Originally Posted by
colombo357
The hill you're trying to attack just happens to be perfect for the intervals you should be doing.
Climb it on the hardest gear you can push without having to downshift, and repeat 3-5X with 3-5 minute breaks in between (the descent alone should be enough for recovery). Too much recovery will hamper your progress.
And don't say you're "already in very good shape" because clearly you're not nearly as fast as your buddy. Lose this mentality or you won't improve.
I know I need to improve, and equally important is that I want to improve. I only mention that I am already in good shape because climbing hills more, or doing hills everyday is not targeted enough for someone like me, I do that anyway (I am only saying this so that the advice is more targeted to my situation and not a newbie).
Thanks for the advice. I was never too sure as how to long or often my hill repeats should be. Is about seven minutes a standard recommended climb for repeats?