This is further mind-boggling because I knew that I needed to be counting, or tracking, my calories in order to solve my weight problems. So why don’t I do it?

Why Don’t We Count Calories?

Is it because we’re lazy? Maybe but I think the biggest problem is because we think it’s too hard. We’ve all seen the books available that show nutritional information for particular foods (calories, fat, carbohydrates, etc.). You have to look up your food, figure out how much you ate, and then write it down in whatever you were tracking it in (legal pad, moleskin, or perhaps excel). Then you had to add up everything and see how you were doing. Now you needed to figure out your balance of carbs, fats, and proteins. Good luck!

It Doesn’t Have To Be Hard

These days there are online tools (both free and paid) that let you do all this. They have big databases of pre-loaded foods with all the nutritional information already entered. All you have to do is figure out how much you consumed and the rest is done for you. Some of these online tools even track goals (weight loss per week, total weight loss, goal weight, etc.) as well as your exercise. They’ve taken all the hard work and made it easy.

I’ve used Fit Day in the past but was never really sold on it. Their database had a lot of food in it but you still had to enter a lot of stuff manually. Maybe that’s why I quit using it. Two days ago I was on Livestrong.com and found The Daily Plate. I looked at it but didn’t sign up. Then I read over on Jason Kearney’s blog, Out Here In The Middle, that he used The Daily Plate. so I headed back over there today to sign up (for free) and see what it was like.

I’ve only experimented with it a little bit but already love it. It pulled up my brand of oatmeal right away so I started putting in the rest of the things I’d eaten for the day. It tells you how many calories you’ve eaten for the day, how many calories you have left to eat based on your goal (for me it’s losing 2 pounds per week), and a nutritional breakdown. It also lets you add how many glasses of water you’ve consumed for the day. It’s got a ton of features I haven’t even explored yet.

Needless to say, I like it a lot. I’m going to give it a go, see how it works, and write a more detailed review later.

You Still Have To Measure

These online tools are great but in order to make them work we still have to measure how much we’re eating and exercising. For those of us cycling we have our trusty cyclocomputers to tell us how far and how fast we’ve ridden. What about food? We guess right? Wrong!

I’m just as guilty as the next person when it comes to measuring food intake. Some items are easy (1 packet of artificial sweetner has this many calories). What about that big bowl of noodles last night? Or that container of chicken I had for lunch? Or the taco dinner at your favorite taco joint. When left to do our own guesswork we always underestimate. Especially when it comes to food and counting caloric intake!

How can we, I, take our weight loss seriously if we can’t be honest with ourselves on how much we’re eating? The answer is that we can’t. Period.

That’s why I’m buying a food scale today.

Are You Counting Calories?

I’ve included a small poll below to see how many of my readers are counting their calories. Do you do it manually using the old book method or do you use one of the online tools?

Leave us a comment below if you have any good tips or recommendations for counting calories. Or maybe leave me a comment because you love my blog so much.

Vote Now! I guarantee there will be no hanging chads!

Feature image courtesy of Alan Cleaver.

I think we all have, or need, a Beech Mountain.

Whether it’s life, weight loss plans, or cycling goals each of us has either had, are experiencing, or will experience a Beech Mountain.

Why We Need A Beech Mountain

A Beech Mountain is nothing more than symbolism for an event in our lives in which our actions will define us. Perhaps it was an ascent or group ride that we struggled with. The loss of a relative or close friend due to illness. Or the loss of a job.

How we react to those situations will shape our lives.

We need a Beech Mountain because it rips off the scabs in our life and exposes the bleeding sores that reside at our core. It can put our faults on center stage and test our morals, ethics, and values. It shows us what we’re capable of and what we’re willing to do in order to achieve what’s right in our lives whether it’s family, career, or health. A Beech Mountain reveals the man or woman we truly are.

Cycling Is My Answer

I can remember three distinct Beech Mountains in my life. The loss of a 16-year military career in 2006, the loss of my job in October 2008, followed by the loss of my dad in November 2008. For the most part I think I’ve reacted to those situations well but know I have a long, long way to go in one particular area in order to summit my Beech Mountains.

