Progress? We Don�t Need No Stinking Progress!
2008-01-23, 8:21 p.m.

Day 1250 Progress? We Don�t Need No Stinking Progress!!

Did I mention before how I haven�t done any serious running since, oh, September? How I�ve been sort of falling back on just those spin classes for my cardio work? Spin classes alone don�t cut it. Word.

Sunday, I toodled off to the Y for a little workout. Got there at 10am � 15 minutes before Pedalling Patty�s class was to start. By sheer coincidence, I happened to be walking in with Patty herself. I asked her if I should stop at the desk and get a ticket for the class. Seeing as there are only (only!) 35 bikes, sometimes the classes are full. When the fullness happens, the Y starts handing out tickets for classes. The first 35 are in � everybody else is outta luck.

Well. Tickets are not handed out till 30 minutes before the class starts. I figured that at 15 minutes early, I still had a shot. It was not to be. The class was stuffed. Even Patty�s husband couldn�t get in. Which was kind of nice. It shows there�s no favoritism going on � you just gotta be in line at 9:45 to get a ticket.

Since I dragged my butt all the way to the gym, I figured I may as well get in a work out anyway. That�s when I discovered that exclusively biking for long periods of time (like months) leads to degradation of ones �mad running skilz�. I used to be able to knock off a 5K (3.1 miles) on the treadmill (at a 0.5 slope) in right around 23 minutes. If you�re counting � that�s about a 7:30 per mile pace, or 8mph. Running. With my own two legs. Sunday? Hah! It was all I could do to finish 2 miles in 16 minutes. Running is such a constant drain on your system, where biking and/or spinning is more surges. Ebb & flow. You go like a mad dog for two minutes then spin down for a while. Crank up the resistance (enough so you HAVE to stand) and climb a hill for 5 or 7 minutes, then drop the resistance and sprint (the downhill part) for a couple of minutes, then take a breather � towel off, chug some water. No matter what though, most classes do 10 or 15 minutes of work, then give you a minute or two to come down. If the class doesn�t do that? You�re free to do it yourself. No one knows where your resistance knob is set. Except Gary the sadistic bastard. He�ll come by and feel how hot your flywheel is. You can tell by his reaction if he thinks you�re working hard enough. Sadistic bastard. Gotta love him.

Anyhow. Spinning is fun, but it ain�t the same as running. Ask my legs. This morning was the first morning my legs felt up to spinning again. Sundays little burn out � 18 minutes on the treadmill, another 35 on a stationary bike doing that Alpine Pass thing - fried me. Even this morning, quads, hamstrings, calves � they all felt like they were on the verge of cramping. I think what might have done the most damage was the lack of stretching afterwards. Let all those muscle fibers snap back hard and didn�t try to lengthen them back out any. Bad move. Must always remember to stretch. Outdoor biking season can�t get here soon enough. Only 3 months till April. Then it�s back to the nice, long, 3, 4 and 5 hour rides. Considering joining the Rochester Bicycling Club too. They seem very well organized, have dozens of rides scheduled every week, and I might learn a thing or three. Plus it might give me a bunch of folks to ride with for the American Diabetes Association 100 miler in June (Seriously, I can�t wait. It�s a sickness, I know) So there�s the century ride to train for, plus the three or four 5k races I like to run, with the first one 3 weeks before the Diabetes ride. So somehow I need to make significant progress in running while also building my biking endurance back up. And remodel a kitchen at the same time. And move the pond, build a small deck and resurface the patio � after the roof gets done. Maybe I should save the roof for next year.

Work is crazy. Guess that�s the downside to trying to end one job and start another. Things will settle down soon enough. Soon as we all figure out how to adjust.

Time for some relaxation, then sleep. Tomorrow looks like gym, work, bowl. Ho hum. With that, I�m going to sign out. Later peepuls.

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