The mind of a climber

[MattTuck]

I may never be a great climber. I weigh more than I should. I have bad genes. My VO2max and threshold power are tiny. My bike is too heavy. I have a triple.

But I still ride hills, I enjoy the views at the top, and the sense of accomplishment in conquering a hill, I relish moving from 98th to 97th out of 99 on a strava leaderboard. I like the pain and the focus required to top a good climb. I like the strange feeling of exerting huge amounts of energy and still only going 6mph. Everything else seems to melt away, just you and the road.

Yeah, if I lost weight I'd go up faster, and I could train more to do them quicker, but why?

I may never be a great climber, but maybe I have the mind of climber.

[norcalbiker]

:hello: ;)

[FlashUNC]

Anytime I'm on a really big climb, my thought process usually goes like this:

On the way up:
"HOLY F&*(&*(& THIS IS STEEP!"

"GOOD GOD THIS HURTS."

"WHY AM I AN IDIOT?"

"THIS SPORT IS STUPID. THIS IS ALL STUPID. I AM STUPID."

"IF I JUST THREW THIS BIKE IN THE DITCH RIGHT NOW AND WALKED BACK DOWN, HOW LONG UNTIL SOMEONE CAN PICK ME UP?"

At the top:

"That wasn't too bad. Nice climb."

I've also been known to rather loudly curse whatever engineers designed the roads I'm climbing up. I'm not proud of it, but it happens.

[MattTuck]

"THIS SPORT IS STUPID. THIS IS ALL STUPID. I AM STUPID."


Yeah, I've had that too. It's sorta like, "This is something that I do for FUN? :eek:"

I was on a an early morning climb recently, literally cutting back and forth across the road. Every time I was going perpendicular to the hill, I had the chance to just point the bike down-hill, give up, catch my breath and coast for a while. My mind said no, but my body said yes. My mind won.

[ofcounsel]

Anytime I'm on a really big climb, my thought process usually goes like this:

On the way up:
"HOLY F&*(&*(& THIS IS STEEP!"

"GOOD GOD THIS HURTS."

"WHY AM I AN IDIOT?"

"THIS SPORT IS STUPID. THIS IS ALL STUPID. I AM STUPID."

"IF I JUST THREW THIS BIKE IN THE DITCH RIGHT NOW AND WALKED BACK DOWN, HOW LONG UNTIL SOMEONE CAN PICK ME UP?"

At the top:

"That wasn't too bad. Nice climb."

I've also been known to rather loudly curse whatever engineers designed the roads I'm climbing up. I'm not proud of it, but it happens.

So perfect! :) Had to steal the quotes and put them on my facebook page.

[GRAVELBIKE]

Hills hurt.
Couches kill.

[William]

I hear you! But the reward is the descent down the other side!!:banana:





William

[fiamme red]

Hills hurt.
Couches kill.How about climbing a hill on a couch? :)

http://www.bikeforest.com/cb/index.php

http://www.bikeforest.com/cb/drive_thru_couch1.jpg

http://www.bikeforest.com/cb/cruising_on_the_couchbike1.jpg

[William]

How does that handle on single track?:confused:





William

[fiamme red]

How does that handle on single track?:confused:





WilliamUnfortunately, not very well.

http://www.bikeforest.com/cb/cb10.php

While the Confederation Trail provided a welcome respite from traffic, that freedom came at a tremendous cost. The Confederation Trail regularly crisscrosses roads and highways. At each crossing, barricades have been erected to keep cars and trucks from accessing the trail. A narrow gap remains open for pedestrians and cyclists to squeeze through. Unfortunately, the visionaries that established this wonderful corridor never accounted for what some cyclists would be lugging along with them. As a result, upwards of twenty times a day, we would engage in the task of dismantling our bicycle, lifting it over the barricade, carrying it across the road and reassembling it on the other side of the second barricade. We got to be pretty good at this. Occasionally we would time ourselves. Five minutes was typical. That certainly must have put us up there with the best of the voyageur moving companies of old. Wherever possible though, we would strive to avoid these dreaded portages. Sometimes it was simple. Sometimes we could just ride up onto a grassy lawn and skirt the gate. Other times, it was a little more sketchy. A trench or a small bush might cause us to stop and weigh our options. Unseen swamps and thorns would often make us regret our cavalier ways. http://www.bikeforest.com/cb/couch_move1.jpg

http://www.bikeforest.com/cb/couch_in_the_swamp1.jpg

[tiretrax]

Climbing can be painful, but descending is sublime. I climb so I can descend.

