Shut up legs

Road into Welcome Bay.  Look at that elevation change.

If you will allow me to steal a quote by Jens Voigt as I had to use that mantra a lot yesterday.  To recap, I left work at 4 pm knowing that spin didn't start until 6:15.  As I didn't feel like heading home first, I opted to ride up until class time.  I donned my rain gear as it was on and off pouring all day, which happens to be all black.  If you saw my pictures from a couple days ago, I don't quite fall into the visible category.  Within 6 blocks from work the skies darkened and the faucet was opened.  My chrome messenger bag, previously untested in downpours, held up awesomely as all my gear was kept dry.  My rain gear also being newer, kept me dry but it was kinda swampy inside as it didn't ventilate very well.  My shoes were soaked, but it didn't much matter as I was sockless.  

I was looking for the pot of gold.  All I found was pain.

I headed out to Welcome Bay, where we bought a surfboard.  On the previous trip out, we took the bus and all I could do was think that Koderick would hate the area.  It was nothing but false flats and quick ascents.  Looking at any road off the main road and it was either a quick ascent or descent.  I knew that I would have to bring my bike back for a leg burning workout.  I didn't really expect to do it in the rapidly decreasing light with on/off rain, but I didn't have much choice.  I wasn't going to miss spin and if I would have gone home, I probably would have blown it off.  So the roads are not that nice for a biker.  Some roads are well sealed,  but slick.  Others feel like large rocks held in place with a loose adhesive.  It feels like if you were to slam on your brakes the rocks would become dislodged and you wouldn't slow down.  The on road bike lanes are nice, but cars don't pay much attention if you ask me.  Cars clip along at 50 - 100 kph depending on which roads I am on and I don't dare wear my mp3 player.  Back home, I will ride with my music in one ear on the lowest setting in the ear away from traffic.  So if I'm on a left side bike lane, the ear bud would be in the left ear.  Then opposite on the right side bike lane.  I don't ride with both in ever.    

Even their driveways are steep.

My hill workout consisted of finding every right turn off the main road in Welcome Bay.  I would alternate between standing and sitting efforts in the big ring going to the end of the hill or road.  I must have done this for 45 minutes.  I don't often do workouts wearing rain pants, rain coat, white wind breaker, and a full messenger bag.  Needless to say, my legs were nice and tired going into spin class.  


Phil must have known that I just gotten done doing hills and my legs were tired.  His workout focused on cadence and single-leg efforts.  For good measure he also tossed in a 20 minute section of descending increments of time but increase of gearing with random standing efforts.  All gearing uses the big ring and goes up from the hub with gear 5 being topped out.

Hot and sweaty.

5 minutes gear 1 rpm: 90-100 with the following standing efforts 10 sec, 20 sec, 30 sec
1 minute gear 1 easy
4 minutes gear 2 rpm: 90-100 with the following standing efforts 20 sec, 30 sec, 20 sec
1 minute gear 1 easy
3 minutes gear 3 rpm: 90-100 with the following standing efforts 10 sec, 20 sec, 10 sec
1 minute gear 1 easy
2 minutes gear 4 rpm: 90-100 with the following standing efforts 20 sec, 30 sec
1 minute gear 1 easy
1 minute gear 5 rpm: 90-100 as following 30 sec standing, 30 sec sitting


All I could do was think of was my winter trainer sessions that starts off with pedaling technique.  I'm glad that Phil always has a good selection of music playing that I can sing along to.  It keeps my mind off of the pain that my legs are going through.  I wonder if I can get him to play Best of Bootie during class and how many people would understand what that is.


Oh I get my first paycheck in over 2 months tomorrow!  Also going to clean the hull of the sailboat for some cash and sailing adventures!  Take a look at the photos from my bike adventure of Welcome Bay.