Uphill

[leftcider]

Does anyone have any physical, mental, or spiritual advice on how to best battle those seemingly endless uphills?  Any tips would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!
-Steve

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

27 speeds, patience and a tailwind. Just remember to pace yourself, don't be afraid to take a break or walk if need be. Also remember that what goes up must go down, eventually.

Ride safe,
Hans

Hans Erdman, WEMT
Backcountry Trail Patrol
www.trailpatrol.org

[dombrosk]

Last summer I did a few mountain ascents in the rockies for the first time, and found it a very different experience than the sharp bluff climbs we get here in Minnesota.  I like your question, because for me it was mostly a mental challenge, and much less about leg muscles (although they are pretty important).  
One thing that helps me is to use the same thought that helps me shovel out from a heavy Minnesota spring snowstorm: every little shovel full is one step closer to being done, so just think about what's in the shovel now, and not worry about how much is left to shovel.
On a pass climb, I tried to avoid looking too far ahead, and worked on a sustainable pace, even if it was only 3 or 4 miles an hour.  Eventually I got to the top, and then I looked down to the valley, and just like a shovelled driveway, said to myself, "I did that?"

[Jackalope]

Best advice... keep pedaling!!  

Personally, I have a radio I'll crank up during alot of climbs.  I enjoy the challenge of a climb so it's usually not a problem.  If you can look at it in some positive light, think about the ride down, or the view from summit or how hard you're working to do what you love, it seems to make it all instantly worth it and not as hard as it seems.  

I think my favorite hills were in the Ozarks along the TransAm.  A great physical/ mental challenge.  I loved it.  Have fun!

[TonyTourer]

When I started touring I did a ride across the Pyrenees.  I was not really fit enough, but I was determined.  In the second week we reached the Col du Tourmalet.  With a 20 km climb the Col du Tourmalet seemed endless, steep and exposed.

Having ehausted options of changing down gears and slowing down, I put the top out of my mind and resorted to telling myself I could get to the next white stripe in the the road.  The stripes were only a few feet apart.

Eventually there were no more white stripes & I had reached the top.

[perpster]

Sometimes I get psyched up by the sound of a car approaching from the rear. I sort of say to myself "you don't want them to see you walking up this hill" or "I wonder how they feel burning fossil fuel to go up this hill while I burn fat and get in shape".

It also helps not to think of the whole hill. Think of it in short segments. As you make it to the end of successive segments you'll be nearly to the top without realizing it.

Also, I used to get psyched out because I hated going slow on a bike. But I hate walking up a hill more!

Hope this helps.

Perp

This message was edited by perpster on 7-2-04 @ 4:52 PM

[perpster]

Oh yeah, forgot something else.

I try to stay on the middle chaingring up front for as long as possible and save the smallest ring for when I'm running out of gas. It seems easier to knock the chain down that way than have to shift the rears to a larger cog without losing your cadence. I find losing cadence due to a bad shift is a mega-bummer going uphill (and too prone to causing a strain injury).

[annimaver]

i have been commuting one day a week to work up and over a mountain pass, 15 miles up coming from one side, 7 miles coming from the other (a total of 70 miles roundtrip).  i do have to psych myself up for the long grind, and i just try to remind myself to relax and enjoy the sights and not to worry about how slow i'm going. finally decided i needed some motivating songs to float through my head, and laugh about singing "climb every mountain" and "the hills are alive with the sound of music" from the sound of music movie.  the songs work both to take my mind off the grind and to keep me laughing at myself.

i live in the mountains so have climbs no matter what ride i do, so it's been a two decade quest to make my peace with climbing.  i envy people like the tour de france riders that can power up at 15 to 20 mph!  for me it's a long, slow meditation on patience.

anni