Love the loveseat bike. Does it come with a refrigerator accessory?

[eddief]

I was all over the map. Sometimes thinking why choose this form of recreation. Stometimes thinking damn I am strong like ox. Sometimes thinking do those 7 lbs I lost really make a difference. Sometimes thinking this is a great activity compared to working. Sometimes joking with and complaining to my riding buddies. All over the map.

[tlittlefield]

Hills build character :)

[sc53]

The "steepest" hills I ride on in my area last 3/10 mile max. Still everyone is complaining and wanting a way around the hills. I do stuff like start counting my pedal strokes and realizing "once I get to 100 I will be at the top." That gets it over with pretty quick. This summer in Montana I did a 6% grade at 7-8 mph for 2 1/2 hours straight. I was enormously pleased with myself!
I wish I were a better, stronger climber, but at least I don't whine and search for a detour around a .3 mile long hill.

[ofcounsel]

Climbing can be painful, but descending is sublime. I climb so I can descend.



Funny, I kind of dread the descending. I can descend quickly, and the speed itself doesn't freak me out. But in the back of my mind I always think there's not a lot of protection offered by my Lycra in the event I have a blow out and go down at 35+mph. Funny I never feel that way on my MTB though.

[sc53]

i worry about small furry animals or large ones like deer on descents. Or a pothole in a shadow of the road. I am a chicken, so I put on the brakes.

[Aaron_Kellogg]

Funny, I kind of dread the descending. I can descend quickly, and the speed itself doesn't freak me out. But in the back of my mind I always think there's not a lot of protection offered by my Lycra in the event I have a blow out and go down at 35+mph. Funny I never feel that way on my MTB though.

This is exactly why it's so fun. Pushing the envelope. So awesome.

[MattTuck]

Funny, I kind of dread the descending. I can descend quickly, and the speed itself doesn't freak me out. But in the back of my mind I always think there's not a lot of protection offered by my Lycra in the event I have a blow out and go down at 35+mph. Funny I never feel that way on my MTB though.

MTB descending doesn't give you time to think about anything, except picking your line. Road cycling gives you plenty of time (because it is generally smooth and open and not too hard on your body) to think about things like your equipment failing and safety.

[SoulCycle]

Telling yourself you are a climber is a good start to becoming a better climber. I tell myself I love climbing (I really do!!) and I love descending, so I'm constantly getting better. It does hurt though while climbing...but the suffering and the attrition is a sport in itself.:cool:

[cnighbor1]

I love to climb the views at times are great. And at my maximum speed of 6 mph I can look around and enjoy the views going up. Down need to concerate on road so not much viewing but at time one can slow down and enjoy views
Once out of the mountains it can get very boring. One can see miles ahead and views tend to be dull Unless your looking at mountains your about to climb

Just did my 20 minute flat to Mt diablo than 65 minutes of climbing to 2500' elev. than down than 40 minutes flat time trailing to whole foods and fancy Pizza than home ride than jump in pool and some labs 35miles and 3;15 hours including lunch time
Charles

[beeatnik]

Climbing is not fun. That's my mantra to hold the wheels of dudes who can average 19mph on 5% grades. I guess I'm a climber.

Sprinting is more fun.

[rugbysecondrow]

Don't cheat your body.

I love riding hills and I actually do alright at it. I like the drive, the effort, the hurt, the victory. I, frankly, care less about the descent.

I picture Walter Payton running his infamous hill when I climb.

Is that the mind of a climb? Works for.

[DRietz]

Am I one of the few kids that actually enjoys it while he's climbing?

I find no greater satisfaction than making my lungs burn going up a hill. I find even greater satisfaction on long passes, where my mind just numbs and all I can do is take in the scenery and go even faster.

Makes me itchy for a ride...

[illuminaught]

I love to climb!
My rides average 200m of elevation per 10km.

[jlwdm]

...

Yeah, if I lost weight I'd go up faster, and I could train more to do them quicker, but why?
.....
.

Depending on what you weigh the weight loss could be valuable in many ways - not just faster climbing.

Jeff

[jazznap]

Maybe I'm odd, but I find climbing rides easier than flat rides. On flat rides, I always feel like I'm not going fast enough so I push the pace harder and end up with an overall harder workload over the course of the ride.

