{"id":66466,"date":"2020-11-16T11:11:19","date_gmt":"2020-11-16T19:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/?p=66466"},"modified":"2022-03-25T13:17:06","modified_gmt":"2022-03-25T20:17:06","slug":"how-to-prepare-for-steep-climbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/how-to-prepare-for-steep-climbs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prepare For Steep Climbs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>We&#8217;ve all been there\u2014nearing the finish of a ride or race with exhausted legs and more steep hills yet to come. Facing steep climbs near the end of a ride is a challenge. But it&#8217;s one that you can overcome with training, planning, and these tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> For more information on training check out <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/cjNWpQbWQJY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ask a Cycling Coach Ep 278.<\/a>   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"How to Prepare For Steep Climbs (Ask a Cycling Coach 278)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9ZwHCj6qnfY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Training for Steep Climbs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Training for steep climbs at the end of a long ride comes down to improving aerobic capacity and muscular endurance. Typically, these efforts last anywhere from 3-5 minutes and fall somewhere between your sweet spot and VO2 Max <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/cycling-power-zones-training-zones-explained\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"33200\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">power zones<\/a>. How you go about your training will depend on your goals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two ways to train for steep climbs\u2014general and specific. In a broad sense, all <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/cycling-training\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TrainerRoad Training Plans<\/a> will help you to deal with steep climbs because they include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/base-training-goals-and-myths\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"66062\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">base training<\/a>. The primary aim of base training is to strengthen your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/the-aerobic-energy-system-what-it-is-why-its-important-and-how-to-train-it\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"59131\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aerobic energy system<\/a> and muscular endurance\u2014two essential aspects of riding punchy hills. That said, unless your A event features frequent short climbs, you&#8217;ll do well with any TrainerRoad plan.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if you want to train for steep, punchy climbs specifically, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/rolling-road-race-training-plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rolling Road Race Speciality<\/a> is the way to go. This plan progressively builds your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/anaerobic-energy-system-what-it-is-why-its-important-and-how-to-train-it\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"59864\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aerobic energy system<\/a> and muscular endurance, then fine-tunes your fitness for the demands of your race. This will increase your sprint and anaerobic power in addition to improving power and time at VO2 Max.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plan Your Nutrition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Often overlooked, nutrition plays a massive role in how you feel at the end of a ride. Running out of energy wears you down, both physically and mentally. For hard efforts, your body&#8217;s preferred <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/how-to-use-carbs-for-maximum-performance\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"31357\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fuel source is carbohydrates<\/a>. But ensuring you have enough in the tank at the end of a ride takes practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that nutrition management is relatively easy to measure and hone. Most sports nutrition companies do an excellent job telling you exactly how many carbs are in a drink mix, gel, or chew. From there, it&#8217;s just simple math and planning. A good starting point is aiming for 60-90 grams of carbs per hour. What would this look like on your ride? In one hour, you could take in a&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.maurten.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maurten<\/a>&nbsp;Drink Mix 160 (39g of carbs) and two Gel 100s (25g of carbs) for a total of 89 grams of carbohydrates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is something that you need to train and experiment with during your training. Research is emerging that shows that athletes can handle over 120g\/hr. But remember, getting to the point where you can ingest that many carbs without GI distress is a process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pacing Strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Pacing a race or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/cycling-group-rides-a-guide-to-etiquette-pacelines-drafting-and-safety\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"68983\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">group ride<\/a> is a challenge. That&#8217;s because determining the pace is rarely up to you. In contrast, you do control how well you conserve your energy. Your energy reserves are a precious commodity. So try to hold back early in the ride by sitting in the draft and riding smoothly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can go a step further and create a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/how-to-build-a-pacing-plan-for-long-events\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"31108\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pacing plan<\/a> to optimize your energy expenditure. Your pacing plan should represent the ideal, but be ready to make adjustments. If you nail your pacing strategy, you&#8217;ll be rewarded with the extra motivation of passing other riders near the finish.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gearing and Cadence for Steep Climbs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a wide range of gears will help you keep a manageable cadence up steep grades. Why do you want a manageable cadence? Keeping your spin between 85-95 revolutions per minute helps shift the load from the muscles to your aerobic energy system. Just because you can big ring a climb doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean you should\u2014it can needlessly tax your muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Grinding a big gear during a ride is akin to burning a match in your energy reserves. Spinning smoothly early in the ride means that your legs will be fresher when you arrive at the steep climbs near the finish. So it&#8217;s best to err on the side of caution and run a 32 tooth cassette or larger.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>For more cycling training knowledge, listen to<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/podcast\" target=\"_blank\"> Ask a Cycling Coach \u2014 the only podcast dedicated to making you a faster cyclist<\/a>. New episodes are released weekly.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;ve all been there\u2014nearing the finish of a ride or race with exhausted legs and more steep hills yet to come. Facing steep climbs near the end of a ride is a challenge. But it&#8217;s one that you can overcome with training, planning, and these tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":66469,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[92,1506,117,446,474,3002,2602,1546,557,1965],"class_list":["post-66466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-racing","tag-cadence","tag-climb","tag-climbing","tag-nutrition","tag-pacing","tag-pacing-climbs","tag-pacing-strategy","tag-punchy","tag-rolling-road-race","tag-steep-climbs"],"cc_featured_image_caption":{"caption_text":"Model Credit: Elijah @trilla_e","source_text":"Photo Credit: Alonso Tal","source_url":"http:\/\/alonsotal.com\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66466","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66466"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66466\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}