Is there such a thing as a “natural climber”?
07-13-20, 08:50 AM
#26
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Did you do your cycle road training in the Andes? and are young strong and light?
Old fat and living at sea-level myself..
Old fat and living at sea-level myself..
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07-13-20, 09:39 AM
#27
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You might be one of the guys I used to hate. Started the season overweight but doing ok, by the time July rolled around, the winter fat was gone and suddenly they were faster uphill than me. Keep at it and keep trying to improve. Make sustained efforts on the climb, keep it up a little longer than you'd like.
I started my season at 138lbs, I finished my season at 138lbs and 15 years later with a job, kids, a couple health problems, and limited time to ride, 138lbs.
As far as natural or not, you've just got to hate yourself a bit. The difference between keeping your lungs in your throat, letting everything hurt, and barely able to see because of sweat is huge. This is as important as any physical gift.
I'm still a fast climber, always was due to my size, but I can't draw on that depth and challenge the actual fast guys anymore. It's disappointing too, I know guys my age who do still have that demon.
I started my season at 138lbs, I finished my season at 138lbs and 15 years later with a job, kids, a couple health problems, and limited time to ride, 138lbs.
As far as natural or not, you've just got to hate yourself a bit. The difference between keeping your lungs in your throat, letting everything hurt, and barely able to see because of sweat is huge. This is as important as any physical gift.
I'm still a fast climber, always was due to my size, but I can't draw on that depth and challenge the actual fast guys anymore. It's disappointing too, I know guys my age who do still have that demon.
07-13-20, 09:42 AM
#28
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I have been climbing ~1,000 vertical feet (single track, not roads) every weekday since march on a 35lb bike. I feel like if I lost 20lbs it's like riding a 15lb superbike!
07-13-20, 09:47 AM
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Is there such a thing as a “natural climber”?
I was one.
Hated the pain just like most people, of course, and the training for it was tougher. But at least in my case it turned out my shorter stature and more-powerful legs resulted in my being able to climb much faster than most. Of course, I'd get skunked on the flats by the speedier folks, but on hills I could be quite capable. When I eventually moved to an area where ~75% of the routes involved climbing, I got even better at it. (No surprises, there.) Was fairly fit, at the time, but so was everyone else, and there was no question about the other competitors' abilities on the same hills I was doing so well on. Many years ago, but I believe that the essential leg strength and stamina I had in those years made hills a "natural" thing for me.
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07-13-20, 10:38 AM
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Yes, I think so.
I was one.
Hated the pain just like most people, of course, and the training for it was tougher. But at least in my case it turned out my shorter stature and more-powerful legs resulted in my being able to climb much faster than most. Of course, I'd get skunked on the flats by the speedier folks, but on hills I could be quite capable. When I eventually moved to an area where ~75% of the routes involved climbing, I got even better at it. (No surprises, there.) Was fairly fit, at the time, but so was everyone else, and there was no question about the other competitors' abilities on the same hills I was doing so well on. Many years ago, but I believe that the essential leg strength and stamina I had in those years made hills a "natural" thing for me.
I was one.
Hated the pain just like most people, of course, and the training for it was tougher. But at least in my case it turned out my shorter stature and more-powerful legs resulted in my being able to climb much faster than most. Of course, I'd get skunked on the flats by the speedier folks, but on hills I could be quite capable. When I eventually moved to an area where ~75% of the routes involved climbing, I got even better at it. (No surprises, there.) Was fairly fit, at the time, but so was everyone else, and there was no question about the other competitors' abilities on the same hills I was doing so well on. Many years ago, but I believe that the essential leg strength and stamina I had in those years made hills a "natural" thing for me.
