I completed my first climb of Cougar Mountain/Zoo Hill! Actually, I very well may have done this climb before, before I knew how “legendary” it was. It’s one of the steepest climbs in the area. I hear cyclists can reach grades up to 20% depending on what part of the road they are on during the turns. A couple of years back, I looked for places to get climbing training nearby, and time and time again this climb jumped up as the best. The numbers intimidated me; what?! 17%?! I can’t keep up on 6% climbs! I didn’t plan the climb, and my legs were already spent from riding the day before, and yet, I did it. I’m pleased with my performance. I didn’t try to go fast, I only tried to keep from stopping. And once I got to the top, I felt surprised that was all it was (You can actually see this, by how much I sped up on the last segment).
Maybe I’ll get to ride it again this year. It will be interesting to see how I perform now that I know what I’m up against.
Look at that Hill!
Thought the heart rate peice was pretty interesting