Bike 4% Hill Climb

jsumara

I did a preview (in the car) ride of the USAT AG Sprint Triarhlon Nationals which I'm participating in two weeks from today on Sunday, Aug 12. The course goes over a pretty lengthy bridge that is part of I-794 here in Milwaukee. Since it's part of the Interstate system, you can't bike ride the course (legally) before hand.
Anyway, the bridge is about half way into the ride and the climb is about a 4% grade that goes for 1 mile - since its only a 12.5 mile bike, my thought is to pace early going up and the push hard on the 2nd 1/2 mi. Since this part is an out and back course, it crosses the same bridge coming back - the grade is about the same but the distance is a little shorter.
Any suggestions on how to approach this bridge-hill? The bike is my strongest and I think this hill could be an advantage if I execute this part of the bike,properly. Thoughts?

tim cronk

Jim for a sprint..... swim like there is no bike..... bike like there is no run.... run like someone is chasing you....

all out from start to finish... bike 100-105% and try not to puke!

jsumara

Thanks Tim. Needed to hear it from someone else - although I've not quite heard it worded like that! I have to say that's pretty much what I do on most of these Sprints - there is some intense suffering going on but I know that its also a short lived suffer. I guess the 1 mile 4% grade is what's causing me to consider if that works here too.

Al Truscott

4% is "nothing". You can go up that in your big ring and hammer away per Tim's pacing advice.

steve Beyer

@ Tim...I LOVE your description of a sprint. Hilarious in its brevity yet accuracy!

jsumara

@Steve - I agree with you about Tim's wording - I'm sure it will cross my mind a few times during the race.

@Al - I guess I know that 4% grade is not all that much but since there is no way to test this particular climb beforehand I was looking for someone not emotionally connected to the race and who has more experience than me to definitively state as much. So, Thanks!
BTW Al, I've been traveling to Seattle on biz multiple times over the last 2 months and this trend will likely continue. Work takes me North to Bothell for a few days at a time. Anyway, on my trips I stay at a hotel at the airport the night before my flight home and because my flt is later in the morning, the last two times I ran on the Des Moines River Trail which is near the airport. This is a nice 4.5 mile run down to the sound and back - perfect for killing time before my flight home.