Training for a 1 mile climb (Shaley Brow)
mike147147
Posts: 24
It's a local climb (Avg Gradient of 6.7% for one mile with steep sections).
More info on the hill can be found here:
http://www.hmiddletoncc.co.uk/blog/hill-3-shaley-brow-0
My first time was around 10 minutes, I'd like to improve this.
The second time I took my HRM and my HR slowly climbed from 170 at the start to 186 at the half way point, then pretty much stayed there throughout the rest of the climb. My HR Max (estimated) should be 191. I felt like I was putting 100% in...
I'm currently riding a Mountain Bike with slicks (weighing around 15Kg), and I'm a little over-weight IMO (around a Stone, my BMI is 24.3).
I'm reasonably fit (or I thought I was HA!), I commute to work almost every day (10 miles total), but it's on the flat at a reasonable pace) I don't have any experience climbing hills and don't often ride more than 5 miles at a time.
I have a few questions:
1) Will I eventually be able to pace myself on this climb and stay around 175 throughout? If I went any slower during some bits of the climb on previous attempts I would probably have fallen off
2) How often should I climb this hill (it's 10 miles away so would be a 20 mile ride) so I improve my PB quickly without over-training? Bear in mind that I'm at 90%+ of my max heart rate for 10 minutes at a time and I'm not used to it (plus spending 5 minutes of that at 97%+).
3) How many reps should I perform each time? It takes a while to get there on my bike so I want to get the most out of each trip.
4) I'm buying a 9.6Kg road bike soon, how much will this improve my time? Or more importantly, how much easier (or harder lol) will it be on a road bike? (I was in the smallest possible gear during the 14% section). Unsure of my cadence during ascent as I don't have a cadence sensor (new cycle computer is on its way
.
Wow I babbled on a lot.
Thanks for any replies in advance
More info on the hill can be found here:
http://www.hmiddletoncc.co.uk/blog/hill-3-shaley-brow-0
My first time was around 10 minutes, I'd like to improve this.
The second time I took my HRM and my HR slowly climbed from 170 at the start to 186 at the half way point, then pretty much stayed there throughout the rest of the climb. My HR Max (estimated) should be 191. I felt like I was putting 100% in...
I'm currently riding a Mountain Bike with slicks (weighing around 15Kg), and I'm a little over-weight IMO (around a Stone, my BMI is 24.3).
I'm reasonably fit (or I thought I was HA!), I commute to work almost every day (10 miles total), but it's on the flat at a reasonable pace) I don't have any experience climbing hills and don't often ride more than 5 miles at a time.
I have a few questions:
1) Will I eventually be able to pace myself on this climb and stay around 175 throughout? If I went any slower during some bits of the climb on previous attempts I would probably have fallen off
2) How often should I climb this hill (it's 10 miles away so would be a 20 mile ride) so I improve my PB quickly without over-training? Bear in mind that I'm at 90%+ of my max heart rate for 10 minutes at a time and I'm not used to it (plus spending 5 minutes of that at 97%+).
3) How many reps should I perform each time? It takes a while to get there on my bike so I want to get the most out of each trip.
4) I'm buying a 9.6Kg road bike soon, how much will this improve my time? Or more importantly, how much easier (or harder lol) will it be on a road bike? (I was in the smallest possible gear during the 14% section). Unsure of my cadence during ascent as I don't have a cadence sensor (new cycle computer is on its way
.Wow I babbled on a lot.
Thanks for any replies in advance
0
Comments
-
Point 4 - refer to Rule 10 - In never gets easier, you just go faster.0
-
1) Will I eventually be able to pace myself on this climb and stay around 175 throughout?
definately but only by getting fitter; bear in mind 175+ for 10mins is pretty high
As much as possible, but have you considered hill climbs from a fresh start, ie low intensity on the ride there? Are there any climbs closer to you?2) How often should I climb this hill (it's 10 miles away so would be a 20 mile ride)
That depends entirely on fitness, by the time you can do 3x 10min intervals then your PB for the hill should have improved a lot.3) How many reps should I perform each time? It takes a while to get there on my bike so I want to get the most out of each trip.4) I'm buying a 9.6Kg road bike soon, how much will this improve my time? Or more importantly, how much easier (or harder lol) will it be on a road bike?