I’ve ridden a bicycle ever since I was a little kid. I took many years to off due to the military but returned to it again in 2008 because I needed help. It was going to be my tool to overcome significant health issues I have. It works but there are days when I feel like I need a reminder of why I’m cycling. A workout or ride that will re-awaken the drive and determination to ride hard, watch what I eat, and train. Train like there’s no tomorrow. To follow through with plans that have only made it as far as a thought but need to come to fruition in order to achieve success.

I need a ride. A reminder. I think we all do from time to time.

Are You On Beech Mountain?

I invite you to share your thoughts or experiences below. What was it that got you over the summit or reminded you why you’re doing it?

Feature image courtesy of Frenchy.

When first starting out, I think folks may jump a little overboard as far as buying equipment before they fully understand what they’re getting themselves into. I think this is why we see so many bicycles on Craigslist due to new cyclists quitting. Or they don’t even start because they’re too overwhelmed about perceived ‘requirements’.

What you DON’T need

If you’re new to the sport of cycling, I wanted to provide you a list of items that I think you DON’T need when you first start out. They are:

1. An expensive bicycle. Some would disagree with me on this and we could get into a long discussion regarding the ability to upgrade later, comfort, and quality. Maybe we’ll talk about that someday. But I believe that if you’re just starting out, you don’t need to drop $2500, or even $1500, on the latest bicycle (Bicycling Mag says $1500 is the minimum a new rider should spend – March 2010, page 48). I think my first road bicycle, which I bought brand new, cost me $500 back in 1996. I rode it off and on for 15 years until some problems with it last year forced me to retire it. I looked at some brand new bikes as a replacement but would have had to spend at least $1200 to get exactly what I wanted. I know that isn’t much on the bicycle price meter but when you’re on a budget that’s a lot of money. I found a great deal and pulled the trigger on a used bicycle last month for $500.
2. Expensive cycling clothes. This is another touchy subject amongst cyclists. I’m all about saving money so, yes, I have issues with spending $300+ on cycling bibs (or even a $100). Just like everything else, cycling clothing has price points and the quality you get certainly affects the price. I’ve heard that those $300+ bibs are unbelievably comfortable but I just can’t do that. Would I review them if they were sent to me? Absolutely but there’s no way I’d buy them myself. I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than $50 for a set. There are places out there where you can find cheaper cycling clothes. Look for the sales too. I never buy clothes, of any kind, unless they’re on sale. Also, if you’re new to cycling and overweight like me, you’ll find that as the price in clothing goes up, you’re less likely to find anything that fits. I’ll have some posts in the future that discuss places to find cycling clothing that’s inexpensive and fits both Clydes and Athenas.
3. Fancy electronics. These days you can buy computers for your bicycle (called cyclocomputers) that not only record your distance, speed, and time but they’ll also store all that information for download later, display your route via GPS on a color screen, show how many feet you’ve climbed, the current temperature, what your heart rate is, and make you a nice steaming cup of coffee. Ok, I was kidding about the coffee but I think you get my point. If you’re just starting out, you don’t need all that extra stuff. I’ve survived on a simple cyclocomputer that has speed, average speed, ride distance, ride time, and an odometer for years. It’s not as fancy some of the nice stuff but it’s basic and gets the job done. Don’t get me wrong, do I want a nice computer that offers downloading and heart rate? Sure, but that’s because I think that will be my next big step in my cycling training and not because it’s required.

What do you think?

Ok readers, there’s three things. I know many of you have opinions on this subject so I’d welcome them in the comments below. Think back to when you started cycling and apply what you know now. Some of you may disagree with me and that’s OK. Let me know why below.

Tomorrow’s post is going to be on ‘Things you need to start cycling’. If you have recommendations for that list, send them to me at bryan[at]bikingtolive.com.

Feature image courtesy of daniele_satori.

