Mr. Beanz

Well, it's the training and gains in fitness that allow you to recover on a climb. You are strong enough and fit enough so that you can slow the pace and relax your breathing. You make these kinds of gains and improvements while training on the climbs. That's why I so strongly suggest Clydes attack the climbs. Not attack at high speeds but attack as in keep trying, come back next week and try again. Don't wuss out, it hurts but try it again attacks.

I can recover climbing because I've done the work. If I struggle, I slow my pace and concentrate on breathing. If I hit a short 30 yard flat section, I ease the pace to recover rather than sprint on the easy section. It makes a difference in the end.

Now if you are a weak climber, you won't understand what I am saying because all your effort will be trying to keep yourself upright. The only way to lose the weak in your climbing is to attack long climbs. You will get stronger, more fit and you will understand. If you live your life avoiding the hills you will never see that gain and believe me, its a BIG gain and advantage!

As an example I will use Gina. If we don't climb for some time she loses the advantage. She's struggling so I tell her to back of half a step and relax, control her breathing. She says she can't. Why? Because her fitness is down and if she slow the pedals, she comes to a stop.

Now after 3 or 4 times of making the climb/trying the climb/working at the climb...she does much better. Her pedal stroke is so much smoother, body is relaxed. If she starts to struggle I tell he to back off half a step and she does while still maintaining her forward movement. She';; be the first to tell you ,working on the climbs is a plus. When we are done, I always point out to her how much smoother her stroke is and how much more relaxed she is when we practice the climbs. She agrees then goes down to the flats and kicks butt.

Now I say above "climb/trying the climb/working at the climb" because not all of us always make the climb. It's the effort that builds the strength and fitness. If you do a mile then have to stop to rest, do so. But get back on and do some more. Go as far as you can because you will roll back down the hill when you are done. Once you get to the bottom, you will tell yourself you wussed out because you know that you could do more.

Once you build up to doing a 3 or 4 mile climb, then do a longer climb. You will gain the fitness I mention that allows you to recover on the climb. If you never do it, never have done it, then you will never know what I am talking about. Once you get to this point, you will tell others why they should invest in climbing. Gina used to hate the climbs (40 yard sections of the trail). Now when I talk about climbing to our buds, she sits there and shakes her head, Yup, yup, yup! Because it works. If a rider avoids this, then he only cheats himself to what he can really achieve as far as riding.