeeeeeeeeee" factor on the way down.
Also im not sure if this has been said, but really make sure your body, is as relaxed as your mind and you will smash them in no time
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2013 13:12:22 GMT
One of the best threads IMHO. Excellent advice from everyone and everything I experienced when I first started riding. 1. Nearly fainted/puked when I did my first long ride up a steep hill. After reading up, known as excersise-induced nausia For me it was a lack of nutrition. I too only had a banana and you simply cannot ask your body to perform with no fuel. Along with this hydration/high5 tabs do make a difference. 2. Start off with your easier gears, keep your cadence high. Less strain on your knees. 3. Breath, breath, breath right! Not sure what 'right' is but for me it's deep long slow breaths. 4. Go at your own pace. Compare yourself to last time you went up the hill, not to more experienced riders or how fast you think you should be doing. Slow BUT constant pace is what you should be aiming for. 5. Most recently I realised I was rocking some fair bit when pedalling up hill. Keep relaxed and your position stable. Especially watch your leg strokes and make sure they are not all over the place. If they are, that's wasted energy. Don't let those hills put you off and just keep at it and you'll notice fairly big improvements in your climbing ability.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2013 13:16:30 GMT
Regarding nutrition, I like to carry a load of jelly babies and some fig rolls on rides over an hour and a half or so.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a drink with carbs + electrolyte?
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Post by baz on Jul 11, 2013 13:23:09 GMT
Great advice all, im going to have make a start on hills, even tho im an ex smoker will it get easier for me aswell ?
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