What a workout!!!
 

I have a good budy, who is quite the rider. I am just getting to the point where my base miles for the season are in, and have been looking for tips for getting more strength/speed. Of course he recommended various forms of intervals, but suggested I not start them for a little bit. However, he did suggest a pseudo-interval on a route near my home.

I started off with the 5 mile ride to where this particular loop starts, at a nice slow pace, to get warmed up. Got to the starting point, which is a nice flat road along a canal. For 2 miles, I pushed it at a moderate+ effort (got my HR up around 165-170). After 2 miles, I took a turn off the main road, and did a 300' climb over a 1 mile distance, keeping my HR at 170+. By the time I got to the top, I was really feeling it.. this is where the rest came in. I then did a 1.5 mile section which was flat at the top of the ridge, and then a 1.5 mile descent, all at around 130-140bpm. This popped me out at the start point (a nice 6mile loop). I repated this two more times, pushing on the flats by the canal, climbing the ridge, then recovering along the top of the ridge, and on the descent. I gotta say, it was one heck of a workout.. Anyone else do any similar work? I have a feeling if I do this once or twice a week, it should really improve my hill abilities!!

The only way to get good at hills is to ride hills. Interval workouts are a great way to build aerobic capacity. Your body quickly learns how to recover from the harder sections of your workout.

the best way to do intervals is to ride on the road with cars everywhere. you will sprint at every green, rest at every red :)

sd