Holiday Catch Up

I kind of re-arranged the workouts due to Thanksgiving. I was supposed to do Cyclo-Zen "Fix the Back" Core Training Strength, then Cyclo-Core: Bonus Ab & Core Conditioning workout, then end it with 20' of on the bike training. Friday was supposed to be my off day, but I decided to take Thanksgiving Day off and do that workout on Friday. Saturday was 10' warm up to z2, then Cyclo-Core Body Weight Conditioning Circuit #1, then 20'on the bike, 5' build up to z2 then hold 105+ rpms, then Cyclo-Core: Resistance Training Funcitonal Circuit #1 then Cyclo-Core: Stretching, Flexibility, and Cool down Program. Today was 2 hours on the wind trainer due to bad weather outdoors, followed by Cyclo-Zen Recovery Yoga routine. I tried to watch what I ate on Thanksgiving Day & didn't over eat. I had a little of everything so I didn't feel deprived at all. I wasn't stuffed, but I was satisified after dinner. I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend & I'll have to be more vigilant in my nutrition with the holiday season upon us. Thanks for reading.

Change in the workout today

Today the program schedule was 45 minutes on the trainer, practicing One Leg Drills (OLD's), then super spins then steady increases in tempo, followed by a cool down. I didn't do that workout. I received a call from my friend Will. He told me he was going out riding with his friend Tim & asked if I wanted to join them. The weather was just beautiful, so I had a real tough decision. Stay indoors and do the workout on the trainer, or enjoy some good company, beautiful weather and ride outdoors. Needless to say, I was outdoors riding today. Tim is a Cat 3 racer. I met them at Will's house, so I was nice and warmed up by the time they were ready to go. We headed out into a slight headwind. Once we had a bit of a tailwind, Tim decided he was feeling a bit on the froggy side. He took off & I was doing over 31 mph & he was pulling away from me. I was certainly impressed. We headed back towards Will's house & he was still riding strong. All in all, I think I had a harder workout riding with friends, than if I had stayed indoors. My legs are certainly feeling the effort of today, even with doing Cool in 5' after I got home. I ended up doing 35 miles with an average speed of 19.62 mph. It was a good ride with good company.

Toughest day so far.

Today was the toughest of the workouts so far. It started out with the bonus ab & core conditioning workout from Cyclo-Core. I really hate ab workouts as I've stated before. I'm sure I'm going to be feeling it later this week. I've been trying to do at least one or two more reps of each exercise. On some of the exercises, I've been successful while on others, not so successful. I'm just going to keep doing them and in time I'll get better at them. After that was done it was on to body weight conditioning workout #2. It started out easy enough, but after doing the static body pike exercise twice during the ab & core workout, it was certainly hard to keep it the third time. I was able to complete each exercise and survived the body pike. After that it was on to body weight resistance #3. I was doing fine until it came to the ab exercises. My abs were so sore from the earlier exercises, I really had a hard time completing them. I did the best that I could but I'll have to do better from now on out. It also called for doing some time on the bike, but seeing as I've been trying to break in a new saddle, I decided to give the bike a rest. I'll probably go for a good ride tomorrow weather permitting That's about all I have for now, stay tuned for more.

Off to a good start

Sorry I haven't posted anything for some time, but after getting home from work, doing my workouts, eating dinner, and getting ready for the next day, it really doesn't leave much time for posting here. I'll try to post more often than just once a week. This past week was the real start of my offseason program. I used Graeme's 12 week off season program using Core & Zen. I also have a Bowflex that I'm using to help tone up my upper body. The only other thing I'm going to add to the program is that I'm going to do more riding, either on the trainer or outdoors whenever I have the opportunity, than the 12 week program allows. Down where I live we have a group of riders that get together every Saturday for what is called the Peach Peloton rides. They start out comfortable then each week the distance & intesity increase. I learned last year that I had to spend more time on the bike during the week in order to stay with them for at least half of the ride, therefore that's why I'm adding a bit more riding time to the offseason program. I took vacation this week, so I have plenty of time to get more riding in this week. I have a new frame and saddle and need to break it in. The only way I know of accomplishing that task is to have my behind on the bike as often as possible. I'm not looking for intensity right at this moment, just looking for seat time. I've been watching my diet here as much as I can, but I know it's going to be tough this week with Thanksgiving coming up, then with the Christmas season starting. I'm going to do my best to be careful & choose wisely what & how much I eat. I won't deprive myself of havning some treats, learned the hard way last year that wasn't a good idea. I'll have some treats from time to time, but I'll do my best not to overdo it during this holiday season. I'm hoping to get a ride in later today, just waiting for the temp to rise just a bit more, & if I get a ride in, I might just put in another post tonight.

12 Week Program - day 2

Today was the workout I probably dread the most doing. I'm not the greastest when it comes to an ab workout. There is still just too much of me in the way right now. Today was the bonus ab & core conditioning workout from Cyclo-Core. This week hurt just as much as it did last week, but I was able to do at least 1 or 2 more of each exercise than I did last time I did the workout. After the ab & core workout it was the resistance workout #1. This isn't a hard workout, but it's a bit more difficult after doing the ab workout. I'm glad I was able to have any kind of improvement doing this workout. I know I'll get stronger the more I stay with the program, but for right now it still hurts no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise. Stay tuned for my further adventures in pain and suffering during the off-season.