Approx 1/4 to a 1/3 off your current time is what I found when converting from MTB to Road; with further motivation to improve further
Thanks for any replies in advance[/quote] 0 -
As above. But a couple of other intervals for twice weekly; 6 x 5min hard climbing up the hill with 3min rest between efforts. Try and get to the same place each time and try and improve from week to week.
Another is 3 or 4 of the hill climb. Go hard for 1min then back off a bit and recover a litttle for 1min etc etc. Sprint the last bit. 5 min recovery between climbs. The fitter you are the more these will improve your climbing.0 -
As much as possible, but have you considered hill climbs from a fresh start, ie low intensity on the ride there? Are there any climbs closer to you?
I did kinda hold myself back a little the last time (stayed under 155 which felt pretty easy, after the climb I pretty much went all out), I'd also like to work on my stamina (I want to do a 75 mile ride before the end of the month) so I don't mind the distance, it's just that I can't make it out there as often as I'd like due to work/family commitments.
Unfortunately that's the closest climb I know of, other than the odd road bridge over motorways around here, it's really flat.That depends entirely on fitness, by the time you can do 3x 10min intervals then your PB for the hill should have improved a lot.
I'm going to try 2 reps next time (probably tomorrow), and see how I feel afterwards, then 3 reps the next time etc. Will there be any problem with just repeating the hill until I fail mid-climb?Approx 1/4 to a 1/3 off your current time is what I found when converting from MTB to Road; with further motivation to improve further
That's a lot faster, I can't wait until my new bike arrives. I ordered it yesterday.0 -
Your times up the climb will improve when your fitness does. You really do need to be riding for a lot more than 5 miles at a time if you want to see some tangible improvements to your aerobic/CV fitness.0
-
As above. But a couple of other intervals for twice weekly; 6 x 5min hard climbing up the hill with 3min rest between efforts. Try and get to the same place each time and try and improve from week to week.
Another is 3 or 4 of the hill climb. Go hard for 1min then back off a bit and recover a litttle for 1min etc etc. Sprint the last bit. 5 min recovery between climbs. The fitter you are the more these will improve your climbing.
Would it be best to start with the smaller intervals rather than a full 10 minute climb? I like the idea of climbing for 5 mins with 3 mins rest x6, then when I see improvements with those intervals I'll move on to 3x 10 mins as you suggested.
My first goal is to be able to climb the hill in under 6 mins, then work on improving this gradually.0 -
Your times up the climb will improve when your fitness does. You really do need to be riding for a lot more than 5 miles at a time if you want to see some tangible improvements to your aerobic/CV fitness.
I have been, I've only recently started to work on my fitness levels, I've been going on 25+ mile rides every few days as well as the daily commute.
Long term goal is to vastly improve fitness levels, and join a local club to improve further and enjoy the sport more.
Short term goal is to beat my younger, slimmer brother up that hill! 0 -
As above. But a couple of other intervals for twice weekly; 6 x 5min hard climbing up the hill with 3min rest between efforts. Try and get to the same place each time and try and improve from week to week.
Another is 3 or 4 of the hill climb. Go hard for 1min then back off a bit and recover a litttle for 1min etc etc. Sprint the last bit. 5 min recovery between climbs. The fitter you are the more these will improve your climbing.
Would it be best to start with the smaller intervals rather than a full 10 minute climb? I like the idea of climbing for 5 mins with 3 mins rest x6, then when I see improvements with those intervals I'll move on to 3x 10 mins as you suggested.
My first goal is to be able to climb the hill in under 6 mins, then work on improving this gradually.
