Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Cycled to work
20 miles, largely downhill and flat. I'm more confident about being able to do 90 miles now - cycling on the flat is easy. It was so wet, even my clothes in my bag got wet (much to the amusement of my colleagues).
Monday, 10 August 2009
Swimming - need direction
No, not "direction" as in I keep bumping into people. "Direction" as in I'd like to improve but am not really sure how. I did another 45 lengths (-ish I can never keep count) today and it's definitely getting easier, but I think my technique is getting sloppier and I worry I'm reinforcing bad habits. After about 40 lengths, I checked my strokes per length and it was 23!. That's bad from my usual 19.
I also realise how dull the swimming aspect of my blog must be without me knowing what I should be doing. I'll make an effort to attend another total immersion class. That way at least I'll be able to tell the world what I'm doing wrong.
I also realise how dull the swimming aspect of my blog must be without me knowing what I should be doing. I'll make an effort to attend another total immersion class. That way at least I'll be able to tell the world what I'm doing wrong.
Sunday, 9 August 2009
Hello bike training
Today was my first day of serious bike training. I've got a month until my 90-mile ride and I'm pretty worried about not being able to do it. It's not the speed that worries me, it's the endurance. Traditionally I'm rubbish at endurance events as I don't really train for them.
So, today I did the first of what I consider long rides - 30 miles. I know you serious bikey types will say "30 miles, you lightweight, that's an evening ride. You should be doing 60 miles and taking it steady." But this comes back to why I don't train for endurance events. I haven't really got the time. I can't justify prioritising most of a day to train slowly when I could be enjoying the day with my family.
Politics aside, here's how it went.
Distance: 30.45 miles
Ascent/descent: 4,400 feet (~1400 metres)
Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Average speed: 13.5 mph
Average heart rate: 123
And the key question: could I do another two of those after this one? Answer: absolutely not, I was broken by the end. Solution: more training.
The one consolation is that the tour ride I'm training for will be nowhere near as hilly (only 2000 metres in the 90 miles), and it's the hills that kill me. Especially with my bike that has 42 teeth on the small cog at the front. For those non-bikey types, that means it's hard to pedal up hills because my lowest gear is still pretty high.
So, today's ride is a start. I hope to look back at this and be able to see how far I've come.
So, today I did the first of what I consider long rides - 30 miles. I know you serious bikey types will say "30 miles, you lightweight, that's an evening ride. You should be doing 60 miles and taking it steady." But this comes back to why I don't train for endurance events. I haven't really got the time. I can't justify prioritising most of a day to train slowly when I could be enjoying the day with my family.
Politics aside, here's how it went.
Distance: 30.45 miles
Ascent/descent: 4,400 feet (~1400 metres)
Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Average speed: 13.5 mph
Average heart rate: 123
And the key question: could I do another two of those after this one? Answer: absolutely not, I was broken by the end. Solution: more training.
The one consolation is that the tour ride I'm training for will be nowhere near as hilly (only 2000 metres in the 90 miles), and it's the hills that kill me. Especially with my bike that has 42 teeth on the small cog at the front. For those non-bikey types, that means it's hard to pedal up hills because my lowest gear is still pretty high.
So, today's ride is a start. I hope to look back at this and be able to see how far I've come.
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