It was a very good week, I met all of my weekly goals. The two main goals were to get 16hrs of training and get over 250 miles on the bike. Check and Check. As usually there were a couple days where I had very low energy. These days were Thursday and Sunday. Other than those days I had good energy for my rides. Including 2hrs weight lifting I had a total of 16:30hrs training last week and 253miles on my trainer and in Spin class.
I decided not to go outside Saturday morning so I did my long ride on the trainer downstairs at the Bike Rack. This week is a rest week... only 10:30hrs. I say only but it is still a substantial amount of work.
It feels good to stay on track.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tomorrow
I am going to ride tomorrow. I can handle temps in the 20s but the problem is refeeze of the melting going on today. Good news is I have studded tires on my Single Speed. Bad news, the studs are worn down.
So the game plan is to start at The Bike Rack, ride West on Maple and then ride where the wind carries me. I am thinking Fremont again. Ride time 4:30hrs. Anyone? Anyone?
So the game plan is to start at The Bike Rack, ride West on Maple and then ride where the wind carries me. I am thinking Fremont again. Ride time 4:30hrs. Anyone? Anyone?
Thursday, January 27, 2011
About last night
Last night I was determined to get at least 90 minutes on the bike for the second half of the days workout. Since the Bike Rack closes at 7:00, I needed to get there and be set up by 5:30. No problem, I climbed on the bike at 5:30.
Ten minutes later my heart rate was still low. Just over 100bpm which is not even Zone 1 for me. No problem, I will just focus and work a little harder. 120bpm was all I could manage. Normally, once I am warmed up my heart rate settles in to 138ish. Not this time. I was struggling to keep the heart rate about 100bpm.
If I didn't have a heart rate monitor I would have thought I had a good workout. I was still pushing hard, sweating, and spinning my pedals at a good cadance. The only give away was my gear choice which was very low(easy). As soon as my computer read 1:30hr, I climbed off the trainer, packed up and headed home.
I am not quite sure what I accomplished sitting on the bike in such a condition. The only good I see in sitting on the bike last night is that I burned some calories. I don't know how and if it contributed to my fitness.
Ten minutes later my heart rate was still low. Just over 100bpm which is not even Zone 1 for me. No problem, I will just focus and work a little harder. 120bpm was all I could manage. Normally, once I am warmed up my heart rate settles in to 138ish. Not this time. I was struggling to keep the heart rate about 100bpm.
If I didn't have a heart rate monitor I would have thought I had a good workout. I was still pushing hard, sweating, and spinning my pedals at a good cadance. The only give away was my gear choice which was very low(easy). As soon as my computer read 1:30hr, I climbed off the trainer, packed up and headed home.
I am not quite sure what I accomplished sitting on the bike in such a condition. The only good I see in sitting on the bike last night is that I burned some calories. I don't know how and if it contributed to my fitness.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Checking In
This week started early. Normally I take Mondays off but decided to hit the weights in the evening.
I loaded up the squat bar with the same amount of weight I have been using for the past 2 weeks. It felt light so I pushed a bit harder on the way up. Making the lifting phase of the squat more explosive. By the 5th set I was back to normal speed. My legs were toast at the leg press... I did two of three sets. I felt I accomplished the goal on the legs. Only other thing of note is that chin ups are getting easier. I still can only do 2 at a time though.
Tuesday morning I sat in on the 5:30 spin class and did some more time to get 2:00hrs. Tuesday night ... nothing.
This morning, I sat on the trainer for just under 2hrs. I was full gas up to 1:45hrs. Just couldn't bare to sit on the bike for another 10min. Tonight, I have another 2hrs scheduled. I doubt I will get that. It will be more like 90min.
I loaded up the squat bar with the same amount of weight I have been using for the past 2 weeks. It felt light so I pushed a bit harder on the way up. Making the lifting phase of the squat more explosive. By the 5th set I was back to normal speed. My legs were toast at the leg press... I did two of three sets. I felt I accomplished the goal on the legs. Only other thing of note is that chin ups are getting easier. I still can only do 2 at a time though.
Tuesday morning I sat in on the 5:30 spin class and did some more time to get 2:00hrs. Tuesday night ... nothing.
This morning, I sat on the trainer for just under 2hrs. I was full gas up to 1:45hrs. Just couldn't bare to sit on the bike for another 10min. Tonight, I have another 2hrs scheduled. I doubt I will get that. It will be more like 90min.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Before the Storm
Saturday, I was able to get outside to ride before the snow storm. At 19 degrees the tempurature was relativly warm.
