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VAM - how fast you can climb

  • 24-11-2009 3:07pm
    #1
    Diarmuid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭


    I only very recently noticed that Ascent reports VAM (Vertical Ascended Meters / hr). I looked back over some of my sportives and races and it does seem to be a pretty consistant indicator of how fast you climb. So anyone who uses Ascent, check it out. Don't know if SportTracks has a similar feature? About the best I've done is 999m/hr for 30mins. I'd have to dig to find the fastest for an full hour!


Comments

  • #2
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,222 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    The last timed climb I did was 3 Rock back in September. 318m in 17:57. VAM = 1063 m/hr.

    Ryan Sherlock did it in 12:34, or 1518 m/hr.

    Contador did Verbier in 20'55, which is either 1830 or 1920, depending on whose calculations you use.


  • #3
    peterako
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 720 ✭✭✭peterako


    I'd be happy to get into double digits :D


  • #4
    Diarmuid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    Lumen wrote: »
    Ryan Sherlock did it in 12:34, or 1518 m/hr.
    Serious climbing...


  • #5
    ryan_sherlock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 885 ✭✭✭ryan_sherlock


    Lumen wrote: »
    Ryan Sherlock did it in 12:34, or 1518 m/hr.

    Contador did Verbier in 20'55, which is either 1830 or 1920, depending on whose calculations you use.

    The Three Rock climb is funny due to the descents/flats. My last 4 minutes of the climb that day was 1980 m/hr. (I averaged 480W over the 4 minutes to do that) The steeper the climb, the higher the achievable VAM.


  • #6
    Diarmuid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    ryan_sherlock wrote: »
    The Three Rock climb is funny due to the descents/flats. My last 4 minutes of the climb that day was 1980 m/hr. (I averaged 480W over the 4 minutes to do that) The steeper the climb, the higher the achievable VAM.
    What weight are you Ryan?


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  • #7
    ryan_sherlock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 885 ✭✭✭ryan_sherlock


    Diarmuid wrote: »
    What weight are you Ryan?

    That day, around 73.5kg. Before a big race I'm usually around 73kg. At the moment I'm 75 :) Gotta love the 'non-competitive' season.


  • #8
    ryan_sherlock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 885 ✭✭✭ryan_sherlock


    Oh, and for the National Hill Climb champs - when you take out the two 'descents' my VAM was around (from memory) 2250 for the 7 minutes - and I only came third! Paul Griffin was doing something like 2500-2600! That guy can climb.


  • #9
    Diarmuid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    ryan_sherlock wrote: »
    That day, around 73.5kg. Before a big race I'm usually around 73kg. At the moment I'm 75 :) Gotta love the 'non-competitive' season.

    So 6.5 W/kg for those 4mins. Hard core.


  • #10
    IM0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    Diarmuid wrote: »
    So 6.5 W/kg for those 4mins. Hard core.

    all he has to do now is maintain that for an hour and he's got a very bright future ahead of him ;)


  • #11
    ryan_sherlock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 885 ✭✭✭ryan_sherlock


    I know, around 5.7W/kg is all I can muster for an hour at the moment - still, I'm new to the sport :)

    It is the surgyness of the power that they put out that impresses me most. They may do 6W/kg average for a climb, it is the 2-3 minute attack, recover, attack that is outstanding.


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  • #12
    ryan_sherlock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 885 ✭✭✭ryan_sherlock


    More on VAM: http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=74


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