Since my main is gold ELO now (Smilerrr), I've been leveling up my side. I'm almost level 30 on him, then I'll start playing ranked.
I think if I can get a decent ELO (silver) with my side, even though I have not many champs and not all my good runes/runepages like on my main, it disproves "ELO hell", for me at least.