1. You can lose weight.
2. You can improve your fitness.
3. You get to wear skin tight clothes.
4. You get to drink lots of water.
5. You can meet cool people (which, in turn, makes you cool).
6. You can satisfy your urge to compete.
7. You get to rub silky smooth concoctions in your nether regions.
8. You can raise money for a charity.
9. You get to buy cool toys.
10. You can buy bicycles that cost more than your car (if you want to).
11. You can play with CO2.
12. You can improve your maintenance skills.
13. You can quit driving a car.
14. You can save money.
15. You can ride 100 miles in one day.
16. It’s an excuse to buy things made of carbon fiber.
17. It’ll help improve your cooking skills.
18. It’s great for your self-esteem.
19. You can ride in the rain.
20. It gets you outside.
21. It’s great to do with the family.
22. You can go downhill really fast.
23. Breaks at the local coffee shop are awesome.
24. Riding a paceline is exhilarating.
25. You get to wear padded shorts and they aren’t Depends.
26. You can get an awesome tan (on half your legs and arms so you might look like a freak).
27. You get to ride up mountains.
28. You get to eat energy bars.
29. If you’re a dude, you have a reason to shave your legs (maybe).
30. You get to drink electrolytes.
31. You can ride the Tour de France route.
32. You can actually buy a product called DZ Nuts (for him or her) and not feel creepy (maybe not).
33. It’s environmentally friendly.
34. You can avoid traffic jams.
35. It can build confidence.
36. It’ll help you make friends.
37. You’ll build mental toughness.
38. You’ll have more stamina for all kinds of things (I’m not going there).
39. You can brag about how many miles you road over the weekend.
40. You’ll sleep better.
41. It’s a stress outlet.
42. You can lower your blood pressure.
43. You get to eat tons of bananas (the most awesomess of fruits).
44. You get the best parking spot.
45. You get to learn a new language called Weiland.
46. You can develop a hard a$$.
47. You can have GPS on your bicycle (how cool is that?).
48. You get to play with oils and lube (don’t you go there).
49. You get to listen to Phil Liggett call races (best ever).
50. It’s fun.

I know there’s more. Let’s hear’em.

Image courtesy of takomabibelot

Five Ways to Measure Cycling Success

1. Keep a log. This can be as elaborate or simple as you want it. It can also be free or available for a price. I’ve used both Excel and online tools and it’s a matter of personal preference and requirements as to which method you choose.
2. Use a cyclocomputer. You don’t need anything fancy but if you’re a numbers nut there’s high-tech computers available. Some of the nice cyclocomputers have options to download data into logs for convenience. Bike Noob recently wrote a good article on What’s the Best Cyclocomputer?
3. Note how your clothes are fitting. I found out last year that one of my best indicators that I was making progress was how my clothes were fitting. Because I was riding so much, and building some muscle, I wasn’t losing a ton of weight but my clothes were fitting so much better. I was even able to get into clothes I previously couldn’t wear.
4. Listen to people. Are co-workers asking if you’ve lost weight? Is your family asking if you’re still riding all those miles? If people are taking an interest then they’re more than likely noting change. It also means they care.
5. Listen to your body. I think this is huge. Only you know your body and only you can tell how you’re feeling. I can notice significant changes in how I feel when I haven’t been riding.

What I Noticed Last Year

While training for my first century ride last year, I spent a lot of time riding a bike trail here in Dallas that loops around White Rock Lake. It’s right at nine miles per loop. When I first started training it took me around 45 minutes to make the loop. As I neared the end of my training program, and on days when the riding effort was required to be hard, I was able to cut ten full minutes off that time. That was a huge number to me and was a great measurement of the success I was seeing in my training.

How Do You Measure Success?

Now I want to hear from you. How do you measure your success on the bike? What worked and what didn’t?

Image courtesy of orcmid

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]]> http://bikingtolive.com/five-ways-to-measure-cycling-success/feed/ 9 http://bikingtolive.com/five-ways-to-stay-motivated-for-cycling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=five-ways-to-stay-motivated-for-cycling http://bikingtolive.com/five-ways-to-stay-motivated-for-cycling/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:27:31 +0000 Bryan http://bikingtolive.com/?p=1719 My last several posts have been about self-discipline, losing weight, and new cyclists quitting the sport. You can go a long way towards improvement within those three areas if you apply a little motivation.

What is motivation?

Motivation is a condition that activates or stimulates behavior and gives it direction. It energizes and directs goal-oriented behavior. It can have many forms and is usually based on the desire to achieve an end result – losing weight, riding a century, etc.

