Fun & Fitness over 50

The last 2 high intensity workouts on the bike, I felt pretty wiped for the rest of the day. Monday, in fact, I didn't feel well at all.

I was therefore wondering if I was pushing it too hard. You're supposed to go as hard as you can during the hard interval portions of the workout but I'm just wondering about the age factor (I'm 62) and the weight factor (ahem ... well, let's just say I'm not at my optimal weight). Dave Ertl who wrote the eBook "Training for the Busy Cyclist" is a "masters athlete" himself. Love that term "masters" instead of "senior". So it implies he's older but it doesn't say how old he is. Of course, every single person that writes on fitness says see your doctor first, i.e. don't sue me if you drop dead.

So, anyway, should I work so hard I throw up, keel over, hit a tree? Or less than that. There's working as hard as you can really, i.e. can't physically do no mo' and there's working until you decide you aren't willing to endure any more pain. 2 different levels really.

Even if I choose the latter of the 2, I guess if I feel sick afterwards, that's too much. Of if that's a consistent problem, check it out with the doc.

For today, I debated just riding for fun, no training objective or doing intervals but just not working so hard. I opted for the latter but I wound up training hard anyway. I guess I felt good enough. Not throw-up level but hard nevertheless. As a matter of fact, I rode harder in the second half than in the first. I guess I got warmed up. :-)

This was one of Ertl's 1 hour aerobic workouts and it went like this:
- warm up 10 minutes
- ride as hard as you can for 15 seconds
- "rest" by spinning easy for 15 seconds
- slam 15, chill 15 for 20 minutes!
- rest (spin easy) for 5 minutes
- slam 15 and chill 15 again for 20 minutes
- cooldown and home: 5 minutes

Needless to say, you don't recover completely in 15 seconds and your heart rate gradually works up to 85-90%MHR. But it's doable. It's a little tricky keeping track of the time. Those 15 second segments go by pretty fast. Especially the rest ones! ;-)

Also, on this route you have to deal with intersections, corners, stop signs, traffic, etc. so those don't always line up with 15 second intervals. Usually it means the "rest" portions are a few seconds longer (oh, darn!).

You know what? I really enjoy these training workouts. It makes the ride interesting otherwise I get pretty bored riding Dunkin' Donut every day. I felt pretty good today so I don't know what happened Monday. Maybe something I ate (or didn't eat).

And oh that sweet, sweet pavement on Game Farm Road! MMM-MMM-MMM! Zip right across that concrete bridge with nary a blip either direction.

Tomorrow: rest or easy ride and then for Friday, an anerobic or hill/leg strength training ride.

Here are my numbers for today:
cadence: 69RPM
average speed: 14.9mph
Distance: 14.7 mi
average HR: 137
max HR: 159
calories burned: 902

Also, I spent 40 minutes in Zone 3 (138-173bpm or 80 to 100%MHR). I'm quite pleased about that!