Tempo/Fit Test

So I have been "exercising" for a couple of months recovering not only from RATS but the training that came before as well.  My body feel pretty well rested and recovered.  Now I'm ready to get into a bit more of a training mode.

 

The plan was 1 mile warm-up, 3@~8:15-8:30 the 1 mile cool down.  How did I come up with that?  Well it's simply what I had time for at lunch.

 

The results:

 

 

8:22 pace with an average HR of 146.  It was 93F with about 60% humidity.

 

No great turn of speed but I am happy with the stable HR and the god sensations in my legs during the effort

 

bring on the trainin'!

 

August Recap

I know…  we are already 1 week into September but…

 

 

Another month spent just exercising and being active…

 

 

I still have a few little injuries that haven't remedied themselves but…  then again I'm not 23 years old anymore.

 

It's good to feel some cycling fitness return, and I know like Eddy Merckx said if I "ride lots" I will continue to improve.

 

I read a couple of books:

 

 

As with anything written by Pat Conroy, it was excellent.  I had actually first read the book when I was about 18.  Interesting to read the book again with the experience of fatherhood as well as that of a son.

 

I also read "Calico Joe"

 

 

And Grisham is a great storyteller…  and I love baseball history…  I should have loved the book but…  it was just okay

 

I didn't listen to any books this month but I did discover Podcasts…  or to be specific a podcast that I enjoy.

 

"Open Mic with Mike Creed"

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-mic-with-mike-creed/id668239719

 

it's basically recently retired domestic pro cyclist Mike Creed talking cycling with people involved with pro cycling.

 

I dig it.

 

Got some big plans for the coming year…  I'll blog about that soon.

 

 

Guess how many intervals I did today...

 

If you guessed 6 you are correct!

 

1 mile warm-up…  6 @ 3 minute intervals with a 90 second recovery interval 1 mile cool down.

 

In this: weather

 

I'm sure this will pay off during cross season..  which starts this week!

 

 

Heck to the yeah!

 

 

 

10 tips to keep you near your target weight

 

Hey you!  Yeah I'm talking to you…

 

Are you anywhere near your goal weight?  Why not?

 

Really?  Those excuses again?

 

Busy eh?  Not running as much you say?

 

Oh, riiiight…

 

You are lifting weights again and it's all muscle??? 

 

Suuure…..  

 

so why are you wearing the same pair of "fat pants" that you wore on Tuesday…  and it's only Thursday?  And BTW weren't they a bit snug this morning?

 

Okay listen up Fatboy

 

1.      You have a good reputation to live up to…  live up to it…  wife, kids, coworkers, family…  they all expect for you to eat healthy most of the time…  that's good peer pressure… use it!

2.   Weigh yourself daily…  and log it…  some folks say not to…  but it helps you keep focus… and is proven to work

3.     Keep good snax handy (actual picture of my credenza)

4.     Be this guy (race weight is ~178…  you can go fast there) think of yourself as an athlete in top condition and act like it with your dietary choices.

5.      Not this guy (I weighed 222# in March of 2008)

6.   Keep a diet log..  you have one ya know:  http://www.myfitnesspal.com/cowart3

7.    You don't need to eat for recovery…  that's a bunch of bull$#!t…  and a handy excuse to eat pizza and drink beer after a 2 hour ride

8.   You do not need to carb load….  Ever!!!! Really you don't…  especially not for the 65 minute tempo run you did on Sunday…  that's bogus

9.     Every wine has it's time…  and wine time is *not* a continuous flow from 1730 to 2300… that's a stream of awesome, delicious, mellowing, but totally empty sugar calories…  moderation is the key

10.     In summation….

"In truth, the only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in the differences of their habits. Good habits are the key to all success. Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure. Thus, the first law I will obey, which precedeth all others is – I will form good habits and become their slave. " –Og Mandino, Greatest Salesman in the World

You know what to do… and you know how to do it…  go get 'em Tiger

 

The above is an actual conversation I had with…..  MYSELF

 

Odd huh?  Or maybe you talk to yourself like this too…

 

 

My 10 Simple rules for Spin Class

I like to ride bikes…. I love to ride bikes outside

 

But often times getting a ride in outside is just not feasible…  bike on the car rack in the morning…  off to ride at lunch… Just a lot of work for 30 minutes of pedaling…

 

So god invented spin class.

 

At their best they are high energy karaoke dance parties

 

And at their worst they can be like moving your feet in small painful circles while you are stuck in someone else's car who is yelling at their spouse on the phone and blaring a radio station you hate

 

 

And over the last oh… 15 years or so I have been to hundreds of these gatherings of music loving cycle fitness enthusiasts…  here are a few things that I would like to share with spin instructors everywhere.

 

1.  It's really pretty much all about the music

2.  Keep it simple – steady on the verse faster on the chorus

3.  Jumps are fun…  but only if you have rhythm and can count J

4.  No songs without lyrics – how can we sing along if there are no words

5.  No deep album cuts or obscure bands – play stuff we know

6.  Smile - if you don't the class thinks that they are ticking you off

7.  I don't care if you went to a live show of "Riverdance" and thought it was awesome…  please don't try and enlighten us during class

8.  You really can't miss with the Black Eyed Peas

9.  No Pink Floyd

10.  Have fun… it's a workout but it doesn't have to be work - if the instructor is having fun pedaling to music...  we all might just want to come along for a ride.

 

 

 

 

Doing summer right

Ran 5 miles at lunch..

 

Showered and ate a quarter of a watermelon.

 

 

The salt packet in the bottom left of the picture is but one of a dozen or so….  Because that's how you are supposed to eat a watermelon

 

 

July Recap

Had a kind of recovery month

 

Lots of cycling

50ish miles running

More lifting than I have done in a coons age

 

 

The weeks were pretty consistent

 

 

All that said…  I'm in kind of a weird place

 

I am exercising…  but not really training per se…  no concrete and measurable goals to attain