Five Ways To Stay Motivated For Cycling

1. Set goals. You know what you want (lose 40 pounds or ride a 100 miles) but it’s meaningless unless you set those goals down in stone. Let others know about those goals so there’s some accountability. Here’s a good article about setting S.M.A.R.T. goals.
2. Sign up for a ride. Knowing you’ve signed up for, and paid money for, an event is a great motivator to gut it out and keep riding so you’re prepared to ride. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to train. This is what I did last year when I decided it was time to get serious about my weight loss by riding my first century (although bicycle problems kept me from participating).
3. Do a fundraiser. There are many opportunities available for cyclists to sign up for and raise money for worthy causes. Some of the bigger ones are Livestrong, MS-150, and Tour de Cure. Knowing your raising money for a worthy cause is great motivation.
4. Keep some small clothes in the closet. Still have those jeans you wore in college and want to get back into them? They would make great motivation. Don’t keep them hidden though. Leave’em out so they’re a constant reminder.
5. Challenge a friend Friendly rivalries can be great motivators. Whether it’s pounds lost or miles ridden you’ll be pushing each other hard.

What’s your motivation?

I’ve started the list with five. I know there are more and want to hear about them. What worked for you in the past or what are you using for motivation right now?

Image courtesy of mikelo (CC BY-SA 2.0).

]]> http://bikingtolive.com/five-ways-to-stay-motivated-for-cycling/feed/ 12 http://bikingtolive.com/six-reasons-new-cyclists-quit-riding/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=six-reasons-new-cyclists-quit-riding http://bikingtolive.com/six-reasons-new-cyclists-quit-riding/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:44:13 +0000 Bryan http://bikingtolive.com/?p=1685 Yesterday I posted 5 Reasons to Consider Cycling to Lose Weight. There are actually more than five reasons but I wanted to see what my readers had to say too and several came up with some good ones:
• Psychologically it makes you feel better to ride.
• It’s easier to ride the same distance than run it if you’re overweight.
• It has great medical benefits.

All great reasons. Today I wanted to look at why so many new cyclists end up quitting the sport after only a few rides or months.

Why Do New Cyclists Quit?

If there are so many great reasons for anyone to take up cycling, why do we so many newbie cyclists quit? While searching for a new bike, I saw so many new, or barely used bicycles, on Craigslist. They were listed as only being ridden once or only a few miles (many less than 50)? Here are a few reasons why I think new cyclists find it hard going and end up quitting.

1. Failed New Year’s Resolutions. We’re now into February and many people made some kind of exercise or weight loss resolution at the beginning of the year. I wonder how many are actually still following through with their plans? Too many people get caught up in the holiday season with big plans for exercise that are based on impulse decisions, made without end goals in mind, and with little thought about how they plan to pull them off. So, that shiny new bike they got for Christmas just sits there collecting dust in the garage.
2. They didn’t lose any weight right away. Too many expect to lose huge amounts of weight after only a couple of rides. Good weight loss is a marathon (to borrow a term from the runners) and won’t be achieved after a couple of rides.
3. They felt alone. Riding a bike while overweight takes some courage to do because they may have to get over some insecurity (see #4) or because they felt they were tackling it alone. Not having someone there alongside to either push them or hold them accountable can make it easy to quit. I ride alone a lot but it’s not because I want to. Work schedules, training plans, and other factors determine whether or not we can find someone to ride with. Joining a group or cycling club can help.
4. They felt insecure. A lot of people, especially those of us that are overweight, feel very uncomfortable in traditional cycling clothing and the insecurity people feel in going out in public dressed that way can be enough to force them to quit. It does take a little getting used to but those clothes have specific purposes (storage, support, comfort, safety, etc.). If you’re just riding around the neighborhood nothing says you need to be dressed to the nines in cycling garb. You can always pull on a pair of gym shorts over your cycling shorts.
5. They were rubbed the wrong way. I’m not talking about chaffing either. Too many ‘hardcore’ cyclists make beginning, or overweight, cyclists feel out of place. Some do it on purpose while others may not realize they do it. Newbie cyclists have just as much right and desire to be out on the roads and trails as anyone else.
6. They started out doing too much. I think this is one of the biggest reasons new cyclists quit. Too many start out riding five or six miles (or more) their first couple of times out. It’s not a problem because it feels so easy. Before long though they’ll wake up and wonder who set the grenade off in their crotch. They’re sore, chaffed, and in misery because they’re butt is sore and/or the inside of their thighs are raw. Starting out doing too much without letting your body (you’re butt or sit bones) get accustomed to it is a recipe for disaster. It takes time for your body to adjust to the stresses of cycling so you need to take it easy at first. That’s why when I started back riding on the trainer last week, after a five-month layoff, I only did short 20-30 minute rides that were basically me just spinning with no resistance. I had to build my tush’s endurance back up since I’d been out of the saddle for so long. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll gradually build up my time/distance after my rear has adjusted. Being properly fit to your bicycle is another huge part of this equation and something that we’ll talk about later.

