Shifting Gears
I gave up cycling.
Okay, I lie.
After the Tahoe Century, I was looking forward to "getting my life back". I took a weekend off the bike. I hated it.
I then revisited my relationship with the bike, now that I didn't have this goal of completing a Century, or any other events. I could ride just for fun now. Instead, I decided to get serious about it. I decided to stop riding and start training. I wanted to get stronger and faster. Maybe with an eye towards racing next season. But more immediately I wanted to get my Century speed under six hours.
While part of Team in Training, we had a Head Coach. He gave us calendars with our training mapped out for each month. I completely ignored them, thinking "Oh, I'm already doing way more than this...".
Depending on who you might ask, I was perhaps overtraining.
So I decided to work with that same Head Coach, this time as a paying client and get a program more tailored to my cycling goals. (Those goals included several more centuries this year, another Double, and my four-day 500 mile bike trip). I'm working with Wenzel Coaching and Coach Roger to improve my cycling abilities.
It's only been a couple weeks, but it's shaken up everything in my cycling world. I now wear my Heart Rate Monitor (HRM, for short)
whenever I ride (or do any exercise), I've tested for heart rate max. I've taken, gasp!, rest days!!! The most challenging tweak of all has been backing off and riding with a lower heart rate, and as such, slower and with less intensity. Coach Roger promises that in about six weeks I'll see the benefits. Supposedly, I'll be able to be stronger at less intense paces, maintaining a lower HR but becoming stronger in those lower zones. Previously, I spent much of every ride over 80% of my max HR.
Oh, and the other kicker: no spinning and get out on the road more. I don't mind so much road time, in fact, I enjoy it. I do miss the social aspects of spin class. I ride alone now. And if I'm working out at lower HR zones, I need to stay riding alone for a while, so I don't give in to hammering, the allure of the chase.
I'm going to give it a whirl. I hope it works. That's what I've been up to on the bike....
Okay, I lie.
After the Tahoe Century, I was looking forward to "getting my life back". I took a weekend off the bike. I hated it.
I then revisited my relationship with the bike, now that I didn't have this goal of completing a Century, or any other events. I could ride just for fun now. Instead, I decided to get serious about it. I decided to stop riding and start training. I wanted to get stronger and faster. Maybe with an eye towards racing next season. But more immediately I wanted to get my Century speed under six hours.
While part of Team in Training, we had a Head Coach. He gave us calendars with our training mapped out for each month. I completely ignored them, thinking "Oh, I'm already doing way more than this...".
Depending on who you might ask, I was perhaps overtraining.
So I decided to work with that same Head Coach, this time as a paying client and get a program more tailored to my cycling goals. (Those goals included several more centuries this year, another Double, and my four-day 500 mile bike trip). I'm working with Wenzel Coaching and Coach Roger to improve my cycling abilities.
It's only been a couple weeks, but it's shaken up everything in my cycling world. I now wear my Heart Rate Monitor (HRM, for short)
whenever I ride (or do any exercise), I've tested for heart rate max. I've taken, gasp!, rest days!!! The most challenging tweak of all has been backing off and riding with a lower heart rate, and as such, slower and with less intensity. Coach Roger promises that in about six weeks I'll see the benefits. Supposedly, I'll be able to be stronger at less intense paces, maintaining a lower HR but becoming stronger in those lower zones. Previously, I spent much of every ride over 80% of my max HR.
Oh, and the other kicker: no spinning and get out on the road more. I don't mind so much road time, in fact, I enjoy it. I do miss the social aspects of spin class. I ride alone now. And if I'm working out at lower HR zones, I need to stay riding alone for a while, so I don't give in to hammering, the allure of the chase.
I'm going to give it a whirl. I hope it works. That's what I've been up to on the bike....
posted by j e n at 4:20 PM
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