Nrdsb4, an 80-90 cadence doesn’t mean you have to be working hard, use ALL of those gears. Remember, gears are for maintaining your cadence; as you get fitter and stronger, you will be able to maintain your cadence in a big gear.
Also, going hard non-stop on 60-90 minute ride is likely not be be as effective as going harder for shorter intervals and taking recovery intervals. A risk of going “hard” for 60-90 minutes is that to last that duration, you can’t push at an intensity that maximizes the training effect and are pushing too hard to derive any recovery benefit. You’re kinda stuck in between. It’s more effective, for training purposes, to push as hard as you can for 15-20 minute intervals (or less, depending on fitness levels and training objectives) and then take a recovery interval that makes you feel like a lazy bum. The ratio of work to recovery time varies based on fitness levels and training objectives but give yourself enough recovery time to be able to push at the same or greater intensity during your next interval. I generally do 10-20 minute work intervals followed by 5 minute recovery intervals unless I’m doing neuro- muscular training in which event my work intervals are 30-60 seconds followed by a minute off.
My D gave myself and my H road id’s. We wear them pretty much when we work out, but H wears his all the time mostly. My bil has had several bike accidents and swears by his road id and the information that it can give. We all have the interactive ones and you can give first responders a ton of pertinent information.
Official or unofficial? Not that it makes any difference, just curious. congrats!!!
I remember going crazy when I saw that number on my Garmin’s screen for the first time! I was jumping up and down and screaming in excitement and giving hugs and kisses to random runners and bicyclists on the trail. Just kidding. But I was really excited. Nevermind that I still had .9 miles to go to finish my training run.
Sounds like a fun weekend with lots of activities…I have to confess I did nothing more than rest and go to the park with the dogs. I even ate carbs. I think I needed it.
Short 3.1 miles this morning, very slow, but felt good. 68 degrees and 97% humidity.
Stumbled onto a very interesting website of a company called GMB Fitness. It’s an internet based company run by 3 former gymnasts, martial artists and yoga practioners, some of who are also currently physical therapists. They focus on movement, flexibility and body weight training ranging from floor exercises to rings training. They sell curricular packages that range from 5-12 weeks duration, depending on the discipline, that are designed to take users through a graduated progression of movement, flexibility and strength building progressions designed to culminate in “flows” of movements that become “routines” as opposed to a string of isolated exercises. I picked up their courses on flexibility, Paralletes1 and Rings 1. The courses consist of manuals and videos that have extremely high production values and can be downloaded to your computer. Each movement is broken down into a progression of its component parts which are done as exercises until you can string the parts together to form the movement and then the movements are strung together into “flows” that are ultimately connected to form the routines. Very interesting and compelling alternatives to traditional strength training. For the paralette and rings training, you need to have access to paralette bars and rings. Everything else just requires some open space to move around in.
LOL on Road ID - when I went out for my long run this weekend, I told my DH “If I’m not back by 8:00 AM, come looking for me” & told him the basic route I had planned. I was envisioning twisting an ankle or something & being 3 miles from home. Do most of you run with a cell phone?
@MichaelNKat, that’s very interesting and helpful and I will try that. The problem with my trail is that there are several hills on my trail, which are very hard for me. It is tricky to try to time areas where you are a “lazy bum” so that you don’t end up going slow right before you get to a hill. Even inclines are hard for me, things which most fit people wouldn’t consider a hill. Part of it is that inclines hurt my back a bit, and maybe I still just don’t have the strength yet to do them well.
I will play with my gears and try to do some of these intervals. I appreciate your advice!
I don’t run with my phone. It’s my only time away from it day or night. I agree it would be good for safety. I’m also afraid of breaking it since I fall…
@Nrdsb4, going slow before a hill is ok. More important than whether you are carrying momentum into the hill or how fast you get up it is that you get into a good, steady cadence and raise your heart rate to appropriate training levels as you make your way up. Some of the best intervals I’ve done have been at 8 mph uphill with legs screaming and heart rate soaring. Hill repeats can really help in breaking through plateaus. Also, if you are experiencing back pain, take your bike to a local shop to have your saddle height and fore and aft position checked and then check your reach to your bars.
The weather was AMAZING tonight but my night was AMAZINGLY busy. Didn’t think I could get out for running time. Took the dog for his walk then said, “dang it, I’m getting out for 20 minutes if I have to run up and down the block!” (It was dusk). A light breeze and maybe 70. WONDERFUL!
congrats!!!
He really motivated me. Has anyone tried contacting him? I just hope that he isn’t ill.