i've been thinking, and the more i think about it, the more it seems relevant.
do i need to get more miles in this year? absolutely, especially if i want to keep up with the likes of the goat herder, norm and others (and by keep up with, i mean don't get completely dropped or have someone spinning in circles at the top of climbs waiting...).
i really realized this weekend that the spin bike is woefully inadequate. having never been on a trainer i can't speak to that, but i have to assume it's close to the same unless of course it changes resistances on it's own then all bets are off. anyway, the spin bike. i'm not sure what it equates to in terms of an analogy, but it just doesn't even come close to cutting it for training. honestly, running and the stair machine are far better. yeah, sure, it's a bike but it doesn't even come close to simulating a decent ride. the top resistances on it are sub-par for the type of riding i want to do. bottom line, actual saddle time is really the only answer. i knew this last year but having almost NO miles in 2006 and being 235 lbs i needed to do something and that was the answer. this winter i'm going to ride as much as possible. cold, windy, whatever. it's the only way to get better on a bike.
that said, in the early season, i'm not even 100% sold on the fact that the only training i should be doing is on a bike. i'm going to be riding as much as i can, that's a given, but i think the more important metric is getting my heart rate elevated through cardio training as many times a week as possible. that gets back to the 40 minutes thing but i think in this case it holds a lot of water. the cardio cross training (along with weights, hopefully 2x a week) should get me where i need to be.
so, in the early season, i think TIS is not the important metric, but rather HICS and since it's my blog and i'll make things up if i want to, that'd be Hours In Cardio Stress. so, if between the months of jan and march, TIS can at least equate to a HICS maybe to a degree of 80%, then we can assume the following:
HICS = TIS < 20% = weight loss = less fatarse to lug up hills = faster bonefish
either that or i should sleep more and stop smokin' the crack.
do i need to get more miles in this year? absolutely, especially if i want to keep up with the likes of the goat herder, norm and others (and by keep up with, i mean don't get completely dropped or have someone spinning in circles at the top of climbs waiting...).
i really realized this weekend that the spin bike is woefully inadequate. having never been on a trainer i can't speak to that, but i have to assume it's close to the same unless of course it changes resistances on it's own then all bets are off. anyway, the spin bike. i'm not sure what it equates to in terms of an analogy, but it just doesn't even come close to cutting it for training. honestly, running and the stair machine are far better. yeah, sure, it's a bike but it doesn't even come close to simulating a decent ride. the top resistances on it are sub-par for the type of riding i want to do. bottom line, actual saddle time is really the only answer. i knew this last year but having almost NO miles in 2006 and being 235 lbs i needed to do something and that was the answer. this winter i'm going to ride as much as possible. cold, windy, whatever. it's the only way to get better on a bike.
that said, in the early season, i'm not even 100% sold on the fact that the only training i should be doing is on a bike. i'm going to be riding as much as i can, that's a given, but i think the more important metric is getting my heart rate elevated through cardio training as many times a week as possible. that gets back to the 40 minutes thing but i think in this case it holds a lot of water. the cardio cross training (along with weights, hopefully 2x a week) should get me where i need to be.
so, in the early season, i think TIS is not the important metric, but rather HICS and since it's my blog and i'll make things up if i want to, that'd be Hours In Cardio Stress. so, if between the months of jan and march, TIS can at least equate to a HICS maybe to a degree of 80%, then we can assume the following:
HICS = TIS < 20% = weight loss = less fatarse to lug up hills = faster bonefish
either that or i should sleep more and stop smokin' the crack.