Big Chainring

Indoor cycling once again even though is was beautiful outside.  I like the training indoors because I can focus so much more on specific drills.  Today I chose the Big Chainring (E4) workout from the Workouts For Indood Cycling book.  I did modify the warm-up and the mainset to fit my needs.  I had a great 50 minute workout once again watching the Ironman World Championships.

Warm-Up
5 minutes easy building cadence above 90 RPMs
5 x 30 seconds standing/30 seconds seated.
6 x 1 min right leg/1 min left leg

Main Set
5 x 5 minutes in Big Chainring pushing cadence of > 80 RPMs in HRZ 3 with a 2 minute recovery.

Each set I would continue to build my effort until I hit the bottom end of HRZ 4 and then back it off slightly.  Each set I had an average HR of 171 (HRZ 3.6) averaging 85.5 RPMS. 

Cool-Down
5 minutes easy letting heart rate return to normal.

I recorded the workout this morning.

Happy Training Everyone!

9 Mile Long Run

A great run this morning.  My goal this morning was to run the first 5 miles at an 8 minute pace keeping the heart rate below 164 (70% HRR) and then run the next 2 miles at a 7:30 pace, 1 at 6:50 pace and then a mile cool down.  I had an absolute liberating run this morning.


  Mile -  Pace - Avg HR -  Max HR
Mile 1 – 7:48   –   145   –   165
Mile 2 – 7:44   –   156   –   168
Mile 3 – 7:47   –   156   –   174
Mile 4 – 7:49   –   161   –   168
Mile 5 – 7:54   –   163   –   168
Mile 6 – 7:21   –   172   –   181
Mile 7 – 7:15   –   173   –   179
Mile 8 – 6:49   –   182   –   190
Mile 9 – 8:07   –   168   –   187

Weather:

Temperature: Min./Max.: 49.4 °F/57.6 °F
Humidity: 85.3%
Dew point: 48.0 °F
Wind Speed: 0.6 mph

Outfit:

Shorts: Brooks

Shirt: K-Swiss Ironman Louisville finisher shirt
Shoes: Brooks Pure Connect


Nutrition:
Pre-Run: 1 Packet CeraSport EX1 mixed with 1 scoop Base Amino
               1 Packet Sports Beans
Run: 1 Packer CeraSport EX1 mixed with 1 scoop Base Amino
         1 Strawberry Banana PowerGel
Post-Run: Base Recovery and the remainder of the CeraSport EX1 mix from the run and Powerade

Happy Training Everyone

Isolated Leg Drill

The title alone sounds defeating.  Late morning workout scheduled on the trainer to conduct isolated leg drills.  The focus was to work on the efficiency of each pedal stroke and identify the weaknesses.  This workout comes form the Workouts for Indoor Cycling, Speed Skills 1.  I added slightly to the workout so I did a total of 50 minutes of spinning. 

Warm-Up: 17 Minutes
5 min pedaling easy, keeping cadence above 90 rpm
5 min alternating 30 seconds standing; 30 seconds seated
6 min seated altenate 1 minute right leg 1 minute left leg
1 min pedaling easy

Main Set: 28 Minutes
7 X 4:00 maintaining a cadence of 85 rpm
     Alternane 1 min right leg; 1 min both legs; 1 min left leg; 1 min both legs.  I put support
     on each side of the bike to place my feet while pedaling with the opposite leg.  The focus
     was not to push down on the pedal stroke; at the bottom, pull back and up and push
     forward at the top of the stroke.

Cool Down: 5 Minutes pedaling easy but maintaining a cadence of 90.

I did a fairly descent job of maintain the cadence throughout the isolated leg drills however I notice on both the right and left legs at about 40 seconds into the workout I start to loose efficiency at the top of the pedal stroke.  As I sit here and type this I can feel the burn in my quads.  I guess that is a good thing.

Happy Training Everyone!

Spooky Early Morning Run

Up bright and early and running by 6 a.m. It was dark, cold and eerie this morning running along the river with the fog coming off the water.  I was running on the Riverwalk in Columbus, GA which is mostly lit up but there were a lot of lights out this morning.  There is a wooden bridge to run across which can be really spooky at night if you let your imagination get away from you and this morning was not different.  No lights on the bridge and not lights leading into the bridge.  Of course as usual I am trying to see look far enough in front of me to make sure nobody is there waiting for me in the dark.  This morning, I see someone moving in front of me.  Is it for real or just my imagination?  As I got closer it was definitely someone in front of me.  It was a man with a hood over his head, which at that moment I realized who it was.  It was an older gentleman that I see walking almost every day and he is just as pleasant as can be.  On my return trip through this bridge was really freaky.  At least running this direction the lights on the riverwalk shown toward the bridge, but his time all I could see was a hand moving back and forth, glowing in the dark. “Spooky!” It was the same guy, but he was wearing white gloves which reflected the light.

