foehn

I just got back from a ride to a meeting and got up the 1.5 mile hill to my house in just under 20 minutes, actual ride time. If anyone has ridden Sapphire street in Alta Loma/Rancho Cucamonga from 19th street to Hillside, do you know the grade?

This is the same hill that used to take me 35-40+ minutes a year ago--and that was ride time and I was stopping to rest quite frequently, 'cuz I felt like I was going to die.

I never thought I could get up it so quick. Now I feel like I am getting somewhere!

What are your personal milestones?

bikenutr2000

Great Job. It feels good when you can see a big difference. Keep up the good work. Where I live it's mostly flat so I don't have any big hills to use as reference. I just use average speed, and how I feel to judge my progress.
I will keep getting easier!

foehn

I think I am going to start taking average speeds only across hills, not directly up or down them. Those uphills are what's keeping my average sooooo low.

bikenutr2000

Hills will do that, they will suck the air out of your lungs and cause your legs to burn without mercy. Once you get comfortable taking average speeds across hills you will start checking your speed up the hill out of curiosity, then the obsession begins because you will continually see improvements and it will become a sickness you can't get away from. It's a great feeling.

Since last year you have cut your time in half, I am convinced from reading this post that you can cut your time more then you thought possible, it just takes a small commitment and you will improve beyond your imagination. The only way you won't improve is if you quit, and I don't see you as a quitter.

foehn

Thankyou for your words of encouragement!

Some one at a local bike shop asked me "why?" when I mentioned that I alternated hill days with distance days. I told him that first the hills are unavoidable and second I need the work and third I don't want to always be driving my car to go biking.

I already know that my cadence is up and I can up my speed/gear for longer portions of the climb. My motto is "just keep plugging away". I feel good for any improvement and there are many to be considered: upping cadence, upping gears, upping speed, standing pedaling, stopping/not stopping, breath control and the list can go on.

I think my biggest improvement is the way my knees feel after a ride: tight, strong and ready to go. I also really enjoy the physical buzz I get afterwards. I went out on this particular ride not to conquer the hill but because my legs were getting antsy, which means the muscles were wanting to be exercised; I went out and look what happened! Cool.

I guess a long term goal would be to be able to chase my husband up the hill, first when he is coming home from his commute and then when he is fresh. . . and I need to drag that trailer out and start making runs to the store on my bike!

Avalanche325

What would be really cool is to not tell him about it. Get an idea of how fast he is up that hill. When you are ready, suprise him by meeting him at the bottom on his way home. Get on his wheel for a while and then smoke him near the top.

Way to go on that improvement.

bikenutr2000

It is only going to get better. That's a great goal to shoot for and you can be there before you know it. When you hear him say holy s**t under his breath as you pull up- next to him, without breathing hard will make it all worth it.

It's good that you are riding the hills and flats, they both have something different to offer and will compliment each other in your overall riding performance. Oh yea, that buzz feeling your getting is a clear sign that you hit a level in cycling where there is no turning back, enjoy the journey.