Taking some time to learn

It is the time of year to consider some resolutions...end of December; a little time off and setting some healthy goals.

Normally, I would be setting training goals that would eventually lead to overtraining injuries. Well, with age SHOULD come wisdom, so this year the goal is to be smart about training by doing some research first.

Since it is late December, training should be focused on building a base. Focus should be on aerobic endurance, cross training and the hitting weight room. To this end, I've spent this week doing 2-30 mile rides, a couple of spin classes, the first time in the pool in over a year, and daily yoga. I could really get used to this! Ending each evening with yoga is proving to relieve my chronic back and hip pain. It is also helping my shoulder tremendously. One year ago I was sporting a sling after rotator cuff surgery. Another reason to commit to a base-building winter.

I bought a book called The Cyclists Training Bible. To tell you the truth, it wasn't the resource I was looking for, but I'll keep looking!

Consistency for the next 8-10 weeks should build a solid base from which to begin preseason training.

My next step is to schedule a fitness test at our local club. I have been resisting this as an unnecessary step for the last year. Everything that I read points to the need to understand not only my fitness level, but more importantly, my anaerobic threshold. Understanding the point at which I am burning more glucose than fat and building up lactic acid will help guide my training plan. More to come on this.

Once I get the fitness test, I'll invest in a new heart rate monitor so that I can train using my heart rate. I dug through our drawer with all of the discarded gadgets, plugs and a myriad of old cell phones. Found the Polaris watch with the chest strap. Yes! Then tried it out and realized it just doesn't work anymore.

Hoping my reward for all of this effort is an injury-free year of serious cycling!

Getting out in the wet and cold

Its the day AFTER Christmas and all through the house, people are moaning from eating too much!
Time to get out for a ride on this Saturday morn. Today it feels less like fun and more like a chore.

Okay, so I'm no poet.

At 8am on Dec 26th, off to meet the Moms on Bikes for a 30 miler. Funny how 45 degrees feels colder when there is also a light mist of rain and a breeze. Still, got in a solid ride and my legs are reminding me just how long its been since we all rode together.

Looking forward to several more while we are off from work.

Out into the cold of winter

It is time to don those cycling tights, gloves, shoe covers, and all things warm to get our hind ends on a bike and RIDE.

This past week I felt so fortunate to have been invited to join a women's cycling team. Already I feel welcome, as they invite me to ride and welcome me into their fold. As everyone was updating their profiles, I did find it a little, hmmm, let me say daunting, to know that at least one of these athletes is in high school. No matter, as they say, youth is sooo wasted on the young.

So again, back on the bike this week both Saturday and Sunday. Looking forward to it...brrrr...

Just a quick post to note how quickly conditioning is LOST!
Where is it that it goes? And why is it in such a darned hurry to leave?

Spin class tonight was packed and we have a great instructor. She motivates us to climb "just one last hill". My quads were screaming, and my calves were cramping...I was certain that I was the only one feeling any pain at all. Kept thinking that there must be someplace that I should be...someone waiting for me so that I would urgently need to leave that class. But no, I had covered all of my bases and planned out every detail so that I could stay for the entire workout. Damn!

7pm eventually rolled around and we slowed for a cool-down.
Goodness that was tough. Better keep it up, cause that conditioning certainly does not like to stick around.