So, I’ll be lifting a little tonight. Going to 24 Hour Fitness with the
missus.

But I’ve been slacking a little for the past month. Not slacking, just
not being very disciplined. I got down to 200 lbs — under 200, actually
– but I’ve been languishing there for a month because I’ve been eating
poorly and not riding as much as I should be. I will say, however, that
I’ve been lifting a lot more. And doing lots of core stuff. So maybe
I’ll have a big catch-up weight-loss soon.

Also, I’ve been posting to another blog, but I think I’m going to stop
using that one because this one is more basic and easy to use. Like
those cell phones that only have an address book and calling features.
Simply effective.

Anyway, I guess it’s helpful to have this blog to go back through and
see when I’m plateauing and when I’m having great times. This isn’t
really a plateau — those happen when increased effort yields no
results. This was more of a hiatus. And one that, I hope, I can put
behind me.

Yay! Bring on the good food. Bring on the small portions. Bring on the
long rides. Yee-haw!

Went up to Fairmount via the Euro Trash road, then came down Markham. Smokin’. I really should’ve eased off today. Yesterday I lifted pretty hard, and even did some plyometrics. I should’ve just spun. But no. I’m stupid. I say, “let’s go easy.” And someone suggests hills, so I’m all “Duuuuuhhhhh.” And then we’re off. So whatever. I laid it out, cold. Fine. It just means I’ll be all the stronger.

Oh, and next week? I’m totally resting. Except Thanksgiving. I’m hitting that hard.

Anyhoo, here are the stats.

Time: 1:06.58
Distance: 14.1 miles
Avg. HR: 147 bpm
Max HR: 186 bpm
Avg speed: 12.6 mph
Max speed: 30.7 mph

Zone 1: 40′ 25″
Above Zone 1: 24′ 32″

Group ride. Ok, it was pretty much Duncan and I. Quenton for just an hour or so…

4-ish hours (Duncan got a flat)
50 miles

Avg.HR: 142 bpm
Avg: speed: 14.4 (we did some hills)
I spent about 35 minutes above Zone 1. Most of that was climbing up to Council Crest and then hammering along Springwater on the way home.

It was a pretty good ride, but dude. My back is seriously killing. I think being off the bike for a week was probably not a great thing. My aerobic fitness was fine but… I dunno. Just being in the position for two days like that. Oof.

Group ride out along Springwater Corridor. Nothing really worth mentioning other than it didn’t rain on us! Woo-hoo!

Time: 3.5 hours
Distance: 40-ish miles, probably
Probably averaged about 13 mph, because of all the stopping and starting.

Sprinted twice. That was awful. I really feel like crap when I sprint. I just don’t feel strong at all. I foresee another week of easy weights, and then I really gotta get after some strength in the gym through the end of November and all of December/January.

I’ve been eating very badly since my birthday. Oof. Finished off the birthday cheese last night, though. So no more of that. But I didn’t ride yesterday. Or today (yet). I may ride tonight, depending on how things go.

But at least I lifted weights. So that’s nice.

5 minutes of warm up on the bike

2x
45 situps
20 Stability ball supermans
40 Russian twists w/ med ball
20 reverse situps/
20 stability ball rollups
12 stability ball rollouts
– then -
Lunge series with med ball, then 15 lbs
Dumbbell squats, 50 lbs.
Straight-legged deadlifts

Then some nice stretching.

3 minute jump rope warmup.

2 x the following:

40 sit-ups
20 reverse sit-ups
40 russian twists
20 stability ball roll-ups
5 x 4 seconds of dynamic bridging on stability ball

15 reach up lunges (1x no weight, 1x med ball)
15 reach down lunges (1x no weight, 1x med ball)
15 lunges with 30 lbs./40 lbs.
12 balancing lunges with back foot on med ball

Definitely a good day. Hard, sweaty. Fun to try some new core exercises and balance exercises — definitely going to add more to the rotation.

Don’t know if I’ve mentioned that I’m also commuting to work by bike. I probably haven’t mentioned it because it’s really short and easy. Anyhoo.

OoooOOOooooOOOOooof.

Went out to Sauvie Island and then practiced echelon work with Robin, Duncan, Eric and Quenton. Then we started going really hard. Rainy and windy conditions, plus the fact that we were chasing a good Cat. 3, meant there was no backing down.

Thus:

Time: 2:30.27
Distance: 42.3 miles
Avg. HR: 152 BPM (That’s the AVERAGE?)
Max HR: 186 BPM (sprinting up the hill at Montgomery Park)

In Zone 1: 1:33.46
Above Zone 1: 56.39

Average Speed: 16.9 mph
Max Speed: 27.3 mph

It was a great workout, and it’s good to throw down like that even in the off-season. But it was really hard, which underlines why it’s really, really important to get through all the aerobic stuff and strength training this winter, so I can do some great intervals this spring.

Because WOW. That was intense and hard. Dang. But whenever we backed things off? I recovered really quickly.

5 minute bike warmup.

3 x the following:

40 sit-ups
20 reverse sit-ups
40 russian twists
20 supermans

12 dumbbell upright rows (20 lbs)
15 reach up lunges
15 reach down lunges
15 lunges with 30 lbs.

Pretty good day. Sweaty, hard, but not as shaky as the last time.

Brrr. Cold today. And rainy. I need to maybe consider some better
wet-weather pants.

Time: 1 hour
Avg. speed: 14.7 mph
Distance: 15 miles

No HR info, because I forgot my strap. Duh.

Trainer. 1 Hour. Whee. At least it was with the team in the garage. Again with the crosstalk on the HRM. I think I was in the 130s-140s most of the time. Mostly just kept the RPMs in the high 90s and low 100s.