I've been debating with myself whether or not to include this blog but the point is that we're a diverse group and there may be others out there feeling the same way.
Last Saturday I decided that Rach's advice on riding Mt Stromlo and Red Hill in daylight before training on them was an excellent idea and I would head off and give them a go. All keen and feeling confident because I'd had a couple of good commuter rides with a new compact cassette on board I headed off. I also took the advice on board that you should really drive the hills you are attempting for the first time so you have an idea of just what you're in for.
Arriving at Stromlo I started the drive up thinking, yep this looks ok. I figured I could get to 1/4-1/2 way up with a fair bit of effort, remembering of course that I'm coming back from a base level of fitness of zero! But as I progressed up the hill my spirits sank. There are some quite sharp turns further up that made my back ache just looking at them. I continued up to the KOM sign thinking the last 1/4 of the ride just got more intense. :(
I know I have to ride within my current limitations, it just sucks to be impatient.... So rather than waste the morning I went and did a couple of Yarralumla Loops, which I improved on so that was a bit encouraging.
I've wondered since if I should've just gotten on the bike and had a go, but if I'd gotten into trouble I could've wobbled into one of the tourist cars driving up. My core and back strength is still building, but it's slow.
So where to from here? More commuting as I can feel my back and core strengthing as I do it. Back to Yarralumla to test improvement and work from there. My debate on blogging this was that this is really just my issue but I remembered that a couple of the skillez girls were anxious on the downhill run on the Federation Mall circuit, so in comparison Mt Stromlo would seem out of reach for them too.
I want to keep working on this so any interested training companions are welcome and all advice on how to reach my new goal of 'Ride Mt Stromlo!' are welcome.
And I commuted to work yesterday in the ridiculous cold, so feeling a bit hardcore after that!
Cherrie.
Well done for posting, Cherrie. Confidence is one of the key parts of cycling and I'm sure you're not alone in feeling a little out of your depth in some of the climbs. And feel legitimate in that - Stromlo is actually a mountain after all! :-)
ReplyDeleteBut for what it's worth - Stromlo is actually not so bad when riding it (which basically means going slower so the gradient increases seem less significant). The gradient never gets really high and when it does jack up a bit, it eases back off again relatively quickly so you can recover.
For me, when feeling daunted by a ride / climb, the only real way to progress from such feelings is to get out and do the ride. I've found that people who have more familiarity with the particular route / climb are really valuable in these situations, as they can ride up beside you and tell you what to expect (eg, "OK, the gradient picks up a little bit here, but will ease off again just around the corner" so you know that if you push a bit for a short while you'll have a chance to recover). I'd love to come out with you one weekend and do Stromlo together if that would help?
But yes, commuting to work in -8 is definitely hard core! (Once you've done your first Stromlo, you'll realise that commuting in -8 is way more hardcore than Stromlo!). :-)
Great post Cherrie! Let's work on going out for a couple of skillez hill rides, I'll come with you, we will go nice and slow and build up to Mt Stromlo by starting on something a bit smaller.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a bit daunting when you first start out, climbing real hills is TOTALLY different to commuting so it is a new thing to take your time learning. And you completed the drill in the sense that I suggested it, which was to just get out there and see what you think of it, and now we know where you are at and what to do next.
Thats what i love about cycling, you just do each new bit at a time - you don't have to go from zero to hero in an instant.
Your thinking about doing it a bit at a time is good too, the first section is good for that - but we will find something smaller and work together. I'll be free next saturday if that works.
Also, a really important point for what I like to call "Bike-xiety" riding anything which is brand new always adds a significant element of fear that makes you tense up and actually makes you feel a bit less strong than you really are. But the good news is the second and third time on the same route/hill - you'll do heaps better, simply because you wont be afraid.
Case in point, I rode the CU loop for the first time ever a week before the Amy Gillett ride, and I was knackered by the end and had an asthma/panic attack climbing Mt Mac.
But a week later, simply because I knew what was around each corner - I did
TWO laps and even beat Chris Knez to the finish(and almost beat DaveP too until I accidentally took a wrong turn at the end :P).
So that should give you some idea of the difference a little confidence can make. and also, - Hot Tip, don't ever follow me in races as I have a tendency to go the wrong way!
I agree with Rach and Lisa, while the gradient on Stromlo is never too steep (it’s more that the hill goes on forever) there is nothing better than having someone with you the first time you go up a mountain. The first time I went up Red Hill was with Dave P on a norman, the first time up Stromlo was with Rach and the first time up Black Mountain was with Brad...I am yet to go up Ainslie. I think it really does give you the confidence to go up with someone else, they can offer advice and support, and sometimes it doesn't hurt to have the mentality of 'I have to keep going, I don't want to have to say I can’t do it' to another person especially when it looks like they are finding it so easy. Not that you shouldn’t stop if you’re body is hurting.
ReplyDeleteI must admit though I had not driven these 3 mountains before riding them, while I had gone up to Black Mountain and Red Hill before, it was a couple of years before attempting to ride them, and for me that worked, because I had absolutely no idea what was ahead of me and thought every bend had to be the last and worked much harder than if I had actually known the road. I'm not sure that is good advice for everyone, but it definitely works for me.
Also hill climbing is HARD and if your body is not ready for it, don't push it. Stick to working on the Yarralumla loop, adding an extra one each week or working harder each time.
Good luck!