Vomit Hill

I knew what Andrea had up her sleeve today when she met me for our ride.  She told me she'd already ridden around the neighborhood and now she knew FOR SURE where we were going, and how to get out of there.  We were going up Vomit Hill.  She had done this a few times in the previous weeks.  This would be my first.  We tried once before, (with my heavy mountain bike) and I quit right off the bat.  We rode the bottom of it last week - that's when we named it Vomit and Diarrhea Hill.  Today, we were goin' all the way to the top.  It's a scary view from down below.

As I said before, I got a light hybrid so I could road ride.  This baby is so light it's like a song!  We took off at our regular pace, warming up first before the big climb.  I knew this was coming so I did a little research on hill climbing last night. 

The basics I got out of it were:  try not to pant like a dog -  get some steady rhythm to your breathing.  Push all the way through the pedals, not just down, keeping momentum.  Also, when pushing the pedals down, push down on the handlebars - but don't GRIP LIKE CRAZA!!!  I'm not sure what that does, but I tried to do it so I could focus on not passing out.  Fix your eyes on a reference point, and pretend to "lasso" it, an imaginary rope pulling you toward that point.  Once there, pick something else.  Lastly, don't power through in higher gears just 'cause you can stand on your pedals.  This will tire you out for the long haul, conserve your energy and gear down, take it slow and steady.

We started up.  This is not a straight hill.  This hill curves several times and reminds me of one of those winding staircases.  We geared down.  I felt myself starting to pant recklessly, and told myself to get a grip.  I found a rhythm coinciding with my pedaling - breathing in the nose, out the mouth.  I had to pass Andrea, sounding like Darth Vader as I went by. "You're doing great, you're doin' it!" She cheered.  Half way up, I was dying, reminding myself to keep the breathing under control, push through the pedals, and push down on the handlebars (who knows why, it kept me occupied).  I "lassoed" a white PVC pipe sticking up out of the ground.  Made it past that, and the stop sign was the next goal, at the top of the hill!
I reached the top and forgot all about my breathing, gasping for air and maybe an extra oxygen tank lying around.  I DID it!!!  (I had also researched how to get back on up a steep hill, hoping against hopes I wouldn't have to stop!!)

The rest of the ride was great except for that last killer hill (the one I pushed my mountain bike up the first time).  Now you have to know that I did finally do legs yesterday - weighted squats and side lunges.  So I was pretty sore, especially in the derriere, but I was trying to implement our target (the buttox) by leaning forward in my seat on this climb.  It got painful (it was a very long climb) and I tried sitting up, but that hurt my already sore thighs as well.  I assumed the former position, when a very slow, big truck carrying an inloader sped up the hill, then slowed to a crawl right beside us!!!  It was very unnerving, very rude, and he knew what he was doing - JERK!  I saw Andrea swerve when he got up beside her.  He made the last part of our last climb of the day TORTURE!

After he finally moved on and we got up that hill, Andrea and I trashed him.  Of all the nerve, who would do that to a couple of girls just minding their own business, just trying to BREATHE!!!  UHG!!!

Aside from the jerk, this was a great day for me.  I conquered Vomit Hill!!!  I can now sleep at night.  What's the next goal?  Well, I'm sure I'll think of something - or someone else will think of it for me!  At least I didn't choke up a lung - sheesh!