Hill Climb Season 2018

I suppose an appropriate place to start this report is with my first open hill climb of the year.  In late June, I did the least hill climb-like hill climb: Cragg Vale.  It’s basically an 8km uphill TT which I rode in full TT gear.  There was a gas leak 3km into the climb, so the course was shortened to the top 5km.  I was still in road racing form at this point but I put out an effort of 401W for 10:01 to take first place, putting me into the lead for the Yorkshire hill climb championships.

My first official hill climb of the season was the East Lancs club 2 stage.  I did not take it seriously, riding an hour there and back, just starting to condition myself.  The first stage was less than 2 minutes, but I didn’t “turn up”.  I just rode it and came 5 th .  I lost 12 seconds to DEvans (who won).  I was a bit embarrassed by this and got myself sorted to actually turn up for the much longer stage 2 on Blackstone Edge.  I did a proper effort here and came 2 nd  to DEvans, losing 18 seconds.  We were the only 2 to ride under 8 minutes (I did 7:28.4) so I easily made up the deficit to ramp me into second overall. 

3 weeks to go. 

Even though I started training specifically for short efforts since mid-September, my first proper hill climb was at the start of October on Crown Point.  I won the event last year and aimed to repeat in 2018.  It was a bloody cold day this year and even though I rode there as a long warm up, I never got properly warm, arrived too early on the start line and never got going during the effort.  My effort was 518W for 2:32, quite a bit down on what I was aiming for.  I came third to Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (my teammate) and Niall Paterson.  It was one to forget. The next day was the target.

My current home-town of Ramsbottom hosts an annual hill climb on The Rake.  It’s a stupidly hard climb with the final sustained section well over 20%.  I was 6th  last year slightly disappointed with that result. But this year I was focused.  I was skinnier, had a lighter bike AND was fitter.  All was in my favour.  Living at the base, I’d trained extensively on it and knew it backwards.  I knew the lines to take, the gears to be in etc.

I warmed up in my kitchen and got to the start with two minutes to go. Whilst I was waiting, they told me “we aren’t counting down, only saying 5-GO.” This threw me off a bit, but the guy said “5”.  In my head I counted to 0 and set off.

I rode the entire first section out of the saddle, lay down 740W for the first 30 seconds, recovered what I could on the middle section, picked my gear and turned onto “the Rake” itself.  I knew I’d set out hard and was suffering by now but I got out of the saddle and sprinted up the 25% section.  In my rush to the finish, I’d put myself into the wrong gear.  I was in the 42x23 instead of the 42x25 I wanted.  This mistake cost me really.  Filled with lactic, I couldn’t get on top of the gear and started to blow with 100m to go. 

I was down at 60rpm rather than the 75 I wanted to be at.  Gifted by the crowd, I crawled to the line, finishing in a time of 2:27.6.  I was totally wrecked at the end.  I was still laying down with exhaustion 5 minutes later.  It was my best ever hill climb, I’ve never been that deep.  I’d put out nearly 580W, a massive PB and I was thrilled.  The results shortly came in and I was second! I’d beaten some proper hitters and was merely 4 seconds behind current national champ DEvans. 

As I was called up for the podium, I’d been given a time of 2:29.1, actually placing me into 3rd  place? Turns out I’d be given a 1.5s penalty for “setting off early”.  I likely did set off early, but I was thrown off by the new CTT counting down system. I’d gone before they said “go” and I got given an arbitrary 1.5s penalty placing me into 3rd .  I was quite disappointed with this but with threats of disqualification I accepted the punishment.

My result here was a sign of potential.  I was SO close to the win, and the rake being so close to Pea Royd Lane (short course) that I doubled down my efforts.  Diet was stricter and training harder from then on. 

2 weeks to go 

Jackson Bridge. Perhaps my favourite hill climb.  I know it well and rode it for the first time in the 2016 nationals to place 44th .  My aim was to hold 500W and go as close to 4 minutes as possible.  This plan faltered on the day. There was a stonking wind.  It was a strong tailwind for the first 200m before gradually increasing to a block headwind as the road curves around the hillside.

My warmup was strong but I slightly misjudged the effort.  I went too deep in the first half and couldn’t hang on through the blockheadwind to the finish.   I was fighting the bike, rather than sprinting for the line.  I placed 5th  in the end.  Quite a bit down on Andrew feather and DEvans (1 st  and second respectively) but there were only 2 seconds between 3rd  and 7th  so it was very tight. (In the end I managed 485W for 4:33.2)

The afternoon featured Holme Moss.  Another classic.  A long tough climb, but a fan favourite.  Malheureusement, as the wind had now got up, a decision was made to move it to the much shorter “Vineyard” climb.  At 2 minutes, it would be much closer to the national, which I was ultimately prepping for.  I knew it was to be a headwind for the first half before turning into a block tail for the second and I rode accordingly. 

