Game of Pain. Hill Climbs - Polar Opposite to Ultra Cycling

Hill Climbs - what are they?  Very, very short, individual time trials, uphill.  Hill Climb season starts at the end of August and lasts through to the National Hill Climb championships, at the end of October.  Usually steep hills are picked as the torture devices.  Horrendous, horrifically painful anaerobic efforts lasting between 90 seconds to 5 minutes, for the fastest riders.

My hurty face, hurty legs, hurty everything.

Today, I rode out to watch the Walbury Hill Climb, to cheer on a couple of guys I'd met at last year's hill climbs, just as a spectator simply because of the time needed to recover from this year's three consecutive ultra events, going on holiday with the family, with not enough time to train, not to mention getting a bit fat, piling on 7kg since Hard Cro!  Last year I managed 6th at 4 mins 35s, only 36s behind the winner, Tejvan Pettinger!  I console myself with the fact that Tejvan is a former National Champion and weighed about 15kg less than me, not to mention an excellent cyclist, prolific hill climb winner, holding the Walbury record at just under 3 mins 56.  Excuses excuses...

Tejvan, today, looking smooth

But just not powerful enough?

Today's weather was a moody grey, with a strong south-westerly wind which would provide a head or crosswind for the Hill Climbers, cloudy and threatening rain.  Indeed, it had rained heavily overnight and the road was still damp in places.  Over a hundred riders were participating in this event, well-organised again, with a smattering of enthusiastic spectators lining the road.  I was glad to be spectating rather than self-administering torture today!

Cheesy grins all round!

I was watching for Angus Fisk (Oxford University CC) and James Scrivener (Reading CC), both of whom put in great performances. Angus came 5th @ 4:25, looking like he was about to die before the top of the hill but beating his previous time by almost 2 seconds, despite going too hard at the start and this being his first hill climb of the season, and James @ 5:03, who looked very cool and reckoned there was still a bit more in the tank.


Up up up!

Almost there...

 

James Scrivener looking very cool

Too hard at the start!

It hurts!

Weaving across the road a bit!



 

I understand that Tejvan is carrying an injury, so isn't on top form - for now.  Even so, he managed an excellent 4:07, third place, behind the impressive winner Isaac Mundy @ 4:03, averaging 512W!  I look forward to seeing what happens at the National Hill Climb championships, especially with the top three.  Well done to everyone who took part and gave it "some beans"!  Photos of other riders will follow in another post.

It never stops hurting - you just go faster!



Isaac Mundy powering his way to victory