Pakiwi

Yesterday I got to ride a Century in Lynchburg Virginia called Storming of Thunder Ridge. I signed up for the century though was considering if things didn't go well cut short and do the 75. Its 100 mile ride with 9300 feet of climbing, including a climb up Thunder Ridge which is 3313 feet HC Climb. Last year I got over the big hill, then had nothing left on the next climbs and mile 66.
Yesterday at 5'6" 225 lbs Clyde, I finished the 100 miles. I was the last one in, but I finished.
Just some encouragement that even though its not easy and hill climbing is a challenge, but with training and lots of hill training, epic rides like this are possible. Looking at my numbers I was 24 minutes faster climbing the big hill. Didn't stop once unlike last year.
I know we may not be the fastest to the top, but with persistence, we can get over.
Now I need to focus on my diet as I was told yesterday, you can't outride a bad diet.
Allan

americanrecluse

Hot damn, Pakiwi! You're amazing!

Hills of any sort take it out of me, and I keep hoping to get magically better - you know, without doing really really badly up a bunch of hills. But I'm off work this week to quit smoking and ride my bike, and I think you've just encouraged me to take it out to the big park and try to figure out those hills.

Pakiwi

Its funny. I am probably one of the bigger guys (overweight) in the group of riders that do the LBS rides. I ask if anybody wants to ride the hills with me and nobody wants to. I know they aren't easy, but the only way you get stronger is to ride them. Do hill repeats, include hills on your rides and you will improve. The hill that used to wind me when I first started, I can climb while standing on the pedals.
I have gotten stronger in my legs, my lungs are better and my heart is stronger.
Obviously my biggest issue is weight, which I am working on.
Ride them and you will get better.

dr_lha

Good job. I need more hill climbs in my life!

americanrecluse

Yesterday I was doing a neighborhood stroll - just cutting through neighborhoods I'm unfamiliar with (found a park with workout equipment less than a mile from home!), and I got to a spot where I could lean right and take a gentle upward slope, or lean left and take a short hard hill. I went left, even though I'm still new at this and uncertain about changing gears. I almost rolled to a stop while still pedaling! But I got to the top of that hill. Good thing it was super short!

PatrickR400

Congratulations and thanks for the inspiration.

Pakiwi

I used to work with a guy who was 6 ft and about 175 lbs, skinny as a rake. He hated hills and would always bypass them. He thought I was crazy the amount of hill climbing I did. Each to their own. Also, he doesn't have to work on losing weigh.