Png: Fellow Depressives - Tips for when getting up big hills alone

[Fab Foodie]

Forget how big the hill is, forget how far it still is to the top or how many pedal strokes it will take to get you there. Forget looking up ahead to see how much further it is to go. Do the Zen thing and live in the moment. Keep you eyes down on the road ahead and just turn each turn of the pedal as it happens, breathe each breath and you reach the top when you reach the top. Works for me

This ^^
I might have mentioned relaxing is a big part of my hill-climbing tecnique and part of this is not just the body, but the mind. Being tense makes for poor technique and wasted energy. However, if the hill is climbable, then like Red Light' I get into a 'zone', a calm Zen-like state where my speed, work-rate, temp control and mind seem to operate effectively and somehow I grind my fat frame to the top, but I'm not really thinking about cycling or the scenery or anything in particular, I'm just 'working the process' and then I snap out of it and hey... I'm near the top.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

What he said - verbatim

This ^^
I might have mentioned relaxing is a big part of my hill-climbing tecnique and part of this is not just the body, but the mind. Being tense makes for poor technique and wasted energy. However, if the hill is climbable, then like Red Light' I get into a 'zone', a calm Zen-like state where my speed, work-rate, temp control and mind seem to operate effectively and somehow I grind my fat frame to the top, but I'm not really thinking about cycling or the scenery or anything in particular, I'm just 'working the process' and then I snap out of it and hey... I'm near the top.

 

[lulubel]

Try not to think about the hill, but just think about the ride instead. (This worked for me on a big hill I've been struggling with today.)

Rather than focusing on keeping on pushing on to get to the top of the big, nasty hill and get it out of the way, just sit back, slow right down and look at the view. I did that about half way up the evil hill today, and I could actually feel my heartrate slowing and my breathing getting much easier and relaxed. I could probably have walked faster, but just sitting on the bike calmly turning the pedals was much more pleasant.

 

[blockend]

Cheat. Walk up. Enjoy the view, appreciate the different muscle groups that are getting a look in. Even in the days I considered 300 miles a brisk spin I was never much of a climber, too high a beer and chips ratio. I'm a human being not a machine and perhaps the only local MTBer to include a pub visit, blackberry picking and a spot of photography into my local challenge ride. I've done a few audaxes with a good walk here and there. Anyone can be competitive, not everyone can be a cycling voluptuary and sensualist.