Low-Key Hillclimbs #1: Montebello Road

Today’s inaugural Low-Key Hillclimb ride took us up Montebello Road. I had ridden the climb three days prior with my former co-worker, Jorge. There were a little over 50 riders, and the vast majority of them looked really good. I was a late-comer to the world of cycling, having picked up my road bike just as the Low-Key Hillclimbs were going into a multi-year hiberation.

Light, fit, fast, and young 8 years ago, the Adam of old probably could have hung with some of the mid-riders. Now that I’m fat, old, and slow, I was near the back from the get-go. See everyone pass me by was somewhat demoralizing, but I hung in there and rode my own race. I got to the parking lot at Stevens Canyon Road right before they closed registration, so I didn’t have any time to warm up! My heart rate went from sub-100 to 180 in the span of three minutes, which is not a good way to start a 1900+ foot ascent over 5 miles!

As a result, I got into a bit of a problem at the very beginning with my hard start. By the time I reached Montebello Elementary School at mile 2, I was cooked. Normally, you have to hammer hard between miles 2 and 3, since it’s the easiest part of the climb. Then, you hunker down and go as fast as you can for the remaining two miles. Nevertheless, I made it up to the top in 48:54, one minute and thirty six seconds faster than on Wednesday with Jorge! It’s still a far cry from my fastest time up at 39:30, but hey that was several years and pounds ago! The fastest time was posted once again by Tracy Colwell at 26:42! That meant by the time I passed Montebello, Tracy and company were sipping on juice boxes and eating cookies!

Next week, we ascend up Old La Honda, another benchmark climb in the Bay Area. I’m planning on mounting my digital camera (the small one, not the 1D Mark II!) onto my bike and videotaping the ascent. My fastest time up there was 21:30 or so back in 1998 or 1999. I’m thinking I’ll be able to do about a 26 minute climb this time. Watch out riders, Adam from Team Blubber Busters is hot on your tail!

Update: Week One results and photos have been posted. I came in fourth to last place! Lanterne Rouge here I come!

pl  #   rider             team                    category          time    score
1   51  Tracy Colwell     Colwell                 2                 26:42   131.02
2   43  Scott Frake       WAV-ARA                 Bald              27:47   125.91
3   19  Menso de Jong     Santa Cruz Syndicate    Junior            28:57   120.84
4   1   Dan Connelly      TNT                     3                 29:07   120.15
5   39  Clark Foy         San Jose Bicycle Club   40 +              29:22   119.13
6   48  David Kelly       Webcor/Alto Velo        4                 29:31   118.52
7   37  Bill Lloyd        Le Matin                1                 29:33   118.39
8   17  Brian Edwards                             25 - 30           29:34   118.32
9   20  James Porter      Western Wheelers        Out of Shape Dads 30:23   115.14
10  36  Bill Davis        Webcor/Alto Velo        4                 30:25   115.01
11  45  Rupert Brauch     WAV-ARA                 3                 30:29   114.76
12  42  Rob McNeill       WAV-ARA                 2                 30:45   113.77
13  16  Peter Mehlitze                            45 +              32:13   108.59
14  18  Jeff Loufit                               45 - 50           33:00   106.01
15  4   Fred E. Stamm     Penn Velo               50 +              33:00   106.01
16  40  Geo Kitta         Pen Velo/Kondra         50 +              33:26   104.64
17  35  Ron Brunner       Commuter                Commuter          34:07   102.54
18  6   Greg Dougald      AV: Old Guys Finish     40 +              34:53   100.29
19  14  Chris Barnes      Stanford Almuni         30 - 40           35:05   99.71
20  21  Pete Heller       AV: Old Guys Finish     50 +              35:14   99.29
21  44  Brian Peterson    WAV-ARA                 2                 36:13   96.59
22  11  Peter Merril                              50 +              36:39   95.45
23  12  Craig Baker       TSJBCDoNPBSJ            40 +              37:04   94.38
24  47  Gavin McRaley     Alto Velo               4                 37:37   93.00
25  50  Francis Cebedo    RoadBikerReview         5                 37:54   92.30
26  46  Ken Chern         Pen Velo                4                 38:16   91.42
27  9   Ken Straub        Team Bikeaholics        Older Than You    38:28   90.94
28  22  Tom Lawrence      Team Bikeaholics        35 - 41           38:33   90.75
29  34  Stephen Fong      San Jose Bicycle Club   5                 39:21   88.90
30  33  Brian Birkeland   ACTC                    40 +              43:16   80.86
31  15  Rich Brunner      Cruzie                  39ish             43:55   79.66
32  10  Dick Robinson     TNT                     59 - 60           46:03   75.97
33  49  Adam Tow          Blubber Busters         Infinity          48:54   71.54
34  8   Craig Swarthout                           Old 51            52:14   66.98
35  38  Neil Bliss        Platypus Racing         Heavyweight       53:04   65.92
36  52  Stephen Morris    Zero                    0                 66:01   52.99

Women

pl  #   rider             team                    category          time    score
1   5   Ingrid Erkman     Out of Shape Old Ladies OOSOL             38:47   102.99
2   7   Cheryl Hennessy   Velo Bella              35 - 40           41:06   97.18