When my heart rate was hovering between 80 and 90 percent of my maximum heart rate for six minutes at a time and my fingers were throwing the gear shifter, down cog by cog, in search of a hard enough gear that provided the required resistance to make my quads burn, I knew I was back into training.
Shane, a good friend who is gaining his coach qualification, had scheduled a two hour session on the wind trainer for Tuesday night because I had begged him, pleaded, not to make me get up at 4:30 AM, just yet. Last Sunday, when I received the training program for the next four weeks, I was excited - no early starts. When I got home from the office after 6 PM Tuesday night, I regretted it. Two hours on the wind trainer, I don't remember ever having attempted this or ever having lasted that long. An hour, yes, maybe an hour and a half, but two full hours? I was wondering whether leaving my cosy bed at 4:30 AM in sub 15 degrees Celsius temperatures to ride in the dark on the road was the less painful alternative. But I can hardly go back now and make him change the program, can't I? And I see the benefit of these strength session: 3 x 6 minutes at 80-90% of my maximum heart rate and at 50-60 rpm cadence with five minutes recovery inbetween made my legs burn alright.
Last night I spun my legs on the rollers for an hour with five short sprints. Sprinting on the rollers was something new and so was sliding my hands to the drops. Amazing how much I was wobbling while sprinting. It ended up being more of an exercise in bike handling than an exercise in going fast. Next I have to learn to drink from my water bottle while riding on the rollers. Baby steps for some, giant leaps for me, and I now choose rollers over indoor trainers any time when a year ago I wouldn't even have considered riding on rollers.
Rest day today and tomorrow I'll repeat the messed up test from last week.
Alberto giving one of the Samford Valley locals a hand with a Bogey (as observed on my last leisurely Sunday afternoon ride before training commenced).









