Pacing hills question

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2009-08-17 7:17 PM

Expert
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Subject: Pacing hills question

Do you increase your power output on climbs or try to maintain the same power you would have on flats?

I usually go above my FTP on hills and then go back down my goal wattage for the flats and down hills.

I'm sure having an over all higher power would help but I'm not there yet



2009-08-17 7:21 PM
in reply to: #2354430

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Expert
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Southern Pines, NC
Subject: RE: Pacing hills question
Rencor - 2009-08-17 8:17 PM

Do you increase your power output on climbs or try to maintain the same power you would have on flats?

I usually go above my FTP on hills and then go back down my goal wattage for the flats and down hills.

I'm sure having an over all higher power would help but I'm not there yet



It depends on the climb, but generally yes.

Personally I will go into VO2Max land for hills. Of course if they're much longer than 1-2 minutes you might be better off gearing really low and staying at or below FTP, but for the average short hill that you have on the bike leg of a tri, it's good to power up the hill a bit and take a brief rest once you're at speed on the down side.

I'm a MOP triathlete but a former roadie who's usually top 10-20% overall on the bike, so I'm sure someone stronger will come along and give you better advice, but that's me.
2009-08-17 7:43 PM
in reply to: #2354430

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Fishers, IN
Subject: RE: Pacing hills question
In training, you really can't beat hills for power development so take advantage of them.  After you have a good base, start grinding up em, in or out of the saddle.  Hills are where the action is, be it group ride or Tour de France.  That is where the strong separate from the weak on the bike (Hills and accelerations).

Racing - In long course events, I believe it is best to not exceed FTP by much.  In sprints, I don't think you want to hold much back.  It also depends on the length and grade of the hill.
2009-08-17 7:48 PM
in reply to: #2354477

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Subject: RE: Pacing hills question
for me, in training i take htem hard, sometimes seated, sometimes out of the saddle.

racing, in sprints, if they are short i get over the fastest way possible.

in olympic, if its really short same, if its over a min, i drop to 20 min power levels.

in HIM racing, unless it is a VERY steep and short hill, i will try not to go over FTP on the hills.
2009-08-17 10:11 PM
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Subject: RE: Pacing hills question

Depends on what I'm doing.

For my IM my goal watts for hills is about 30 watts below my FTP which will be challenging to go that easy up some hills.

Longer races having a VI (variable index) closer to 1.0 shows you rode the course even power. The more you spike your power up on hills your VI and also your NP will be higher but is the extra effort worth it.

In races I try to keep power under my FTP and my VI as close to 1.0 as possible. Many folks ride hills wrong, spike power up at the bottom of the hill, fade towards the top and coast on the down hills. Me I try to keep power even push a little at crest of hill and keep my watts up on the downhills until I hit my power goals and get RPM 90-95 then I coast 10-15"  then pedal again..which means folks pass me going up but I pass lots going down when many are coasting.

I've heard it said the higher your VI the more you gave away on the bike course.

2009-08-18 5:52 AM
in reply to: #2354430

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Master
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Subject: RE: Pacing hills question
Joe Friel has written some very informative entries on TT and triathlon cycling pacing in his logs.  Here are a couple of relevant articles

http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/05/time-trial-pacing.html
http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/05/more-on-time-trial-pacing.html

2009-08-18 8:17 AM
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Subject: RE: Pacing hills question
Hills around here are mostly smaller rollers, so in training, I like to sprint up and over them as intervals. Same in races, I guess. It seems that the stronger hill riders usually do best on the bike. This is for Sprints, though. I'd imagine folks who go longer need to be more conservative.
2009-08-18 7:33 PM
in reply to: #2354430

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Salisbury
Subject: RE: Pacing hills question

Thanks for the tips and links! Now I just have to get my FTP up so my climbing is faster too

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