It only sounds easier on paper. ;-) The idea is to go as hard as you can for the 5min and then rest and go again. Basically shorter intervals you can work harder for the duration, then recover and go again so you build fitness that way. I have a hill near me that takes me about 1.5min to climb, I hit it hard and go as hard as I can and sprint the last bit. I do 20 reps and then I'm shattered. I don't have any 5min hills near me so I do the above intervals on my turbo, or do them on longer rides when I'm out.
While you're out doing your longer Z2 or Z2/Z3 rides, try and do 2 or 3; 20min threshold 20min Z2 efforts. In the last hour try and do 5 x 40s max efforts with 20sec easy spinning. I'd only do that once a week and any other long ride would just be an easy Z2 ride.
Try and structure your training so you build up over three weeks and then an easier recovery week on the fourth week. Do the hill fully in your first week after the recovery week. I find after three hard weeks I'm struggling to maintain the intensity in my intervals but feel great in my first week after the recovery week and can go my hardest.
A road bike will make a huge difference.0 -
Your times up the climb will improve when your fitness does. You really do need to be riding for a lot more than 5 miles at a time if you want to see some tangible improvements to your aerobic/CV fitness.
I have been, I've only recently started to work on my fitness levels, I've been going on 25+ mile rides every few days as well as the daily commute.
Long term goal is to vastly improve fitness levels, and join a local club to improve further and enjoy the sport more.
Short term goal is to beat my younger, slimmer brother up that hill!
ok - but if you've only just started back on the bike, don't be doing intervals now. Just ride your bike for a few months and get some base miles in your legs. Nothing to be gained in the longer term by smashing yourself now on untrained legs.0 -
Ride it is often as you can but don't let it dominate everything. Improving your general fitness will be the best thing you can do and that will come from just doing rides, long and short, high intensity and low intensity.0
-
1) Will I eventually be able to pace myself on this climb and stay around 175 throughout?
definitely but only by getting fitter; bear in mind 175+ for 10mins is pretty high
Should be pretty attainable though surely?
I suppose I'm OK on the bike these days but I'm not that fast, and I don't find 175 for 10 minutes very taxing (my max is about 194). In fact I did a few alpine climbs a couple of weeks ago and 175ish or a touch higher is about where my threshold is for that sort of effort (as hard as I can go for ~1hr).0 -
this might help you calculate your potential times depending on bike/your weight etc etc.
Or what power you might need to achieve what you want etc.
http://bikecalculator.com/0 -
Just a heads up I rode a hill local to me on my mountain bike, then purchased my first road bike, and the lowest gear on my road bike (Specialized Allez) is a lot tougher than on the mountain bike with its granny gear. I was a lot faster on the road bike though."Great minds think a bike"0
-
Thanks for the replies, very helpful.
I did the climb again recently, I got the same time as previous attempts but it felt a lot easier and my HRT was lower, I was actually able to pace myself instead of having to go all out in the granny gear stood up for some of the climb in a higher gear too which felt good but couldn't keep it up for long (ended up having to sit back and switch back to granny mode).
Hopefully I'm improving but maybe it's just tehnique and ability to pace myself that has improved. I think my technique will improve before my fitness levels anyway (getting used to the hill and its various gradients, whether to stand up or not, ideal cadence etc.)0 -
Yes I fear the new bike as I know it won't have that silly 4mph 90RPM granny gear that MTBs have, definitely going to do the climb unclipped on my first attempt.0
-
Yes I fear the new bike as I know it won't have that silly 4mph 90RPM granny gear that MTBs have, definitely going to do the climb unclipped on my first attempt.
You will find it easier clipped in i think"Great minds think a bike"0 -
Yes I fear the new bike as I know it won't have that silly 4mph 90RPM granny gear that MTBs have, definitely going to do the climb unclipped on my first attempt.
You will find it easier clipped in i think
People do debate the merits of being clipped in, however I feel one area it does make a big difference is in climbing, especially out of the saddle.0