I crushed it.  I placed 3rd ! Only 1.5s behind DEvans and 4s behind a flying Andrew Feather.  It was the first time I’ve ever beaten Kieran Savage, (a long-time friend) in an open event.  Everyone gets stuzzed eventually… (595W 1:59)

The following day was the final challenge for my favourite hill climb, Nick O’Pendle. I had significant fatigue from doing both hill climbs the day before, as well as a cheeky national’s recce. I felt it all the way up, really labouring to the top but still had a good ride.  (492W 3:57)

For the 3rd  time this weekend, I was beaten by Andrew Feather. David Huck placed second with me in 3rd .  Another podium.

One week to go.

My training this week was awful; I had no energy.  I could do one effort but then be dead for the next few.  I had to stop 3 rides short. Perhaps I was at the point where I’d lost too much weight, so I ate a bit more and maintained my physique rather than digging into a rut.

Saturday featured Drighlington Hill climb on Scotchman Lane.  I’d not done this before and got my effort slightly wrong. I went too “easy” in the central flat section and didn’t sprint for the line early enough.  I lost to Kieran Savage by about 4 seconds.  Slightly disappointing but another podium. (526W 2:47.2)

The penultimate hill climb of the 2018 season was Ripponden Bank.  I fluffed it last year.  It was freezing and I never got going. Right before the start, I had a word with Big Ian Savage (Kieran’s dad and manager for B38 Underpin) who riled some courage in me.

It clearly worked as I had another stonking ride.  I rode out of my skin, I couldn’t have gone harder.  I knew it was a winning ride. It had gone perfectly and If anyone had have beaten me today they’d have deserved it.  Inspired by Big Ian, I smashed the finish and recorded a time of 3:21.9.  This was the second fastest ever time up there.  I was 4 seconds off Andy Cunningham’s 2017 course record, set in a huge tailwind.  But importantly it was also 7 seconds faster than Matt Clinton’s course record set in 2008 when he won the national champs. (524W 3:21.9)

Finally, a win.  After 5 podiums I finally got the win.  Can I pull it off next week?

The National.

Always one of the best days of the year and 2018 was no exception.  I knew I was on good form and obviouslywanted to do my absolute best.  I was aiming for a top 10 and maybe top 5 if I had a stormer.  As well as personal aims I REALLY wanted to be in the fastest team.  For the last two years, Team B38 underpin had been the fastest team but I’ve been the 4th fastest rider so never got the glory. 

One actual aim was to finish.  This may seem silly but last year my chain came off with 100m to go and I had to run.  I was then DQ’d so I actually wanted to finish this year.

My prep was good, I’d had a great season and was at a good weight.  But whilst prepping my bike the day before disaster struck! I snapped my gear cable and had to call Rick Cycles in Motion for some emergency repairs.  Thankfully it was all A-OK.

Conditions weren’t great on the day, it’s been gradually getting colder this week and whilst warming up, we were struck with a hailstorm.  I put on two pairs of leg warmers just to make sure.  It was also a headwind on the climb, this doesn’t suit me really.  I like to ride out of the saddle as much as I can, so I lose a bit of speed with a headwind.  A headwind also suits the heavier riders as raw power becomes more important than w/kg so as a lighter rider, a headwind isn’t in my favour.

I’d be freshening up all week, just done some short anearobic efforts to keep on top of it but nothing intense or long.   I warmed up nicely and got to the start with enough time to have a quick trip to the portaloo tactically placed there.

I’d planned out my ride in advance.  I wanted to start hard, standing for the first 30 seconds to the motorway bridge, then sit and “recover” at around 500w for 20 or so seconds before standing to the corner and sprint for the last minute to the top. 

This almost worked.  I started standing and held on to the bridge.  I averaged around 700W for the first 40 seconds.  I recovered on the bridge before standing to the corner.  I was slightly overgeared here and had to change down, but that was ok.  Then as I hit “B38 Bend” or “Crowd Corner” I ramped up the effort and began to sprint for the line.  The wind had picked up here and I was starting to die with 250m to go.  I proper fluffed up a gear change here too and it easily cost me half a second.  But I got back on top of it and pushed to the line. 

Now I am not joking when I say I crawled to the line, I was dead.  I REALLY laboured to the finish, it couldn’t come quick enough.  I blew with about 100m to go.  Killed by the wind. Pea Royd lane has an unforgiving finish, it’s still a solid 10-15% which makes it easy to lose speed, which is exactly what I did.  But at least I got it all out.   

