Ever notice how stoplights are always at the base of a hill, so you’re hard pressed to build up any speed once you hit the slope?
And on the subject of stoplights, ever notice that when you grab your water bottle for a drink at a red light, the light invariably turns green?
I continue to be passed on hills by other cyclists. It seems that most of them have thighs the size of my spare tire. Not the tire in my seat bag — the spare tire around my waist. I bet if I lose 15 pounds, I’d start passing some of them.
Biking is a great way to see a variety of wildlife that you would miss in a car because you’re driving too fast, or miss while walking, because you don’t cover enough ground. On this afternoon’s 18-mile ride, I saw a Roadrunner, a Blotched Water Snake (non-venomous, but about four feet long, crossing the bike path–I almost ran it over), a blue jay (not all that common in this part of Texas), and a tarantula as it crossed the bike path. Cool.
Practiced upshifting before downshifting to the small chainring — making progress.
Also working on clicking into the pedals without looking. Dana is right — it’s more effective that way.
Got passed by four cyclists during my ride this afternoon — and not one of them was an old guy!
I hate stoplights – if I am cruising down a hill and see stoplights I try and slow down and time my run so I can get through. It works sometimes.
Also, I wouldn’t get worried about being passed by other cyclists. There will always be someone that is faster. The way I think about it is there are heaps of cyclists out just like me. However I rarely see them as they are going at the same speed, but just on a different stretch of road.
Hills….
Three things to get better:
1. Learn to enjoy them.
2. Power to weight is king. Losing 15 lbs will make a huge difference.
3. If you really want to power up them you have to put yourself into the “hurt” Like LeMond said, “It doesn’t get easier, just faster.”
I have to admit to being someone who loves hills. There is something about the feeling of climbing a long, steep hill really fast… And having lost 30 lbs last fall has really helped me go faster.
I’m doing hill sprints tonight http://www.roadbikerides.com/ride/view/limecreek_hill_sprints/151, you’re more than welcome to journey up to Cedar Park for the fun. There shouldn’t be any Tornadoes tonight either.
Thanks for the comments, all you hill lovers. Actually, I’ve got a hill workout right in the neighborhood, and I’ll be riding it Friday. I still think the best way for me to improve on hills is to lose weight.
Mike, I appreciate the invite, but I got home too late from playing golf with my wife to act on it — although southwest Austin to Cedar Park is a bit much.
I figured it was short notice, so I didn’t wait for you. We should coordinate a ride some weekend.