Early Mornings

There is a saying that nothing good happens after 2:00AM.  If that is the case, then what is the deal with 5:00AM?  It is not too long after 2:00AM.  The sun isn't up yet.  I usually feel like crap when the alarm goes off at such an un-Godly hour.  Despite the saying and my reluctance to get out of the bed so early, some of my best work has happened at this time or soon thereafter.

Why do I have to get up so early?  Well, the only time I can get my swim training in while still being able to spend time with my family is when they are sleeping.  Also, it has a minimal impact on my work schedule, actually it allows me to get into work by 7:00AM (and thus I can leave a bit early to pick up my daughters from school).  Even if I am not going to go to the pool, I still plan on getting up early on the week days and get in some time on the bike.  This is something that I have never done before, but I can see the benefits already.

This morning I hoped out of bed, actually it was more of a shrug and limp, and threw on my biking gear and went in to the basement (it was around 5:45AM by the time I actually got down there).  I turned on the TV, clicked into my pedals and started to spin while watching "The Big Lebowski".  I found a good spin workout on line the other day and decided to give it a try, 15 minute warm-up, ~10 minutes of alternate leg pedalling (:30 concentrating on right leg, :30 both legs, :30 left leg, :30 both, :30 right and so forth and so on), 10 minutes of :60 at 105 RPMs, then :60 at 80 RPMs and repeat, 10 minutes of ~65 RPMs (hard gear) with breaks when needed. and finished off with five minutes of a cool down.  It was a tough workout, but a good one.  I was done riding by 6:30AM or so and was ready to get cleaned up and spend some time with my girls prior to getting them to school.

A couple months ago I was dreading what was up-coming, getting up well before dawn to get my workouts done and out of the way.  I didn't know how I was going to be able to do it and still function properly.  Well, it has only been about three weeks and things are going OK.  I can only hope that it continues for the next 291 days!

Trainer: Round 2

This will be a quick post...short on time but want to get it in here anyway. I wasn't able to run during lunch yesterday so I decided I would hope on the bike (now firmly affixed to my indoor trainer) and do my best to ride for an hour. It just so happens that "The Office" is on for two hours straight on Tuesday nights (TBS), so that gave me something to watch while riding (and also making me laugh). I went in with a different mindset, I was going to find the right gear where I could somewhat comfortably keep my cadence right around 90 RPMs. What ever speed that gave me was fine.

The long and short of my night on the trainer...it went much better than the first night. Here is what I have learned thus far about riding on the trainer:

• I need to have a fan set up in front of me when riding because I get super hot and sweat like a pig...it is really gross
• I have to have something on the TV that is either extremely funny or super motivational
• Getting into the aero position is going to take some practice on the trainer, much different than riding outside (I need to pick up a riser block or make one)
• I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, how riding this through the off-season is going to benefit me come Spring
• I look forward to working out with my wife, she on the treadmill and me on the trainer (we were working out together the first night and it was pretty cool)
• Having 1 - 2 bottles of water on hand and a towel are crutial to making it through a workout

Tuesday (ride): 15 miles, 50:18 (17.9 MPH), 142 BPM, 87.7 PRMs - I found the right gear and rode comfortably for 50 minutes. I know that I got a good workout in because I was drenched in sweat and my legs were the slightest bit wobbly after. A good night!

Today (run): 4.33 miles, 33:29 (7:44/mile), 155 BPM - I ended up running with Rob today. I happened to run in to him about a half mile into my run. I think I have mentioned him before on her, but he came in second in the NJ State Triathlon (Sprint) this past year. He is recovering from a bit of a calf injury so he isn't running too hard, but still fast enough to give me a good run. Good pace and my heartrate was very low for a change! Yea!

That is about it for now. I guess I need to find a pool to swim in soon. Swimming is by far my weakest discipline and I am totally procrastinating. I am thinking that I will try to do a free month at the local YMCA for December and then join HealthQuest in January....maybe work out a deal or something. Hasta luego!