Originally Posted by
aliasfox
3. You're the second commenter to suggest this - I might have to try taking it easy on the climbs, just to see what happens. I've always gone by the "it never hurts less, you just go faster" mantra, so maybe I should try making those climbs hurt less...
Every rider has a different sense of personal pace. I am like you in that I crank up the hills, I view them as my "intervals". The watts can be double up the hill for me (yes I have a power meter). I ride with other people sometimes and notice they have a different emphasis, some are even more all-out on hills but most are more even on hills vs not. If you do go harder up the hills you are getting into a deficit which you need to earn back in the flats by taking it easier.
Anyway I agree I would try going more even with the watts to see how your pace compares. But, what you are doing currently is in fact a better workout because you are getting some high-intensity intervals in on those hills.