Scribblings of the Legitimate Kind

This post was to be “More Maniac scribblings” but then again I said I would write a couple of times a week and we see how that worked out. So this writing will, to some, still be “maniac scribblings” but others will have some useful information.

My youngest man cub did his Gatorade/Water stand again this weekend. He did not profit so well due to a major ride, the Elephant Rock, and the weather. We did get to sit on the front porch and watch a tornado though.



I noticed on my four rides so far this month that I am physically improving and I can see and feel that improvement without reading my training log. Then it dawned on me that I have been doing my style of intervals. Intervals are considered, by the pros and writers of great training regiments as the following. Roughly speaking, really rough, you want to build strength and endurance to ride longer and faster. In order to do that you must cause your muscles to reach their Lactate Threshold. Before the male pig in you male readers comes out, this has absolutely nothing to do with breasts or nursing. Lactate Threshold is the point when a metabolic waste product known as lactic acid starts making your muscles cramp. The ideal thing is to bring your body to just below that point, repetitively for longer and longer periods. The best way to know you are almost there is that you will be breathing heavily and your muscles, in this case your legs, start to burn. Bottom line, you need to raise your heart rate for extended periods of time with a recovery period in between. You will want to do this a few times on each ride and gradually extend the amount of times you bring your heart rate up.

OK, sounds good but complicated, lot of work, excuses, excuses. Now for my, version of the large badonkadonk, overweight, and out of shape interval. You have been riding for awhile, hopefully a month, and you have at least a hundred miles down for a base. You have also had time to play with the gears and found a gear that you are comfortable pedaling. A very simple interval is to just pick up the cadence 3 – 4 rpm’s even if it means dropping to an easier gear. I have found that a single gear will change your cadence by close to 10 rpm’s. Keep that higher rpm for as long as you can, slow it down for awhile then bring it back up again. While doing this, keep that steady pressure on the pedals and don’t let your posterior start to rock side to side or get that feeling your foot just drops. Now think about your ride route(s). Having more than one does keep things more interesting. Some where on everyone’s route there are stretches that are highly disliked. Look forward to those spots and when you get there give it your all and another 10%. By doing all of this you will be improving your endurance and strength.

This new found exercise program is more than exercise, it is a life change. Eating is a big part of this and you can make it work without a diet. I eat what I want but watch the quantities. I’ll talk more about pigging out on my next post. Keep in mind the way your clothes fit will be a much better measurement of your changing fitness than that stupid scale you have either been living by or avoiding.

Next post; More Potpourri.

Ride, Ride , Ride but Ride Safe

“G”