To make a long story short I was able to ride for approx 4hrs. This was perhaps my longest ride in 5 months. It felt good to get off the trainer. I like the "Bar Mitts" that I had on the bike but they were almost too warm. I wore some lighter weight gloves but still had to pull my hands out of the bar mitts to cool them down. I did notice one issue with the mitts... you are pretty much locked down to one hand position. This is a problem for longer rides. My back was getting a little cranky from riding on the hoods.
So, the final numbers on last week were ~14hrs of training and 183miles. This next weeks schedule calls for more training time. I can handle a little more time but am going to focus on getting more sleep in order to get more quality time on the bike.
To make a long story short I was able to ride for approx 4hrs. This was perhaps my longest ride in 5 months. It felt good to get off the trainer. I like the "Bar Mitts" that I had on the bike but they were almost too warm. I wore some lighter weight gloves but still had to pull my hands out of the bar mitts to cool them down. I did notice one issue with the mitts... you are pretty much locked down to one hand position. This is a problem for longer rides. My back was getting a little cranky from riding on the hoods.
So, the final numbers on last week were ~14hrs of training and 183miles. This next weeks schedule calls for more training time. I can handle a little more time but am going to focus on getting more sleep in order to get more quality time on the bike.
Friday, January 21, 2011
A Hard day
Yesterday was a hard day. I had low energy from the start but I am glad I pushed through to do as much as I could.
It took me awhile to get out of bed when the alarm went off. Then at the gym, I was too tired to complete all my reps on some of my excersices. Work was a drag too... It felt like a long day. In the evening, I had planned a 1:30hr ride but only did 1:15 and the last 15min really shouldn't count.
Not quite sure why I was so tired. I had 3hrs of trainer time Wednesday but I don't think that is the only reason. I think it is that I am not use to getting up so early for 3 days straight. I am hoping if I keep a consistant sleeping routine that I will be better next week.
Tomorrow, I have a 4hr day planned. Yikes, I don't know how I am going to do it. I want to ride outside because I don't think I am "Tough Enough" to spend 4hrs on the trainer. Right now even 3hrs sounds long. I may try for 3hrs and then go lift weights in the afternoon. We'll see.
It took me awhile to get out of bed when the alarm went off. Then at the gym, I was too tired to complete all my reps on some of my excersices. Work was a drag too... It felt like a long day. In the evening, I had planned a 1:30hr ride but only did 1:15 and the last 15min really shouldn't count.
Not quite sure why I was so tired. I had 3hrs of trainer time Wednesday but I don't think that is the only reason. I think it is that I am not use to getting up so early for 3 days straight. I am hoping if I keep a consistant sleeping routine that I will be better next week.
Tomorrow, I have a 4hr day planned. Yikes, I don't know how I am going to do it. I want to ride outside because I don't think I am "Tough Enough" to spend 4hrs on the trainer. Right now even 3hrs sounds long. I may try for 3hrs and then go lift weights in the afternoon. We'll see.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
As expected
I climbed on the bike for a 90min ride last night. It was a conservative ride because I knew that I had to get up early and repeat This morning.
Last night I stayed mostly in the upper part of Zone 1 with 35minutes in Zone 2. This morning, I was tired. It wasn't from the riding but from less sleep. Also, I wasn't motivated to climb on the trainer again. I expected that feeling. Luckily I wasn't done with my Movie "Overcoming" (about Bjarne Riis & Team CSC in the tour) so I climbed on the bike and started slowly ramping up to cruising speed within 15min. Again my effort was mostly in Zone 1. In the last half hour I challenged myself to keep the effort up in Zone2 for 15min before the cool down.
Tonight it is off to the Bike Rack for some group spinning.
Last night I stayed mostly in the upper part of Zone 1 with 35minutes in Zone 2. This morning, I was tired. It wasn't from the riding but from less sleep. Also, I wasn't motivated to climb on the trainer again. I expected that feeling. Luckily I wasn't done with my Movie "Overcoming" (about Bjarne Riis & Team CSC in the tour) so I climbed on the bike and started slowly ramping up to cruising speed within 15min. Again my effort was mostly in Zone 1. In the last half hour I challenged myself to keep the effort up in Zone2 for 15min before the cool down.
Tonight it is off to the Bike Rack for some group spinning.
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