My personal writer’s strike
No, I’m not a union man. I just haven’t had much to say. My picaresque on-the-road cycling adventures for 2008 currently number 1. My 2008 cycling life has pretty much revolved thusfar around our HIT sessions in MacDaddy’s garage, forging grotesquely large thighs in the crucible of sweat and pain that is High Intensity Training.
The HIT sessions have evolved over the past 10 weeks. Gone are the one-legged isolation intervals, as well as the standing surges during those cozy 30 minute standing intervals. Now we are battling through 4 minute intervals designed to explore the upper regions of your heart-rate monitor, and a dozen 15 second sprints designed to make you puke. I’m not sure it’s possible to have less fun in 2+ hours on a bike, but I love it anyway. I know I’m stronger, even if I’m not really able to apply it on the road, yet.
Tuesday was my first Use It or Lose It ride since before Christmas (Two were canceled due to holidays, the third I missed because of Terri’s birthday). My return to the road was less than glorious. It was just below freezing for the entire ride. This is normally a good reason to cancel but I had 3 enthusiastic riders, so we did a 17 mile loop, calling out warnings for ice more often than any other hazard. I’m not sure if it’s a function of my fitness, or the cold, but I could not seem to ever catch my breath. Quite frankly, I felt like crap. It was depressing.
I’m determined to improve, and I know that I should not be judging the efficacy of the HIT sessions based on one night ride. So my jury is still out. I will have a chance to measure fitness soon enough. I am registered to ride the Tour de Palm Springs in early February, and if my plans gel to ride a century every month during 2008, I’ll be riding 100 miles in the next weekend or so.
Today, we’re heading out to lead a Newcomer’s ride through the valley. A 12 mph toodle through the valley will not be a measure of my fitness, just my desire to see more folks enjoy group riding.
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January 20th, 2008 at 8:46 am
I’m so glad you wrote again. I was just getting ready to email you and see if you were okay:) I’m riding a century in CA in April and will need to get out to ride so I may be calling you to see if you want to ride with me.
Julie
January 20th, 2008 at 10:40 am
I heard that the group is looking at the Wildflower Century. That should be a pretty cool ride. It will be good for you and the gang to get out and see some new scenery.
January 20th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Yes, it is the Wildflower Century. I’m looking forward to it. So far it’s just me, Bruce and Dee, Barry, Don, and Matt. Want to go?
Julie
January 21st, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Be patient on HIT session effectiveness. It’s a grueling program that puts a lot of wear and tear on the body. It’s not normal to be at 80% plus heart rate for most of 2.5 hours. Finish the training, give it a few weeks for the legs to come back, and then make the judgement.
Personally, I think it added 3 MPH to my cruising speed last year and enabled me to hang for awhile with the racers on thier training rides (only for awhile, still got dropped as a whole). Come May, I think you will have nothing but positive things to say.