Training tip for Coot-tha

A good training tip i've picked up from my training program is that when doing Cootha repeats, rather than killing yourself by going the whole way up the mountain, it is beneficial to mix it up by going half way up and then turning around, recover on the descent, and repeat.

For example, rather than doing 3 full climbs (at between 9 and 12 mins each), do 6 half climbs at a slightly higher intensity (at between 4 and 6 mins each). This increases the number of intervals, and is more useful for developing power and strength than doing a full-on slog up the mountain.

For example, this is what I did on Tuesday this week:
* 1 x 5 minute strength endurance @ 50-60rpm (Tempo HR)
* descend
* 1 x 5 minute effort, progressively building throughout climb (finish at HR threshold)
* descend
* 1 x 5 min effort with 15 second sprint (first four minutes at tempo HR).
* descend, repeat once more

here is my garmin data file for this training ride:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/157432113

Hi Peter. I totally agree with you re higher volume of shorter repeats. I was doing the same a few months ago. Faster efforts but only 1/3 to 1/2 way up, then recover on the way down and hit it again. This didn't stuff me like full ascents did, so I was able to get more vertical metres in a session.

This fits with general training principles, that you want to stress physiological systems slightly beyond their capacity, in order to get optimal anabolic stress adaptation responses. If you stress systems too much, you do more microtrauma and stimulate stress hormone release which triggers a higher level of counterproductive catabolic (lean tissue breakdown) responses.

The one proviso though is to be extra vigilant of vehicles and bicycles when doing your u turns to come back down; and be conscious some cyclists will be flying down a lot faster than you, so either get the speed up quick or stay right to the left.

This is how Kristian Juel does Coot-tha. He's won the challenge several times.
There's something to be gained by increasing speed and/or cadence where he does.

thanks for the comments Bruce. Yes Kristian is quite incredible on his cootha climbs, he can clock sub-7 minute times on the back side of Cootha!

And I fully appreciate your comments on when its safe to turn around - sometimes if I reach my 5 mins at the entry to a blind corner, I soft pedal a bit further until I can see whats coming and then turn around. Some mornings its really incredible the number of riders there going up and down.

Hi Peter/Bruce,

This is really worthwhile knowing. I do my hill-climbing efforts on the hills round my home at Everton Park. They are short and reasonably steep so I am effectively doing something similar to what you have been doing Peter. Mind you, my hills are nowhere near as long as five minutes but I guess there are similarities as I do repeats for one hour and progressively use a higher gear as I improve. Mt Coot-tha is a great training run especially if you do it the way you suggest as going the whole way really knocks me. So I'll be switching to 5min repeats which should be terrific training. Thanks -

Paul.

Peter,

I have just had a look at your Garmin data file and that will be my benchmark from now on. What a great effort. You seem to average 7+-8+kph on the climbs. I'll go and have a look at my Garmin "hill'' efforts and compare speeds. I guess about 6kph (but my hills are not Mt Coot-tha!) ha ha.

Paul.

Hope to see you both tomorrow morning. Re Kristian's power chart, I'd appreciate it if you don't reproduce it anywhere else on the net, or talk openly about it outside AC circles. Kristian shared that power meter data with me in confidence, and is sensitive about it being shared with elite Coot-tha climbers.

Good to see you guys training more systematically. You know, one of the main reasons I am into smarter training is because I see it has the best chance of ensuring we're all riding at the age of 85, and possibly 90.....with our original knees...and able to remember each others' names

Woops! Sorry Peter. I have just looked at it again and your climbing average is nowhere near 7-8kph. Sorry about that. I'll be more careful in future. Great riding anyway.

Paul.

no worries Bruce - that chart from Kristian is amazing. I can't believe that towards the end he hits 500-600 watts. Alone, that figure is impressive, but after already climbing for 5 or 6 minutes, it really is incredible.

Dahlpad wrote:Hi Peter/Bruce,

This is really worthwhile knowing. I do my hill-climbing efforts on the hills round my home at Everton Park. They are short and reasonably steep so I am effectively doing something similar to what you have been doing Peter.

Paul.

Paul, seeing as you live at Everton Park, a really good hill I used to train on that is near you is that one on Samford Rd, just past where the old Wool Shed used to be (Eatons Hill?). You know, the one just before you hit Samford? That is a good alternative to Cootha. Heading north, its not too steep but quite long, but going up the other side is a lot harder if you want to increase the effort. A few sessions up that hill will improve your climbing, and increase your power output