Northern California - Los Gatos Racing Club guys - wow fast

Got passed by some guys with the Los Gatos Racing Club this past weekend on Old La Honda Road.

By the time I was up (23ish or so humbling minutes), one of the dudes who just passed me at the end shouted out 18:30!

The scary part is that I was passed by 2 other guys in the club nearly a minute beforehand. Yikes!

I think these guys could beat me pedaling with one leg!

I set a PR faster than 18:30 at the Low Key Hill Climb and still "lost" by more than 2 minutes.

The only real competition (unless you're pro or semi-pro) is between yourself and yourself a month ago. You can't control the other guys, you just have to work honestly towards your own potential.

I climbed old la honda for the first time last week. Although i didn't time it, I'm certain my time was nowhere near 18 minutes, nowhere near 20, or nowhere even close to 30? In fact, I turned off my computer to ensure i enjoyed every agonizing second of it. Now that the novelty wore off, I will be climbing it as part of my twice per week ride.

I got to pass some, I was passed by several. I figured there will always be someone faster, and there will alway be someone slower. I like being in the middle.

After Climbing OLH, we climbed Tunitas Creek. Now that dwarf OLH and was a real biatch.

Waitaminute...you rode up Old La Honda? I thought that road was only one-way going downhill! :D Ye gods, man! Be happy that you made it!

For reference, last weekend I rode up Moody to Page Mill and near puked my guts out (second time that happened, BTW). No watch or computer, so I don't really know how long it took...but it took every minute of it, that's for damn skippy...

..and yes yes yes, I know, I need to HTFU, thankyouverymuch...

And it never gets easier.

Most decent amateur racers have broken 20 minutes on OLH. Eric Heiden (ice skater guy who used to live on that road) claims to have broken 15 minutes.

Most decent amateur racers have broken 20 minutes on OLH. Eric Heiden (ice skater guy who used to live on that road) claims to have broken 15 minutes.

And what kind of beef did he eat?

And Spanish beef doesn't count


And what kind of beef did he eat?

And it never gets easier.

I disagree, anecdotally.

My experience was that as I got faster, efforts (on hills) got both shorter (in duration) and easier to bear (maximal level of exertion). Maybe there are guys out there who push so hard it hurts worse, but I feel like as you train to exceed your capacity, you get "used" to the feeling of being anaerobic.

ymmv though.

Most decent amateur racers have broken 20 minutes on OLH. Eric Heiden (ice skater guy who used to live on that road) claims to have broken 15 minutes.
And what kind of beef did he eat?

According to this guy (http://djconnel.blogspot.com/2009/07/contador-on-verbier.html), theoretical Contador would do it in 12:22. And he says it's actually been done in under 14 minutes by Eric Wohlberg.