Those are six reasons why I think new cyclists end up quitting the sport. I know there are a lot more and I want to hear about your experiences on this issue. What made you quit, almost made you quit, or what kept you spinning those cranks?

Image courtesy of ndanger; (CC BY-SA 2.0)

]]> http://bikingtolive.com/six-reasons-new-cyclists-quit-riding/feed/ 10 http://bikingtolive.com/five-reasons-to-consider-cycling-to-lose-weight/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=five-reasons-to-consider-cycling-to-lose-weight http://bikingtolive.com/five-reasons-to-consider-cycling-to-lose-weight/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:30:13 +0000 Bryan http://bikingtolive.com/?p=1662 Exercise is an essential ingredient in our goal to lose weight (diet is another but we’ll talk about that later) and riding a bike, cycling, is a great exercise. You don’t have to train like Lance Armstrong to lose weight cycling but you have to do something. For those of us that are overweight, cycling is a great sport to help us and here’s why I think so.


Weight Scale

• You probably already have a bike. There’s probably a pretty good chance you’ve already got a bicycle sitting out in the garage that’s seen little to no use. Why not use it to help you shed those pounds? Whether it’s in serviceable condition is another story so make sure you give it a good once over before heading out for a ride. If you can’t remember the last time you rode it then you’re probably not going to be able to hop on it without the tires being flat.
• Cycling is a great recreational sport. Like I said earlier, you don’t need to be racing like the professionals in order to enjoy the sport of cycling or to lose weight. Those guys and girls are great inspiration but their goals are different than ours (at least right now). Cycling is a great recreational sport you can enjoy while riding local trails or in your neighborhood. It’s also a great exercise to enjoy as a family.
• Cycling is low impact.I think this makes cycling a truly great sport for those of us that are overwieight. If you are overweight, you may already be experiencing joint problems due to carrying around those extra pounds. Participating in a high-impact sport, like running, can make those problems worse. I’m in no way saying running is bad, it’s a great exercise, but cycling lets use Clydes and Athenas work on getting the weight off without putting undue stress on knee and ankle joints.
• Cycling can help save you money. Along with using cycling to lose weight you can also save money by starting to commute by bike. Not everyone will be able to do this but if you can it’s a great way to save money on gas, parking fees, and car repairs. Plus it’s environmentally friendly. Losing weight while cycling to work is an added bonus.
• You’ll be uber-cool. Well maybe you won’t but you’ll feel uber-better after putting some time in on the bike.

Those are five reasons I think you should seriously consider cycling to lose weight. Cycling being low impact is one of the big reasons I’m doing it.

Are you cycling to lose weight or have another reason why cycling is a great exercise for losing weight? Let me know in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Peter Blanchard.

]]> http://bikingtolive.com/five-reasons-to-consider-cycling-to-lose-weight/feed/ 12 http://bikingtolive.com/the-self-discipline-to-change/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-self-discipline-to-change http://bikingtolive.com/the-self-discipline-to-change/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:17:18 +0000 Bryan http://bikingtolive.com/?p=1649 I think self-discipline is something that Clydesdales and Athenas (cycling parlance for those weighing 200+ pounds/91+ kg) struggle with. I’m a Clyde and struggle with it everyday. I went looking for sources to help me with my self-discipline problems and came across this article:

Five Easy Ways to Gain Self Discipline

A life of self discipline seems impossible to maintain. So many people give up on their good intentions of being self disciplined and let that lazy lifestyle win. Follow these five easy steps and end the laziness streak for good.

It is Monday morning, and the choice is before us, again – be self disciplined and get out of bed an hour early to exercise and do a few chores, or hit the snooze button 17 times before flying out of bed at the last minute and barely making it out the door on time. Getting out of bed would make us feel good in the long run, but so often that lazy lifestyle wins, and that snooze button gets pushed time and time again. How can a person make discipline the automatic response in any situation?