Now that the drama is over, I can share my run information. It was a bit colder than I am used to so I decided to wear tights and a jacket this morning. An easy 6 mile run this morning.  Since it was dark I figured I would just run by feel and not worry about me pace.  I just wanted to have a pleasant run with my God and enjoy the silence of the darkness.  I ended up averaging an 8:12 pace.  The good thing my splits were somewhat close to each other and I kept the heart rate below 70% for most of the run.  I actually reached 72% at the end of the run coming up a little hill.
 
Weather:
Temperature: Min./Max.: 37.9 °F/41.2 °F
Humidity: 90.1%
Dew point: 35.0 °F
Wind Speed: 1.3 mph

Outfit:

Shorts: Brooks Nightlife

Pants: Nike tights
Shirt: Beach2Battleship race shirt
Jacket: Brooks Nightlife
Shoes: Brooks Defyance 4
Hat: Brooks
Gloves: Brooks

Happy Training Everyone!

Going Aero - Indoor Cycling

 Trainer ride this afternoon; 50 minutes on the trainer watching Ironman World Championships 2011. I used the indoor cycling book workout E2, Going Aero. 15 minute warm-up followed by 10 minutes aero, 10 minutes sitting upright, 10 minutes aero with 5 minute cool-down. The main set was in HRZ2 with a cadence of 90.

Six Mile Run

This morning I headed out for a 6 mile run.  The plan was to run at an easy pace of 9 minute miles.  Well I didn't do such a good job of running at 9 minute mile.  I ended up running an 8:37 pace.  I am happy with the pace just because I averaged 143 for a heart rate which is about 65% of my heart rate reserve.  My heart rate maxed out at 165 which is 71% of heart rate reserve.

Overall I would say the run was a success although I did not meet my original goal of 9 minute miles.

Weather:
Temperature: Min./Max.: 42.6 °F/42.6 °F
Humidity: 84.8%;
Dew point: 38.1 °F
Wind Speed: 0.0 mph

Outfit:
Shorts: Brooks
Shirt: Asics LS
Jacket: Asics
Shoes: Brooks Defyance 4

Thank you Jesus for these words this morning.

Isaiah 40. 
²⁸ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Happy Training Everyone!

30-Minute Time Trial

I did a 30 minute time-trial today on my trainer.  I am really out of shape.  I did a 20 minute warm-up gradually increasing the intensity and finished the warm-up with 5 x 30 seconds sprints with 30 secend recovery.  After the warm-up I did a 5 minute rest/stretching and then back on the bike for 1 minute.  Then I started the 30 minute time trial.  I tried not to start off too fast and burn out.  I think I did a pretty good job at keeping at the same intensity during the entire ride.  As approached 20 minutes I was ready to get off the bike the legs were burning but I continue to maintain.  My speed didn't taper off too much toward the end of the time trial.  It only dropped about .2 mph during the last 10 minutes and I was able to maintain an average cadence of 90.  Now I have something to guage my training; I plan on doing a time-trial every 4 weeks or so.

To keep myself from getting bored I watch Inside-Endurance Sports by Gatorade on youtube.  I watched all 12 episode.  It was pretty interesting to watch.

Happy Training Everyone!

7 Mile Run

The goal this morning was to run 7 miles at an 8 minute pace.  I had a great run and ended up running slightly faster averaging 7:51.  I tryed to keep the pace as steady as possible once I got started.  I clocked the first mile at 7:37 which I knew was much faster than my goal pace.  I was just running by feel and once I looked at the split I knew I had to slow it down a bit.  The second mile was 7:49 which was better but still not where I wanted it.  The remainder of the splits were: 7:53, 7:55: 7:49: 7:52, and 7:53.

Weather:
Temperature Min./Max.: 51.1 °F/51.3 °F;
Humidity: 88.7%;
Dew point: 47.6 °F;
Wind Speed: 3.4 mph

Outfit:
Shorts: Brooks
Shirt:  Beach2Battleship long sleeve race shirt
Shoes: Brooks Defyance 4
Hat: Brooks
Compression Sleeve: Zensah (Right Calf only)

Happy Running Everyone!

Indoor Cycling Workout - Rolling Hilly Course

I took a workout from the "Workouts For Indoor Cycling" book.  I did E1, Rolling Hilly Course.  The main set consisted of 2 sets with the first set consisting of 6 x 2:00 minutes in Heart Rate Zone 2 choosing any gear to maintain 70 RPM with 1 minute recovery maintaining 100 RPMs.  The second set was identical with the exception of each repeats was 3 minutes in length.

I did 16 minute Warm-Up and then did the main set followed by 5 minute Cool-Down.  I had a great workout and felt the burn in the legs.  It was much harder than I expected to stay at 70 RPM but keep the hear rate in zone 2 at the same time.  I took me a while two repeats until I got it right to where I could maintain the same gear the entire 2 or 3 minutes without busting my heart rate. 

Out of Shape

Wow - How easy it is to get out of shape!  I need to start putting in the workouts on a daily basis.

I tryed to do the Spinnerval Lean and Mean workout and I didn't make it but 30 minutes into it before I had to call it quits.  Legs were on fire.  I only made it to the top of the first pyramid.  So I guess I need to start working on my base versus trying to kill myself.  Time to break out the indoor cycling book and work on my endurance.