Subject: RE: Course managementdgunthert - 2009-08-25 9:25 AM I've found that the biggest bang for the buck is in moderation: go a bit harder up the hills than on the flats and a bit easier on the downhills than the flats. You'll be faster than if you keep a consistent effort over all 3. On the other hand, going to hard up the hills has a definite cost and you can only do that so many times before you've lost the snap in your legs. I definitely agree about going hard up the hills killing you. I do it in practice in hopes that by race time I'll be stronger. That's what got me thinking about it. On the steepest hills of the course, there is a relatively flat area at the top. Some days after I hit the top, I'm too dead to take advantage of the flat area if I pound it to where my HR hits the 180's. If I pace the hill at 2mph slower and keep my HR in the 170's I seem to be able to go about 5mph faster on the area after the hill. I planned to handle it that way during the race since this loop forces you to face this particular hill 3 times over the 28 mile trip. On the other hand, it has always seemed that there are minimal gains one can make on a downhill, some gains to be made on flats, and lots of gains available on hills. Edited by Pector55 2009-08-25 8:51 AM
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