Beaten by a 15 yr old...

[Citius]

I`m fairly fit - can do 10 miles in 25 mins if going hell for leather and have done 100 miles in under 6 hrs (obviously on the flat lol)

If you're 'fairly fit' then don't worry about it and just accept that some other people will always be 'fairly fitter'. But if you want to go up Bealach quicker, you're going to need to be able to hold a higher power output for a longer period of time than you can now.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Oh, I fully accept there are loads out there way better then me, I just want to improve my abilities at going up!

 

[Hacienda71]

Lose some weight. You can hide a few pounds on the flat. Much harder to hide it in the hills.

 

[totallyfixed]

Look, it is impossible to advise via a keyboard without actually seeing you in action so to speak, I coach one of the most successful amateurs in the country in hill climbing and have given advice to many people over the years. Those that have ridden with us will know how we perform in the hills, this is not bragging, it's just what we do. There is a fair chance I will be in Edinburgh on Sat 2nd May and could have a little time to spare.
Two pointers that few people take into account, you have to completely comfortable and at one with your bike and secondly, psychologically there should be no fear of hills, just the opposite, both are important factors.

 

[Hacienda71]

Controlling your inner chimp.

 

[totallyfixed]

Precisely.

 

[Edwardoka]

I wouldn't worry too much about it, a lot of people were beaten by a 15 year old on Saturday! (I suspect that it's not the last we've heard of him.)

I noticed some people who were clearly struggling even on the less steep parts of the Bealach and I imagine they suffered massively when it ramped up.

Controlled breathing, relaxed posture, and relatively high cadence stood me in far greater stead than I could possibly have hoped, although when it ramped up to 19% right before the hairpins, without even a hint of a breeze I ended up overheating and had to stop, ended up losing about 40 places on the climb as a result.

Anyway, don't concentrate on what other people are doing, just do the best you can - and congrats for finishing!

 

[MrGrumpy]

Lose some weight. You can hide a few pounds on the flat. Much harder to hide it in the hills.

LOL that `s me . The OP is 13st and same height as me, what I would give to be 13st :/

 

[ColinJ]

Lose some weight. You can hide a few pounds on the flat. Much harder to hide it in the hills.

Indeed!

I am 6' 1" tall and have lost a lot of weight recently. I used to suffer a lot on the local climbs when I weighed 16+ stone. Getting down to Sunny Portrush's weight (13 stone) made a huge difference. Since then I have lost another stone and at 12 stone, climbing is easier still.

I reckon I need to lose at least another 0.5 stone to be at my fittest. I am a medium build - not massively muscular, and not scrawny either. Assuming that Sunny Portrush is also a medium build, then there is scope for losing ~1.5 stone, which would make a huge difference to his climbing. (Obviously that number might be a bit higher or lower depending on exact body type.)

 

[Licramite]

To improve your hill climbing speed - Find less steep hills.

Although having a 60ton arctic up your arse going up a narrow lane speeds your hill climbing ability no end!

 

[Licramite]

Indeed!

I am 6' 1" tall and have lost a lot of weight recently. I used to suffer a lot on the local climbs when I weighed 16+ stone. Getting down to Sunny Portrush's weight (13 stone) made a huge difference. Since then I have lost another stone and at 12 stone, climbing is easier still.

I reckon I need to lose at least another 0.5 stone to be at my fittest. I am a medium build - not massively muscular, and not scrawny either. Assuming that Sunny Portrush is also a medium build, then there is scope for losing ~1.5 stone, which would make a huge difference to his climbing. (Obviously that number might be a bit higher or lower depending on exact body type.)

Agree entirely on the weight thing - thats why the youngies beat us every time - weight power ratio.

Recently had a deep colonoscopy - lost 1/2stone in 3days (though I wouldn't recommend it as a weight loss programme)
Did prove my mate wrong (and many on this site) - I'm not fully of shoot - well not any more

 

[Mugshot]

Two pointers that few people take into account, you have to completely comfortable and at one with your bike and secondly, psychologically there should be no fear of hills, just the opposite, both are important factors.

I'm no coach however I have to agree that the psychological aspect is huge, or at least I've found it is, the same hill on a different day can be a grind or a spin to the top and it usually boils down to whether I've let it beat me before I've even started up it. Even when I've started a climb if I shift my attitude and giving myself a bit of a talking to I can generally dig a bit deeper resulting in an increase in cadence, speed and comfort.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm no coach however I have to agree that the psychological aspect is huge, or at least I've found it is, the same hill on a different day can be a grind or a spin to the top and it usually boils down to whether I've let it beat me before I've even started up it.

When I first got back on a bike in 1989, it took me 3 attempts to ride from Hebden Bridge up the hill to the village of Pecket Well. Having eventually succeeded, I knew that I could do it so I have never struggled on that climb since.

That is not just due to improved fitness, because I got up it first time on my comeback from life-threatening illness at a time when I was lacking any significant strength or fitness. What I did have was the knowledge of what the hill is like, how to pace myself up it, and that I could do it.

It is only super-steep climbs that are a problem now. There is always going to be a gradient that causes problems. In my case, I find 25+% very hard. I can cope with 20%, and do not have a problem with 15%. Other people might consider a 10% climb to be a killer, which it can be if it is long enough and low enough gears are not available on the bike.

 

[Dan B]

Controlling your inner chimp.

I make my inner chimp give me a tow.

 

[Sittingduck]

1. Increase fitness
2. Drop a bit of weight, if poss