Weekly weigh-in

Well, it was supposed to be Friday, but ... um, I forgot. So I did it today instead. Next week I'll make sure it's done on-time.

Today: 224.7 pounds (-4.9 pounds).

Weekly weigh-in

Today's weigh-in: 229.3 pounds (-1.7 from last Tuesday).

With the new change in my work schedule, weigh-ins will be on Friday mornings, starting this Friday.

Yesterday's weight workout

Was on a 24 hour shift yesterday, and unable to blog but I was able to get over to the fire station and get in a weight workout with a short zone 2 spin after. Legs felt pretty rubbery after, which I expected. They're still a little shredded, but should be recovered fully in time for tomorrow morning's long Tour de France trainer effort.

Resistance workout

Brief, single set resistance workout from the Friel book for Base 1. Not having done any strength training in a few weeks, I chose to limit the reps, weight, and sets for now. Feel pretty good after though ! Rest day tomorrow, short Zone 2 spin Friday morning, and more weights on Sunday.

Sprint practice and weigh-in

Today's trainer workout was inspired by part of a workout that Chris Charmichael posted for Stage 3 of the Tour yesterday. His version is preceded by a 1 hour 30 minute Zone 2 ride, but I did it as a separate workout today. In short, the workout proper is an interval workout (after a fasion), with a 10-15 second maximum effort, couldn't-go-any-harder-if-you-were-at-gunpoint out-of-the-saddle sprint, followed by a 5- to 8-minute recovery. Beginners, he recommends, should do six of these intervals; intermediate riders ten, and experienced riders fifteen. The basic theory behind it is to drain the muscles of their ATP, then allow your body to fully replenish those stores with a recovery period, then drain them again. The muscles are being trained to superadapt by developing a higher density of mitochondria and glycogen stores, increasing the muscle's responsiveness to stimulus from the somatic nervous system, and improving the speed of the transmission along those nerves.

Anyway ... given that, I did a beginner-level Sprint workout (Coach C. calls them FlatSprints, IIRC) this morning while watching Stage 4 of the Tour. All told, I did forty minutes (including a few seconds' time before sprints to shift gears appropriately and then jam) plus the warmup, stretch, additional warmup, and warmdown. It was a pretty good workout, but I think the next time I do it I can move up to the intermediate level because I still had a LOT left in the tank after. Or, perhaps, Coach C. knows what he's doing more than I do, and I need to add that workout to the end of an Endurance Miles workout just like he said LOL.

Weigh-in this morning: 231.0 pounds (+2.9). I am sure that it's because I hadn't gotten on the trainer hardly at all the previous two weeks. That won't be a problem this week :D

Riding (okay, spinning) the Tour de France

Stage 3 of the 2011 Tour de France. Live on Versus starting at 05:00 local time here. Naturally, I have to get up and watch it.

But, I also want to get in a spin workout. What to do ... what to d.... HEY! I just had a GREAT idea! I'll spin, and WATCH at the same time!!

In fact, what I did today was to get up a little early, fuel, hydrate, change, and warmed up while watching the pre-race stuff, then when they went to the live action I was ready and in the saddle. Did a zone 2 (mostly with a few minutes of 3) spin ... originally, I was aiming to be in the saddle and spinning the whole time they were racing, but wasn't quite ready for that much spinning. Did make 2 hours and 26 minutes though, plus warm up, stretching, and warmdown, and frankly it was a great spin. Thinking back on it, I think I could have done the last forty-five minutes or so if I'd been a little more judicious with fueling during, but can't be sure until I have more data.

Tomorrow: sprint practice (on the trainer. During the tour).