Well this week it was trainer time due to bad weather after work. I guess I'm just going to have to get used to the idea of riding the trainer during the week & getting outdoors on the weekends to ride. The trainer has become a necessary evil to get ready for racing season. I was able to ride 2 days on the trainer this week. On Monday we were so swamped at work due to the long holiday weekend that I was totally wiped out when I got to my parent's house for the work week. I pretty much ate dinner, took a shower, & actually was in bed by 8:30 pm. On Tuesday I was able to ride the trainer doing a Cyclo-Spin workout. I haven't done this workout in quite sometime, but I remember it kicking my butt the last time I tried it. This time it wasn't so bad, so I guess that's a good sign that I'm getting in better shape. On Wednesday I got on the trainer once again, this time using my favorite album to workout to, Operatioin Mindcrime by Queensryche. I really love using this album for a trainer workout. I warm up with about the first 2-3 songs, then gradually increase the load with each song until I hit about the 8th song which I use as a recovery period, then the rest of the album is riding the big ring & trying to keep the cadence about 90 rpm or higher as I increase the load. I really can't keep track of any data on the trainer because my cyclocomputer requires my front wheel to be moving to keep all the important stuff, when riding the trainer, all it shows is heart rate & cadence, but will not keep averages of them.
On Friday I did the Winter Training Series #5 route due to other commitments that prevented me from joining the group on Saturday. I must say that this was the most challenging route we have done to date. I was glad that there wasn't much wind when I was out on the route. I was able to keep a good pace going for most of the route until I hit a certain section of road. This section of road had several short, steep climbs on it which really took it's toll on my legs. As I was heading home I was certainly feeling those short climbs. I really can't complain about the ride though, I felt good the entire ride, kept a steady pace, & enjoyed the challenge of the route. Here is the data for the WTS #5 route:
Total Distance: 67.88 miles
Total Time: 3:40:08
Avg. Speed: 18.55 mph
Max Speed: 34.93 mph
Avg. Cadence: 92 rpm
Avg. Heart Rate: 153
Max Heart Rate: 173
Calories Burned: 3517
On Saturday afternoon, I took my commuter bike out for a recovery ride, my legs were a bit sore from the previous day's ride. I just rode easy & spun my legs to let them recover. It most certainly helped.
On Sunday afternoon, I rode with my friend Eddie H. who has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to bike racing. He's been doing it for over 20 years, so it's nice to pick his brain & learn what it will require to succeed this upcoming season. We only had about 90 minutes to ride, so Eddie certainly pushed the pace early in the ride. I was doing my best to hang on as close as I could. Eddie is a very strong rider who could drop me at a moment's notice, but I try my best to stay with him during a ride. During some portions of the ride we went kind of easy for a bit, then the pace picked back up. I was feeling it on parts of the ride, but I needed to be pushed to see if I could hang on. All in all it was a good ride. Here is the data for Sunday's ride:
Total Distance: 28.65 miles
Time: 1:29:48
Avg. Speed: 19.14 mph
Max Speed: 31.80 mph
Avg. Cadence: 91 rpm
Avg. Heart Rate: 144
Max Heart Rate: 166
Calories Burned: 1311
