Badger_South wrote:
:: On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 12:34:56 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
:: wrote:
::
::: Badger_South wrote:
::::: On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 10:17:10 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
::::: wrote:
:::::
:::::: That's so very true! And not blowing up is tricky too, because
:::::: you might not blow up on this hill, but on one that comes along
:::::: many miles later. The affects of climbing a lot of hills on a
:::::: long ride can be cumulative. I would offer that highing in a
:::::: high gear (low cadence) on a lot of hills will hasten the point
:::::: of "blowing up". Also, riding hills at *very* high cadence would
:::::: probably do the same thing.
:::::
::::: My 'goal' is to be able to attack a hill by shifting gears within
::::: the body, which I can do on false flats, but not on hills at this
::::: time.
:::::
::::: What are the characteristics of blowing up? Guess I'll know it
::::: when it happens, lol.
:::
::: Well, I've blow up twice by my counting. Once when I was doing
::: a metric century and was foolish enough to try to race some little
::: guy up a longish hill. I was in granny gear, but pedaling my heart
::: out. My HR maxed on that climb and stay there for a good while. I
::: was huffing and puffing the entire time. I made that hill. But
::: the problem was the hill kept coming and even though I didn't race
::: up the other ones, but legs eventually started cramping up on me.
::: I had to quit at mile 50 with about 3400 feet of elevation gain.
::: The second time was just a couple of weeks ago on my first century.
::: I got to mile 80 with about 4400 ft of elevation gain. I was
::: smarter this time as I didn't try to beat it up any hills, but they
::: just got the better of me in the end. And I was drinking gatoraid
::: and eating carbs the entire time. I hope to do these rides again
::: next year without "blowing up."
::
:: Right, I recall these. But your blowing up with the cramps sitch was
:: probably due to dehydration and/or loss of sodium and potassium
:: wouldn't you think?
::

Maybe the first time, but I find it hard to imagine that being the case the
second time. I was drinkig gator juice like crazy.

:: I might end up putting this to the test today, b/c I have scheduled
:: a 2 mile climb on a 3-4% grade, which is longer than any hill I've
:: tried so far.

Do it 5 or 6 times in a row...maybe that will get you there (NOT).