At the top I was wrecked.  Two helpers rushed over to catch me as I came to a stop.  I’ve never been this messed up before. I actually couldn’t get off my bike, I was so full of lactic that I couldn’t pick my legs up to get off.  I was saying “I can’t get off” and they had to lift me and place me on the side of the road.  I was swiftly given a space blanket and my Dad’s jacket to stay warm.  It genuinely took me over 20 minutes until I could stand back up.  I was pleased it was over though, I couldn’t have gone any faster. I gave it all.

Now time for results.  I was just outside my aim of a top 10, I was 12th in a time of 2:26.9.  Andrew Feather won in a time of 2:18.8 which is stupidly quick.  He broke the course record in awful conditions.  He deserved the win though, he’s thrashed me all season and won somthing like 10 open hill climbs.  Interestingly though, I am one of 5 people to beat him this year.  I beat him by 0.1s on the Rake.  (The others were: Dan Evans, David Huck, Richard Gildea and Adam Kenway). 

My teammate Calum Brown was second in a time of 2:20, he was one of the favourites but he looked to set out too hard because he REALLY crawled to the line.  He probably lost it there.  Anyway with his rapid time and Andy Nichol’s time of 2:25.2 again Team B38 Underpin Racing won the National team prize, and I was in it!  Finally I made the cut! The hard work paid off and I made it to the podium for the National Hill Climb.  What a day!

Other Info

Weight - Being skinny is vital to being a successful hill climber. There’s no point being strong if you are carrying loads of fat.  I started to monitor my diet on August 1 st .  At that point I was between 67 and 68kgs.  It’s not bad, but higher than I should be for climbing hills fast.  I started to lose weight this early because I wanted to do it slowly.  If I lost too much too quickly I would burn out, not be able to train and lose muscle.  But if I lost it slowly, I could still train hard but sleep well, recover well and most importantly lose fat instead of muscle, thus retaining power.

This chart shows my progress, with the blue line showing the trend.  I have a personal rule to never weigh myself on the day of a race.  If I weighed in high, then I might psych myself out of it.   Body fat was low 9% (according to my expensive scales).  I really struggle to get lower than that.  In the final week before the national I weighed around 65 kg’s which was ideal really.

Training - I’d had a VERY good road season, so I’ve had some good legs to use.  To prep for the national, I’ve really dialled down the duration.  Instead of 3 hour rides, I’ve limited them to around an hour and very easy for the most part but then stacked with very intense short efforts.  With my successful season, my capacity to train has increased.  I’ve found that I can, not only go harder, but can recover enough to maintain the intensity each effort.  I didn’t see the same drop off between efforts as last year.

There’s something mesmerising about hill climb training.  I would go so deep I could barely pedal home.  I’d average like 100W, just ruined.  I could barely climb the stairs at home.  At work I’d be half asleep until lunch.  I was enjoying the hard work though, and I completed almost every session.  Which again was a sign I wasn’t losing too much weight.

Tips and Tricks  - This year I’ve been trying to optimise myself and my bike.  This are just a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up.
• Take out your shoe inner soles.  I saved 47g with this!
• cut the corners.  Always recce the climb, as then you can take the optimum line.  You can save a couple of seconds if you ride for less time.
• Get a single front ring.  Tha’s been the best thing for me this year.  I’ve been riding a 42T which both saves weight on my racing set up, but also gets me to get out more torque when out of the saddle, which I do a lot.
• Don’t eat much the day before/morning of.  There’s no point being full of food, it’s such a short effort that you only need a gel to have enough energy.
• To go with this, don’t drink much.  I’d try to only drink 500ml the day of a hill climb, and this would all be a carb drink within the warm up.  Again my logic is to save mass.
• Have a long warm up.  This year I’ve been having about a 45 minute warm-up.  This involves 20-25 minutes of Z1 very easy spinning before an 8 minute build phase, followed by 3 sprints, then cool down.  I’ve also been warming up hot.  I’ve been wearing 5 layers, a hat, a buff and even two sets of leg warmers.  I’ve been told that a 1 degree lower muscle temperature lowers performance by 4%.  Since I was told that I’ve made sure I turned up to the start hot and ready to go.
• In terms of training, I’ve really been optimising the recovery between efforts.  It’s not like road race training where you need to practise repeated efforts.  This is a once off, so it’s wise to take a long rest between efforts.
• Stand with a second to go.  Now don’t start early… but stand as they hold you, that way you can push off harder, thus gaining time? I saw Joe Norledge do this and tried it twice.  Seemed to work.
• Start in a low gear.   It’s way too easy to set off hard and blow, by starting in a lower gear, you can get up to speed quickly but delay inducing lactic too early.
• Kendal Mint Cake.  I had half a bar of this before both the Rake and the National which were my two best rides.

Anyway, I think this is long enough! Onto next year!

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