Going up

impished

Hi all,
After a bike gap of about 5 years, I'm getting quite fit again and my legs have strengthened nicely. However, I seem to have lost the mental stamina for riding long uphills! :oops:

5 years ago I used to be able to get into my rythm and ignore the burn, but now I seem to think "why bother ignoring the burn, when I can avoid it by walking up"!!!

How do you convince yourself to keep going when your legs are telling you to stop?
D'ya think it's easier to push yourself when you've got a riding partner?
.
.

owen_MTB

i just concentrate on getting to the top and nothing else, the speed doesnt really matter aslong as you get their. Also i just think of it as a step forward as in being able to do that hill and a step forward in fitness as you can do it quicker

impished

I think you might have point about the speed.... :roll:
I always worry about getting to the top as quick as I can... maybe next ride I'll find a long hill and just spin.... without worrying about the speed.

jjojjas

exactly what I do.
I'm not 20 anymore, I'm double that
I just spin up hills sometimes even slower than I could walk them.
Jas

MarvintheAndroid

Personally i find that too low a gear doesn't do it for me, I prefer a medium gear and push hard. It all depends on your surroundings, but i usually ride in a forest and try to focus on the nature around me. To begin with it kills, but after a while you know you can do it and just get on with it.

Use the uphills to "earn" the thrill of a good fast downhill thrash !

Another idea is to ride with others, introduce a bit of competition between mates. First time I went up a particular hill on the big ring was with a group of others, never know i could do it until i tried.

Take an MP3 player and keep a few pumped up rock tracks in reserve for the hills. Steppenwolf is great !

Marv

impished

mp3 player! :shock: bit o bass!!!! :x
hadn't thought off that before!!!!! :oops:
gonna give that a go :twisted: this weekend if no one wants to go to Bedgebury...
I'll let you know what the result is
.
.

mmm_pie

I find walking up hills with my bike is more difficult that crawling up in the lowest gear, which is what motivates me.

therookie_31

You need the motivation about not giving up..and telling yourself that if you do it, there will be a nice downhill at the top, or a nice view of the city whatsoever! Challenge yourself everytime you come up to a hill. Tell yourself: ''Today I will do it in this gear'' Next time try something harder. Music and friends helps alot, they give you motivation and the need to race each other hehe.

Talk to yourself, say that you can do it and give yourself a tap on the back to say that you conquered something.

Another trick is to climb all the way up, and never look how steep the hill is Keep your head down and watch your legs work!

ojoger

the idea of going up is so we can come back down again, and again, and again. what more motivation is there?

themanfromdelmonte

One way is to think "If I make it this time, next time I'll know I can and it'll be easier."

Also, try picking markers along the way up the hill to aim for and say to yourself "If I am going to give up, I'm not going to do it until that (tree, rock, whatever).", then when you do make it to your marker, give yourself a little pat on the back and look for the next marker further up the hill to aim for.

My greatest motivation though is that I hate people calling bicycles "Push bike.", like it's a lower form of transportation. My bike only becomes a push bike when I get off and push :evil: .

EarlofBarnet

themanfromdelmonte wrote:

Also, try picking markers along the way up the hill to aim for and say to yourself "If I am going to give up, I'm not going to do it until that (tree, rock, whatever).", then when you do make it to your marker, give yourself a little pat on the back and look for the next marker further up the hill to aim for.

That's exactly what I do. It'd helps break up the long climbs in to smaller chunks (well, mentally anyway!).