Originally Posted by
MrJames67
Hi all, 70+ man here. I can ride all day at easy speeds on level ground. I've been training for several weeks on my own hill that has measurable roadside landmarks. Scant traffic here in the country on this road.
In 20.5 gear inch granny gear, I get Muscle-Glycogen bonk -- not the other kind -- my legs just can't go uphill further without 3-5 minutes recharging. I'm totally clear headed, pulse up but not that high or near max, breathing heavily. The muscles just run out of fuel. Breath returns to relaxed normal in a minute or two but the energy doesn't. Lactic acid? I'm a recreational cyclist and tourer, after a snowy winter of layoffs and not a racer. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat, this just happens consistently but with some progress after about 3 weeks, I wish I could lengthen my distance before having to stop and wait to recover. I'm quite strong and fit, a fast-twitch guy in the gym but this stop and start hill riding is frustrating. Do I just keep doing these intervals as I've been doing or something else? Most riding here is hills and I need to do better.
I highly appreciate any tips or ideas from others here.
Nothing to do with glycogen, everything to do with training, which does include lactate clearing. It's really simple. Uphill 3 minutes, coast back down, wait 1 more minute, back up 3 minutes. Repeat until you go uphill for a quite noticeable smaller distance. Then ride away from home or car until you're quite tired, then ride back. Don't do the uphill intervals more than twice a week. Do the ride away until tired, ride back. also twice a week until your weekly mileage gets up over say 80 miles. When you can do the 3 minute climb 4 times well, do it for longer, say 5 then 7 then 10 then 15 minutes. Ride a gear that has you breathing deeply and rapidly but definitely not panting. It's just training. You do have to eat adequate carbs, but not all that much. Training is a slow process, don't expect anything else. You'll be much, much faster and stronger in a year of this. I'm about your age. The battle at this point is to improve faster than you age, so have at it! The faster you get strong, the slower you'll age. In a while you'll be able to "see hill, ride up it."