Just got back from my first real flirtation with proper hills. Safe to say that I sucked at Horseshoe Pass in north Wales, but most of my Strava time was spent watching motorbikes and taking in the magnificent view, hence I am fairly near the back on those segments.
Managed to ride 58 km around Llandegla and Llangollen, taking in Horseshoe Pass and Worlds End (BRUTAL!!!). It wasn't a bad effort given that I eat what I like and don't really train that hard but it was a fantastic days riding (1400m elevation). The route I did followed this:
The first half was pretty good but it had some VERY steep descents. I was holding the brakes as hard as I could and praying that I didn't go over the handlebars, pretty terrifying. Trundled along down to the start of Horseshoe Pass where I practically fell apart. Had to stop twice on the way up although the last stretch was surprisingly easy! Turning at the Ponderosa Café, we then descended down another ridiculously steep hill. I've got a new found respect for the pro riders who descend hills like this, I was terrified the whole way. After picking up a bit of energy along the way, alas, I had to walk up pretty much all of the Worlds End climb. I just didn't have it in me at all. From there on in there were some brilliant fast descents on wide roads, followed by a few short but steep climbs back to the car park. I literally couldn't expend any more energy to get up them in the end so had to walk up a couple, but even that was tough going!
Pleased with my overall ride today given it was my first attempt at proper climbing. I did learn a few valuable lessons though. Firstly, my fitness is not where it needs to be at to deal with this sort of climbing and although my asthma kicked in slightly on Horseshoe, I did find it really hard work. However, this was not helped by the fact that I got the pacing all wrong and my during ride nutrition was massively underestimated. Turns out you can't get round on two bottles of energy drink and a couple of jelly babies! This is something I definitely need to work on, but more my fitness. Its 90% fitness and 10% better technique.
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole day, some other points from the day:
1. PERFECT weather. Not a breath of wind and full sun the whole day, if a bit cold on the exposed routes.
2. I headbutted a bee.
3. A fly got lodged inside my ear, but you can't poke a finger in the to get it out incase it makes it worse, so had to wait till it managed to fly out.
4. There are a LOT of motorbikers around Horseshoe Pass.
5. Climbing is hard, my fitness is not great and my nutrition appalling (though as I write this I have just made a takeaway order, could eat a horse right now).
6. Raced some sheep.
7. My bike fit helped me enormously with positioning and posture, no more aching elbows, though my hamstrings have taken a right battering.
8. Crashed into a thorny bush when I wasn't paying enough attention and was riding too close to it. It snagged on my jersey arm and I just flew straight into it! D'oh!
Fancy wheels and low spoke count equals high risk. Luckily my support car was willing to come get me