bruce19

My gf and I went out yesterday for our first ride since January. We've been in the gym but certainly not in cycling shape. It was fairly warm at 50 F but the wind was in the high teens with gusts in the mid-20s. We had limited time so I suggested that we go out slowly and plan on about an hour. I also suggested we do the local climb "whose name shall not be spoken" which is a mile long. Steep, open to cross winds and generally avoided by most around here. Predictably it was difficult. What surprised me was how it was difficult. My legs, which usually go first, seemed fine and my heart was strong but my lungs (and hers I later found out) were screaming. I had to coach myself to keep breathing from becoming gasping. Made it to the top and recovered well with no burn in the legs or heart racing. FWIW my average on that hill was around 4 mph.

It got me to thinking....would it be better to get some miles in on lesser climbs before hitting climbs like this or should I continue on the theory that this will get me into shape quicker?

bruised

I think mixing it up is the answer. Do some shorter more intense work (like the hill with no name) and throw in some longer less intense sessions.

I've emerged from winter exactly the opposite. My energy/breathing is great but my legs are ready to quit around 30 miles. I've been Fat Biking all winter so I've grown accustomed to shorter rides of higher intensity.

Plus, it seems to me that different bike geometries tax different parts of the leg muscles. I rode a 90 miler on my Fat Bike about 3 weeks ago and my legs were OK. Yet I just started riding my cross bike two weeks ago and I struggle to get past 30 miles.....what the heck is that all about? LOL

JerrySTL

Could allergies be part of the problem. This time of year there's a lot of 'stuff' in the air.

bruce19

I don't think so. I've never had an allergy issue and I'm not wheezing. I just can't get enough soon enough. Also it's been cold around here so I'm thinking nothing is really going on quite yet. But, I don't know a lot about this topic so maybe I'm totally off base.

wphamilton

Bruised makes sense in mixing it up. You're basically talking about aerobic threshold right? So what's the prescription for that - tempo rides mixed with interval training? It seems like lots of varied hills would work for that.

OldsCOOL

Mix it up. You started out like I did. I rode off the front yard and tackled the beastly 1.5mi hill up the street. Next time out it was a hilly/flat 20mi ride for the other parts that didnt get sore. It wont take but 2 weeks. Have a great spring season down there. Our weather up here sucks.

qcpmsame 

I was beginning to think you had gone for the duration, Bruce. Good just to read about a ride from you. Weather be damned.

Bill

curlyque

I think climbing hills adds a little excitement and intrigue to intense training. For me the most rewarding workout on a bike or on foot.......physically and mentally.

My local climbs are 1-1.5 miles 400-500 feet gain

pdlamb

I'd look for shorter hills early in the season, if you're really out of shape. 15 minutes grinding up a long slog isn't exactly "mixing it up."

Ronno6

I previously would start with flat,easy rides in the 10 mile range and progress from there.
However....we moved from flat Florida to rolling South Mississippi.
SO, I scattered some 10-15 milers around in Jan-March, and began in earnest in April.
I have 80 miles so far this month.
I have found the same as you: legs not a real issue, bur more in the C/V category needing work.
I concentrate on rhythmic breathing on the uphills. Seems to help.

One thing is for sure: I do not rebound as quickly at 63 as I did even 2 years ago.
That sux !!

MinnMan

I go by the idea - I think it comes from Joe Friel - that when coming back to the road, you build a base for 500 miles before you ride hard. To me, base building means not doing anything super strenuous and gradually building up stamina, focussing on progressively longer rides. After that, I find out if I can hammer and conquer hills.

Biker395 

In my experience, interval training is the fastest way to get faster. It's really hard to do that on a climb so steep you're going anerobic to make only 4 MPH.

So I would stick to more reasonable slopes, and do interval training by increasing and decreasing my speed. One you feel it coming back, I would mix it up between the steep and not-so-steep climbs, again, doing intervals.

Bandera

Your theory is seriously flawed.
Endurance, Power & Speed is the recipe for effective cycling: they build in that order.

Base miles are what you should be working on at this point in your season, Old School effective:

Case for Base Training | Bicycling

-Bandera