Hilly Sixty Between Two Centuries.

You can see the 5 climbs up Toms Hill Road very clearly in the altitude graphic (top).
The other highlight is that I recorded a maximum heart rate of 178 bpm - my highest while cycling.
(I have recorded 184 bpm while running up hill, though!)

Century (100km) last weekend - the Tour de Vale charity "sportive".
Century due next weekend - the London to Brighton (and by the time all the bits and bobs are added in it will be just over a "century").

So what to due with this weekend -the one in the "middle"?
A "fifty" (50 km ride) should do it, with some hills, thought I.
Well, it stretched to a 60 km ride, and took in some hills.
First a Category Three climb near Wendover Woods, then five (yes, FIVE) ascents of Toms Hill Road (see graphic above), leading from Aldbury up to Ashridge. the "Big" climb is 167 metres, according to Strava, and has a short section that is a 13% gradient (according to the signage erected by the county highway engineer)/ The smaller climb (and it is much smaller, at just 62m, according to Strava) has a maximum gradient of 1:8 (it is an old sign!), which equates to (iirc) about a 12.5% gradient.

But, hey, I did the "small" climb 5 times to make up for it's lack of height :-)
The "small" 62m hill actually has a bit of a local reputation, probably because it is more consistently steep than the "big" 167m climb - indeed, the overall gradient of the Cat 3 climb only just qualifies as being steep enough!

Anyway, I'll put a few pics up in due course.
Now it is time to rest up for next week's big ride - the London to Brighton.

Heart Rate analysis using StravistiX - the highest band is the heart rate I generated on the steep climbs!