A Trying Ride!

Yesterday, I rode 32 miles of rollers. It was possibly one of the most difficult rides I have ever done, mentally at least.
It was unseasonably warm, 85°. I don't know if that had anything to do with it.

Also, I'm having a lot of discomfort with my seat. Perhaps I need a new pair of shorts!

I have never had a ride, including the 100K and 75 milers where I have seriously considered stopping to take a nap! This I wanted to do very badly on this ride.

A couple of riders stopped me and asked to borrow my multi-tool. One of them had a loose cleat plate on his shoe that needed tightening. I was glad I could help. (and glad for the rest!)

We went separate ways but they overtook me again later in the ride. I thought about having a shirt made with the following on the back "You have just been passed by or you have just overtaken Retro Man. Either way it's nothing to be proud of."

In any event, I made it without a nap. It concerns me a bit. I hope I get over this.

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The Wonderful World of Hurt!

I hurt.

Ain't it wonderful?

Specifically, my quads.

Today was workout number 2 week 5 of the "Power to the Pedals" program from roadbikerider.com.

I worked hard but not too hard. Hard enough to hurt afterwards.

I'm glad they specified that in the instructions for the program. You're not supposed to do an all-out effort like in a race but you are supposed to do a hard workout.

I'm learning what constitutes "hard enough" for me.

It's great that I can do a workout at the gym on the stationary bike that leaves me feeling like I do after a long ride.

Quads are buzzin'!

It's a good feeling!

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How hard is TOO hard?

"Power to the Pedals" workout at the gym today.

1st week after the "recovery" week which still had some intervals but just fewer and shorter.

Today I did 5 one minute independent leg intervals and 6 thirty second seated sprints.

I think I've mentioned previously that my left leg is much weaker than my right when doing the ILT intervals. I'm handling that by not worrying about keeping up the 90RPM cadence on the left leg as specified in the program.

Oddly, I found that on the last interval with the left leg I actually hit 90 without even thinking about it. Maybe it's more about my form than strength?

The seated sprints were the hardest. I go 30 seconds trying to keep to 100RPM at a resistance level of 16 on the trainer. This gets my heart rate up to 90% and I get a little short of breath by the last couple of intervals.

I found that I was a little light headed after this workout and just a touch, just a touch mind you, nauseous.

I'm a "follow-the-instructions" kind of guy and I'm trying to follow the program but I have to remember that the program is not specifically geared to "masters" (old people).

I don't like to make excuses but on the other hand, not overdoing it and/or burning out is wisdom.

This is a line to walk.

There's no way to work it out except by doing it and learning your body as you go.

I think that's cool.

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Black Arm Band

I'm telling everybody that I'm going to wear a black arm band until next ski season!

This was my third year skiing but I feel like I really skied this year.

I got to that place of "flow" that you seek in all skilled activities. Rather than being concerned about whether I could handle a run or about being able to slow myself down sufficiently to be comfortable with a particular trail, I sought speed and steeps and more challenging terrain.

I "attacked" the slopes rather than crept up on them.

I commented to Mrs. MTBMan1 how much we laughed this year. Partly from the exhilaration and partly from the craziness of this 60 something guy pushing his limits when some people are pushing their walkers!

Of course, I have yet to catch Mrs. MTBMan1 on the slopes! ;-)

It's her birthday today but I'm not going to reveal how young she is!

Her birthday wish was to ski today but it's not to be. Our local and affordable slopes are all closed now and it's raining. Boo-hoo!

So I'll go dig out my black arm band and try not to dream about next season!

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The Amazing Power of Exercise!

Yesterday AM was not a good time. I was feeling some despair over my current job situation, actually over my prospects for the future.

I was scheduled to take a relatively longer ride as I had just done an interval workout the day before, however, I opted to wait until the afternoon as it was predicted to warm up and clear up.

I really didn't want to do anything to tell you the truth. You know how depression is.

But I know enough by now to do the ride because no matter how things look, I will feel better after.

So about 12, I set out. I was planning on doing a 2-1/2 hour ride, I'm ramping up gradually after the off-season, but it wound up being about 3 hours and I WAS tired!

But it had the intended effect of mood and outlook transformation.

I usually ride and exercise first thing in the morning partly because it works out best schedule wise but also because it tends to set the tone for the day.

Today I did a short warm up at the gym on the elliptical and then did a moderate/hard upper body workout and I feel great even though my situation hasn't changed.

There is tremendous power in being able to upgrade your mood at will!

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Is speed your friend?

Yesterday I went skiing at Butternut with my friend Scott.
It looked like the best day of the week to go and I think it was.

It was perfectly clear.

Monday they were closed because of rain and today is kind of gloomy.

They are expecting to be closed Thurday and Friday because of rain.

Mrs. MTBMan1 didn't want to go because she feels she needs 2 weeks of recovery.

The snow was mostly soft and got softer as the day progressed. It required a different approach for me in that you couldn't really "push" a lot of snow because of the heaviness of it on account of the water content/density.

So, if you are comfortable with speed, you can go down the hill reasonably well with moderate turns.

I think I will work on this technique if I get to go again this season because I am more comfortable with speed as I mentioned in my previous ski post.

Speed is your friend!

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Today, I went to the gym and did my second workout for the recovery week of the "Power to the Pedals" program from roadbikerider.com.

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