RedC

I rode the hills in Clermont, Fl (which is pretty much the only hills we have in Florida) and I climbed 3118 ft which is nothing compared to the posts Mr Beanz makes all the time and while I did better than I ever did before I still suck at hills! I hate all the skinny people who passed me with their 120lb bodies and their 20 something year old selves and even more I hate the big old guys who still were able to pass me.

I've been reading from Beanz how to do it all year and while I made it to the top of some hills I walked last year I still had to walk some and stop and puff and wheeze some. Some of the issue is strength and preparation, I need to ride more distance rides I was strong for about 40 miles (which is the length of most of my rides) but some of it was strategy, I got to some places in too high and gear. I understand the difficulty of getting this 70 year old body is shape but I hate it when I screw up 'cause I'm just not as smart as Mom had hoped What really is pathetic is that I'm already planning to do it again next year, some folks just never learn and while it's really painful going up the hills, going down is such a rush

Mr. Beanz

Ha ha ha! Sounds like a win to me since you completed the ride and conquered the hills you've walked in the past.

Pretty sure you know your mistakes by now so I bet you kick your PR's butt all over the place next year. Lots of hills and lots of distance make the hilly centuries much better. I see you've already figured that out. Not to mention you are following the pattern of those who do well on these rides....... "Struggle, say never again, then once it's over, I'm in for next year"

Figure not all these riders did that well their first time and the big guys that past you, you've already learned what you just learned. You'll be that big guy passing riders next year!

RedC

Actually when I finally got to the finish line the bike had been "For Sale" for the last five miles But after I got the bike back on the car and got something to eat and rested a little I started thinking about next year. I have to come on here and post because non-cyclists just wouldn't understand that level of insanity

Mr. Beanz

........................Then it wasn't all that bad cause mine was 3 times in the last 5 miles.

PhotoJoe 

RedC - Congrats. You got "encouraged" (read: he bullied your ego! ) by Beanz into doing a ride that you normally wouldn't think you could do. He is the MASTER at that, and we have a whole group of "not 120 lbs." riders who have conquered a beast to show for it. Nice work. And he's right, you'll do even better next year. And who cares about those pesky little whipper-snappers who pass you like you're standing still. You know what they were all thinking? "Dang, hope I'm still climbing when I'm 70!" I assure you that you encouraged them just by being there. Can't wait to hear the stories from next year!

jsigone

I had that feeling on for one of my bikes, actually I banished it to the garage for like a yr before I rode it again. Learned never take a singlespeed 48x18 gearing to Palomar Mts's Pie ride, 75 miles 8kft of gain. Good thing I had another bike to ride while the SS was in banishment

Mr. Beanz

Yeah really! 70 is amazing just being on the bike even for a twiggy 120 pounder.

PJ is right! I, well we got quite a few clydes up the mountain. So may riders think I am a conceited arrogant SOB when I say they should be doing the climbs. Then once they do them, they realize just how doable they are. Suddenly to them I'm not that arrogant SOB they once thought I was. Can't say they love me but they don't seem to mind me as much, I think.

Only wish I had some of those "I can't do it"... "it'll never happen"...."you don't know what you're talking about" type riders around here tso that we could drag their arses up the hill!

Thanks for your report! You have now become an inspiration and model for riders in the Clyde forum! ....and old one at that!

I mean that in a good way.

RedC

I just started riding a road bike 4 years ago and am fortunate to have a couple of friends who are experienced riders and have been teaching me to ride better. One of them is in his early sixties and whistles when he climbs. When we had our Labor Day event I overheard a couple of younger rides complain that this fat old man passed them whistling up the hill I said yes that's my friend Charlie, and that whistle gets on your nerves doesn't it? But I am 35lbs lighter than last year and that helps a lot. Hopefully I can get down another 30lbs before next year

eja_ bottecchia

Here you go:

https://www.active.com/cycling/Articl...er_Climber.htm

Good advice.

Good luck.

kinetic

I think that regularly as well, and I'm not in my 20's or 120lbs. It's just one of those life goals.......good on ya for sticking with it and not giving up. Success isnt always measured by speed, KOM's, or distance- but you know that already or you wouldnt still be at it.

Dad 2 3

Congrats on the hilly century. I hope I'm still able to ride a bit when I'm 70!!

PhotoJoe 

I think this could be appropriate:

Mr. Beanz

..................


Reminds me, I saw some dude wearing a tshirt the other day. Said "If you have haters, means you're doing something right".

Also the reason I have the signature I posted. These are words from a wise friend who cleared me of my forum demons couple years back.

PhotoJoe 

True, dat!

bbeasley

Congrats on your accomplishment!

I did a similar, from an elevation POV, century earlier this year. On one of the hills I was about to give up and I invoked Mr. Beanz to get me over the top. I imagined him and Gina rolling by saying "You call this a hill? HaHaHaHaHa... get over this hill or I'll post video on BF".

Congrats again, Mr Beanz motivates from coast to coast.

Mr. Beanz

Bwahahaha!

Hey, but you did it!

TrojanHorse

Maybe a jersey idea?

Is that piling on?

Sayre Kulp 

I'll see you there next year!

LiamSkymom

Way to go on your ride. Did you make it up Sugarloaf? One of these days I'm going to get over their and ride up it, but I need some more training on my small Pasco Hernando hills first.

RedC

I was strong up Hospital, and Scrub/jay but I walked part of Sugar loaf I think I could have made it if it were earlier that's why I plan to train more at distances next year. Most of my rides are at 40 miles or so and I began to run out of gas after 50. Next year I will do more metrics before the event

rm -rf

Here's someone's gps recording: Horrible Hundred 2012, showing 4300 feet of climbing. Drag a section of the red elevation graph to zoom in on just that part of the ride, and check out the Metrics tab at the right side.

I didn't know that Florida had hills like this. Sugarloaf is pretty steep. 200 feet of elevation, average grade 7.6%, with a max about 10%. And it's at mile 80 of the ride.

LiamSkymom

You still did an awesome job and it is pretty steep for Florida.

RedC

Some people are just more fun to hate than others!