Yesterday I logged the fastest down hill run on Strava for the “Expressway Decent” and while I was climbing Bains Road this morning I was bumped down 2 spots by Ryan B & Johnathan Jason. That’s life

6:22am: 8C, 14.68km, 46m52s, 3:12/km, 18.8kph, 3,50 KJ’s, 125/151 Avg/Max HR

 I plan to ride Colin Ware-Lane’s Amy’s Warm-up on Sunday which includes climbing Willunga Hill. This is a cat 3 hill with an average grade of 7.4%, much greater than anything I have ridden to date. The veloway has been my biggest at 3.7km with an average grade of only 4.1%.

I chose to climb Bains Rd for two reasons, it is close to home and it has a cat 3 rating with a 3.5km length and 5.8% average grade. Not as much as Willunga Hill but much more than the veloway.

I approached this climb with much caution as I did not know what to expect. I have power walked up here before but could not remember what it was really like.

I set off in bottom gear spinning for the most part keeping my speed slow as I monitored my breathing. If I thought I was breathing to hard I would slow the pace a little to keep it constant.  Unlike Willunga hill there are a few segment where you can click up a few gears to gain a little momentum but I was soon dropping back through the gears to maintain an unstrained breathing rate.

My conclusion, I think with a careful approach to Willunga Hill I should be able to take it. The only reason I am not sure is that I will have cycled 40km to get there in the first place so I will have to be reserved in my efforts getting there. That will be on Sunday, I plan to ride about 90km on Saturday with a group of friend however that will be across the Adelaide plains so it should be easy going.

I may give Bains Rd another go tomorrow but that will be my last ride before the weekend. As always, happy cycling all and enjoy life.