On climbs, I pick a pace that I'm comfortable with and just spin out the climb (for climbs under 10%; anything over is always work) knowing that I'll get to recover when I hit the top. Effort just varies depending upon length of the climb (e.g. 1-13 miles).

[dougdye]

That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[MattTuck]

Depending on what you weigh the weight loss could be valuable in many ways - not just faster climbing.

Jeff

Jeff,

Not debating that at all. It is something I'm working on. But I think the point of my original post was that being a climber has more to do with the relationship between you and the hill, not how fast you climb it...

[northbend]

Jeff,
I think the point of my original post was that being a climber has more to do with the relationship between you and the hill, not how fast you climb it...

Yes!

[poff]

I am climbing this on my daily commute
http://app.strava.com/segments/522461
it is often a pain but hopefully it makes me sronger...

[MattTuck]

I am climbing this on my daily commute
http://app.strava.com/segments/522461
it is often a pain but hopefully it makes me sronger...

That is a gnarly climb for a commute! I hope they have showers where you work. Nice!

[bambam]

MattTuck,

I to love climbing hills. I tend to look around at the others and wonder why most of them have their heads down. Most just want to know when its over where as I like to look up and anticipate the view from the top wondering when I'll get there.

Climbing is not about speed but attitude and you've got the right one. Thanks for your post.

[cloudguy]

I'm also a lover of climbing. 90% of my rides are in the hills around Boulder and during the summer, I probably average around 13,000 ft per week. Riding flats is boring to me and I dread the thought of ever living somewhere flat like Florida. You can't hide on a climb and its always clear where your fitness is at, plus the effects of weight loss (and better health) are immediately obvious. One of the best choices I've ever made was to switch to 32 in the back - yeah, I'm not fast, but spinning in an easier gear as definitely allowed me to go faster than ever before. Thank God for mountains and hills.

[benitosan1972]

I'm a climber, it makes me feel accomplished looking at the city from the top of the mountain, puts life in perspective... plus it gets the blood moving, lungs opened, and the muscles burning... that's good... it also allows me to eat like a pig from the calories burned. I don't feel like I've really ridden until I've climbed a hill to break a sweat. Plus, the flats are inner-city for me, hills takes me to the peaceful & pretty mountains and country lanes around San Jose, Woodside, and Santa Cruz.

Also to reference that video: "I am a cyclist, I like to feel excruciating pain."

[geoffkaplan]

Anytime I'm on a really big climb, my thought process usually goes like this:

On the way up:
"HOLY F&*(&*(& THIS IS STEEP!"

"GOOD GOD THIS HURTS."

"WHY AM I AN IDIOT?"

"THIS SPORT IS STUPID. THIS IS ALL STUPID. I AM STUPID."

"IF I JUST THREW THIS BIKE IN THE DITCH RIGHT NOW AND WALKED BACK DOWN, HOW LONG UNTIL SOMEONE CAN PICK ME UP?"

At the top:

"That wasn't too bad. Nice climb."

I've also been known to rather loudly curse whatever engineers designed the roads I'm climbing up. I'm not proud of it, but it happens.

so you are that voice in my head.

[benitosan1972]

The voice in my head sounds like James Earl Jones

[bambam]

My head voices are usually cadence related.
Fast to slow:
1. kids chorus with "Ice -Cream"
2. kids chorus with "Milk-Shake"
3. kids chorus with "Cheese-Burger"
4. Cookie Moster with "Coo-Kie"
usually.

[cnighbor1]

At times when climbing gets a bit tough I count say revolutions on left leg
then 10 on right. And repeat a few times 40 to 60 revolutions even in clibing gears is a longs ways. Than I just pedal a ways that do above again just a trick to keep the body moving forward at a reasonable speed 6mph for me
Than DO NOT RIDE SEATED all the way
TT riders tend to sit a lot when Tt,ing. This will results in your legs muscels shorting resulting in less ability to climb. So after a few trips to a threapist and working on those muscels my climbing skills came back
what i do is get off saddle for say ten revolutions and push my heel down at bottom of stroke to keep those muscels sreached out.

[benitosan1972]

Visualize, breath, count, chant, meditate, sit, stand, spin, grind, swear, smile... just get up there somehow, and you'll feel grrreat :)