Hi Jason,

Do you have a course profile for the hills? Do you know what type they are - rollers, long gradual grade, short & steep?

Best thing to get stronger - ride hills. What's the riding like in your area?

On topic:

http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Climbing_hills_can_be_as_easy_as_mind_over_muscle.htm

http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Preparing_for_a_Hilly_Century.htm

http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=4289&p=4284

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s1-2-404-16105-1-P,00.html

http://community.active.com/thread/50472 stand vs. sit on hills

From Bicycling magazine's 900 all-time best tips p. 26: tips for climbing:

- relax your shoulders, keep elbows bent, light grip, stay seated-stand when can't generate enough power or on long climbs to stretch muscles.

- when do stand move like a cat, rise smoothly from the saddle.

Look at the bike course profile for the 70.3 event and see if you can find a similar course/section to train on.

I'm excited to follow your progress! Thanks for sharing your training experiences/questions here.

Sara

Hi Jason,

I was just on your blog - my hubby flies up and down the hills too, this spring I think he was 45+mph, depends on the hill I guess!

I thought this Joe Friel post was good on pedaling drills. You have to be an efficient pedaler in order to transfer the power you're hoping for. And pedaling isn't easy!

http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/12/pedaling-drills.html

:-) Sarahttp://jasonmellet.blogspot.com

Weightlifting per se is a waste of time for biking. You already have plenty of physical strength. The issue is applying the power in an effective efficient manner. Do the intervals to increase you watts and to raise your FTP values. Doing this will allow you to ride faster longer. I followed a program like this and went from a 20mph average for a 7.3 mile hilly time trial course near my home to 22.2 mph in one winter season. Forget the weights except to rehab your knee..

Good advise folks.  Keep those workouts spread out by a day or more try to get in 3.  You are looking for your threshold max (HR or watts) and then you will push it throughout the interval.  Only exceed max for short periods 30 seconds.  T Max will increase without lactic acid over time.  Read about T Max intervals.  Never undervalue the power of rest.  If the knee hurts slow down.  Look for bio mecanical deficiencies like pronation and or seat height if the knee pain persists.  There is no sense in going hard if you hurt yourself and cannot ride or run after.  Do you agree MW?

Cheers Mate,

As you train, you still want to keep the muscle you have. To keep it from breaking down, I am of the opinion that you continue to lift weights.  Keep the reps in the 25 to 30 range and go as heavy as your PERFECT "form" will allow.  You must keep the weight on the muscles you are trying to fatigue to 1)prevent injury 2)get the desired result.  If you have a partner, this would be optimum as it would help you get past "failure".  I suggest 4 sets of deep squats with little or no weight (30 reps from just below parallel to extension).  Hamstring curls 4 sets (10 full range , 10 halfway down , 10 alternating full/half = 30 reps per set).  Leg Press 4-6 sets (set combo as hamstring curls). Every other day: calve raises, donkey (hips bent simulating a bike in the aeros) and standing (simulating out of the saddle) 30 reps 6 sets.  I have incorporated the routine and like the results, just cut it out a month before your event/comp.  ENJOY!!

Good thread, now all I have to do is get this broken C2 to heal and I can get back out there with you guys.  OH YA must replace my SEVEN Cycles bike and the $2,500. carbon wheels that I went down riding.