Q: Hey, MBA, I’ve been riding a couple of times a week for the last month or so, but I feel like the climbs are still so brutal, and it’s killing my motivation to keep going. Any advice?
Tim Alexander
Bend, Oregon
A: Hey, Tim, bummed to hear that it’s killing your motivation, but we know that feeling all too well. If you haven’t yet, start timing your ascents. When you’re first starting out, climbing often takes all the power you have to make it to the top, and as you get stronger, you are still accustomed to giving it everything you’ve got, which makes it still feel equally as brutal as it did at the beginning.
The difference is you’re now completing the climbs faster than before. It’s like going to the gym. It hurts every time, but six months in, you’re lifting much heavier weights.
Aside from timing the climbs, try to back off on your regular climbs. You might notice that you don’t have to give 100 percent for some climbs as you once did, and you’ll save more of your energy. Either way, keep at it. Though it may not feel like it, you are getting stronger.
Side note: Remember to breathe. Controlling your breathing is huge for managing longer climbs.
For more climbing tips, check out our top 15 here: