It never gets easier, you just go faster.
– Greg LeMond
Rule #5 looms above the other Rules in terms of sheer relevance to Cycling; it is the fundamental building block upon which this sport is built. The Five is what drives us, it is the force that springs from a well that flows deep within each of us. It must be discovered, and then we learn to use it. Like all wells, our individual Five Well is but an access points into a vast source, one that flows unseen between many other wells and is spread over enormous distances. The Five binds us all together as brothers and sisters along the path to La Vie Velominatus; we may learn to access The V and we may learn to use it but we can never control it.
If Rule #5 is the fundamental building block of our sport, then Rule #10 is its fundamental application. There is a climb I frequently ride that starts from the Twentynine Pines Campground on the Teanaway Road North Fork Road out of Cle Elum that snakes up to Esmeralda Basin at the foot of the Enchantments (which is possibly the most beautiful place on Earth). The climb isn’t difficult in itself; 355 meters gained over 15 kilometers on good gravel at a modest alpine elevation of 800m.
One of the beautiful aspects of climbing is that a moderate gradient can in many ways be more challenging than a steep one; steep slopes will force you to tap into your reserves very quickly, but they also offer no alternative but to continue grinding away. A moderate gradient has more to do with will and determination; the slope doesn’t take its pound of flesh in itself – the difficulty of the climb comes from the willingness of the rider to push themselves into the red through sheer determination.
The climb to Esmeralda Basin starts fast along a faux-plat with lots of washboard that forces the rider to dodge along the road in search of the best surface. By the time the gradient starts to increase, the legs will be dull from dodging through the bumpy terrain and the mind will already feel tired from the strain of concentration, much like it does at the end of a secteur of pavé. At this point, the washboards are more scarce, but the quality of the gravel surface also deteriorates. The high speeds can still be maintained, but this requires immense focus as you still need to pick your line carefully while maintaining the force of the effort and resisting the ever-increasing desire to relent.
The last five kilometers are steeper and on the worst surface, with rain having carved erratic ruts and mud, gravel and debris collecting in loose deltas along their bases. But the various trailheads along the way means the road near the top is lined with cars which make you feel like you’re climbing to a summit finish at the Tour de France; the final push is made easier via a bit of adrenaline from this fantasy, but it only speeds the journey into hypoxia. Into the parking lot at the top, panting like a rabid gorilla cause strangers to peer at you askance wondering if you are dying or just crazy. To most of them, the idea does not occur that you might be both.
It is no coincidence that Rule #5 plus Rule #5 equals Rule #10; how hard a climb is follows from how hard we are willing to push ourselves. There is no such thing as an easy climb; it isn’t the gradient that causes one to suffer – it is magnitude of the effort.
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Nice! Making the transition, with the arrival of autumn here, to more cross rides and fewer road rides. Keeps things new and fresh, which I like. But, ouch, always forget how hard even a modest climb is when you're on loose gravel. Argh, those are leg breakers.
A few years ago was at an LBS when the next-door bar owner commented to me and the mechanic that he likes running more than cycling. "With cycling, you just can't get a good workout in." I've still never gotten over the stupidity of that comment. Yeah, right. Go trying riding up a mountain Sur La Plaque, then tell me if your heart rate became elevated.
Good thing that I read this today. 6 weeks into a recovery from a broken clavicle and scapula. Rule 5 sure but is a bitch.
Looks like a great climb, Frank. I'll have to try this one before winter really rolls in.
Have you tried the climb up to Mowich Lake in Mount Rainier NP? Also gravel; starts in Wilkeson at around 240m and climbs up to 1500m in about 35km. It's beautiful, and only about an hour or hour-fifteen to get to the start from Seattle -- if the traffic is good...
I love the long climbs. Nothing compares to the mental stages you progress through km to km.
There is no such thing as an easy climb; it isn't the gradient that causes one to suffer - it is magnitude of the effort.
This.
@Mikael Liddy
And this.
After a ride when I had great legs, I find it so demoralizing when I review my performance over particular sections of the ride and find that I have not improved over my personal best, but either tied or missed it by seconds. I could just accept it, but I know that there are gains to be had. Learning to explore the depths of the pain cave is in and of itself a lesson in V. There are always new chambers and antechambers to explore if you have the will to visit them.
I would like to comment and say something awesome about the many lesson to be learned from Rule #10. But any comments made would be simply inferior to this fine article. Chapeau!
@Fozzy Osbourne Likewise, they'll know when *you* have out your time in the pain cave. It's satisfying as hell to show up to the group ride after missing a month or two (due to various pieces of life), and simply kick some proper ass. That's when all of the Sufferlandrian Holy Water spilled to the floor pays its dividends.
@The Grande Fondue
I like to play around near the entrance to the cave for a bit before diving headlong in to the pool at the bottom.
17 is about as well as I can go when I'm solo (as evidenced here), PR is 15.57 but that was with some grimpeur mates to chase.
Nice, and timely.
Over the past three months I have changed the way I trained. I used to lots of long hard efforts (20 by 20min with 5min rest) with a few short effort sessions from time to time. Also used to do, once a week, two times a 6km @ 10% avg climb. It's redline from the bottom and stay there for 25min. For a number or reasons I don't do those long sessions any more and focussed more on shorter efforts, up to 5km TT's and 1km hill repeats. I have seen some good improvements in races especially when chasing attacks, or responding to moves. Thing is though I feel that I am generally slower and suffering more to keep a good position in the bunch, pulling softer, and less turns. Results were the same but I couldn't shake the feeling racing was getting harder.
Then it dawned on me; I've lost (or loosing) the knack of suffering, or more specifically, for long periods. I am note sure if I will re-incorporate 2x20's into my training (actually I know I won't) but I do need to remember I do know how to suffer, how to stay in the depths of the pain cave for an hour at a time. Tomorrow is the last race of the club champs.... I plan on renewing my pain cave "Access All Areas" pass.
@frank
"It is no coincidence that Rule #5 plus Rule #5 equals Rule #10; how hard a climb is follows from how hard we are willing to push ourselves. There is no such thing as an easy climb; it isn't the gradient that causes one to suffer - it is magnitude of the effort."
By this same equation Rule #10 plus Rule #10 equals Rule #20 : which ultimately, refer one back to Rule #5.
See, the circle of life.
All is well with the universe !