Offseason start TAKE 2!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know last week I had started my offseason program and it was off to a good start, but then work got in the way. I had to go out of town for most of the rest of the week & really couldn't do much in the way of working out. So after getting home I decided it was time just to start over again seeing as I wasn't very far into the week. Today was just the spinning part of the workout which was pretty easy, especially after all the riding I did this past weekend. Earlier today was a recovery ride just so my legs wouldn't tighten up. After getting something to eat it was time to do the Bowflex workout. This week I've started to do two sets of each exercise. I've got the routine down better, but sometimes I forget how to hook things up so that adds a bit more time to the workout. I have a feeling I'll be a bit more sore later this week, but that will only make me stronger. That's about all I have for now, tomorrow is the Cyclo-Core ab & core workout. I'm so not looking forward to that workout, but it's a necessary evil. Stay tuned for more.....

The Offseason has begun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Monday I offically kicked off my offseason training program. The weather was nice yesterday afternoon, so I decided it would be great to get out on the road and do some easy riding. I kept it in the small ring the entire ride and just kept up a steady cadence. Later in the evening, it was time to start with the 12 week program. The program workout consisted of easy spinning and cadence increasing, but staying steady. After doing the cycling portion of the program, it was time for the Bowflex. I think that I'm going to do only one set of each exercise for this week, then start doing 2 sets of each exercise from next week on out. Today was one of my favorite (NOT) workouts. Today was the bonus ab & core conditioning workout from Cyclo-Core. I really wasn't looking forward to this workout, basically because I knew it was going to be hard. I hadn't been doing much core training here lately and this workout certainly showed me that I have lots of work to do in that department. I couldn't even stay with Graeme for most of the exercises. I know I'm going to be sore the next couple of days from this, but I've no one to blame for my laziness, but dear lil ol me. After the ab workout, it was time for the Body-Weight conditioning circuit #1 from Cyclo-Core. I just used 10# dumbbells for this workout, getting used to doing it again. All in all a good start to the offseason, stay tuned for more rants and raves as I suffer once again.

Getting used to the Bowflex

On Wednesday, I did the workout on the Bowflex for the second time. I was a bit quicker on the transtions from one exercise to the next. My muscles were used to the movements a bit more than I was on Monday. I was a bit sore Tuesday, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Using a Bowflex is certainly different than using the usual weight machine or free weights. I'm used to hearing the clanking of metal when working out, with the Bowflex, it's quiet. If not for the resistance, you probably wouldn't even know you were moving the power rods at all. I'm out of town this weekend for work and to help my dad with things around his house, so I won't be able to use the Bowflex this weekend. I did bring my bike and I do remember the Cyclo-Warm & Cool in 5' from Graeme, so I'm planning on riding this weekend and using them. Come Monday, is the OFFICIAL kick-off to my off-season training, so hello Hindu squats, yoga spins, and the 8' power routine. I'll let everyone know how things go and we'll see what happens.

Playing with a new toy

Today I the first time I was able to try the new toy I received yesterday. My friend Will had a Bowflex Extreme in his garage. I asked him a few weeks ago if I could borrow it to use during this offseason. He told me I could have it, seeing as he wasn't using it and wanted it out of his garage. I got with him yesterday after church and we went to his house and loaded it up and brought it to it's new home. I read a bit on how to use it last night and was going to do a workout earlier today, but the weather was just so nice & seeing as I'm off on Monday's I decided that I would go for a ride & use the Bowflex later in the evening. I went out and rode for just a bit over 2 hours today, the temps were nice, the roads didn't have much traffic, and the legs felt good. I kept it in the small ring, using today as a recovery ride. The only downer on the entire ride was that I had a headwind for most of the way back home. Such is life around here. After eating dinner, it was time to try out the Bowflex. Using that is different than lifting weights. I only did 1 set of each exercise, trying to get used to how each exercise is set up on the machine. It was a fun way to strength train. I'm sure I'll be a bit sore either tomorrow or Wednesday. I'm going to use the Bowflex 3 times a week during the off-season in addition to the 12 week off-season training plan I bought from Graeme last year. I'm going to start that part of my off-season training next week. I'm just so looking forward to doing Hindu squats, Yoga spins, and the 8' power workout again. That's about all I have for now, stayed tuned for more.....

Unoffical start to the off-season

Today is the unofficial start to my off-season. I went on the first of the Peach Peloton rides we do during the winter. We had a good turn out for the first ride. It seemed like we had over 20 people show up for the ride. Today was kind of a social ride they said at the beginning. We did a nice route, varied terrian and rode for 54 miles. I"ve decided this month I will concentrate on staying with my off-season program. Last year I purchased Graeme's 12 week off season training plan. I'll be the first to admit that I didn't follow it religously like I should have. I did pretty good, but if I felt like not doing the workout, then I just blew it off. I don't plan on doing that this year. I can only imagine how much stronger I would have been if I stuck with the progam like I should have this year. I'm also getting a Bowflex from a friend to use this winter, so I hope to be in great shape come racing season next year. I'm going to have to do much better on my diet and nutrition this off-season so I don't gain any weight. On Monday I plan on starting the 12 week off-season program. I'm hoping the weather is nice so I can ride earlier in the day, then do the workout later in the evening. I'm just going to have to make myself do my workouts, no matter how tired I am.