Most of my cycling has been done in a flat part of the world (Manitoba). I spent 13 years there, riding into headwinds, but not climbing hills.

Even though I moved a little over 5 years ago into a hillier area, and am now living in a very hilly area, I still have a lot of trouble climbing hills ... and I still prefer flat ground and headwinds to hills.

Does hill climbing ever reach a point where ...

-- your heart stops sinking every time you see another hill in the distance
-- your stomach stops going into knots as you approach the hill
-- your legs stop turning to jello a short distance up the climb
-- your lungs stop feeling like they are going to climb out of your body and die in the ditch
-- your heart stops beating so fast and hard that the entire left side of your chest aches
-- your body stops being in pain?

Does hill climbing ever become as easy as riding on flat ground? Can a person climb a hill without undo effort?

Gradual hills with a low grade (say, 2% or so) aren't much different from a headwind. Those I can do. But the steeper a hill gets, the worse it is, and the more likely I'll just give it up and walk.


Yeah, I know ... practice. And I am. I'm riding hills pretty much every time I go out. But will there actually come a time when I can just comfortably zip up a hill?