1. Look at Self Discipline as the Gateway to Happiness

We all want to be happy. No one wakes up in the morning hoping for an awful day. Most people’s happiness is tied to their level of self-control. Having accomplished all necessary tasks for the day creates a feeling of satisfaction. With that satisfaction comes happiness. It’s hard to be happy and enjoy a relaxing pastime when you know you need to mow the yard, do laundry, drive the kids to soccer, clean the floors, etc. If you look at self discipline as a means to happiness at the end of the day, it’s much easier to get up and get those necessary tasks done.

2. Realize That Self Discipline Builds on Itself

Pick one area of life that you want to work hard to have self-control in all the time. Take exercise for example. Work really hard to have the discipline to get up every morning and exercise. Soon your motivation will increase and other tasks will effortlessly be accomplished as well.

3. Take Small Steps

If your world is out of control in every area, being self disciplined may seem like a mountain that will never be crossed. You get overwhelmed just thinking about tackling any one area, so you settle back into the lazy lifestyle. Instead, pick a small area to become disciplined in.

If the entire workout routine is so overwhelming that you never take a step off the couch, don’t tackle the whole workout routine at once. Pick a small thing to accomplish every day like taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator or park in the very last space at the store and walk all the way to the doors. Even doing sit-ups during the commercial breaks of your favourite TV show is a great way to begin the self-disciplined lifestyle.

4. Understand That You Can’t Always be Perfect

No one is perfect, and if you wait to be disciplined in an area until you can also be perfect in that area, then every task will be too overwhelming to even begin. Don’t wait to start the exercise routine until you are in perfect shape and can run on the treadmill without having to slow it down to the embarrassing walking pace after two minutes of running. Go ahead and walk/jog the two miles. It is ok to set a goal that you can accomplish without killing yourself in order to do it.

5. You Must Believe in Yourself

You will be self disciplined if you believe that you are a self-disciplined person. Seeing yourself as someone who gets up and exercises every day makes it easier to get up and actually exercise every day even after a lazy streak. The same is true for self discipline. If you think of yourself as someone who is disciplined with their lifestyle, then when you are not being disciplined, you are more likely to begin again.

Be a Self-disciplined Person for Good

The lifestyles of the self disciplined may seem so unattainable to the average person that the overwhelming feeling to never get off the couch becomes hard to defeat. By following these five easy steps, even the most undisciplined of people will find their lives beginning to take shape and finally changing for good.

David Folkman has created a complementary 47 page report to help you improve your self discipline quickly and easily. To access it instantly please visit http://www.selfdisciplinehelp.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Folkman

Number 3 in the article above really resonated with me. As I re-embark on my journey of developing a healthy lifestyle through cycling, I know I won’t be able to achieve my goals in one week, one month, or even one year. It’s going to take time to see fitness gains and weight loss. Because of that I’m going to have to start slowly and build back up to what I was doing before my bicycle broke last year. I’m notorious for pushing it too hard, not recovering, and quitting because the program becomes too hard. I have to take a measured approach to getting back on the bike. Take yesterday for example. It was my first day back on the bike in over five months and instead of hammering it hard for 30 minutes I took it nice and easy for 20. This let me get acquainted with the new bike, riding on a trainer, and more importantly, it has started laying the foundation of toughening up my sit bones for longer rides later. Not toughening up those sit bones (i.e. too many miles too early) is one of the biggest reasons new cyclists quit.

Taking small steps will be helpful in my diet as well. As I look back at my progress last year I know that I could have done better. I was basically riding the training plan but not watching my eating as well as I should have. Sure, I ate better than I had previously but there were still some serious lapses that held me back. I’m going to need to make small, gradual changes to help me with my self-discipline problems in this area. Changes like cutting back on the number of cups of coffee I have each day, drinking more water, or resisting the urge to eat out when a healthy meal cooked at home would be so much better.

Have you faced self-discipline problems in the past regarding your diet and/or exercise program? If so, I’d like to hear how you fixed them in the comments below.

]]> http://bikingtolive.com/the-self-discipline-to-change/feed/ 9 http://bikingtolive.com/century-training-series-days-44-45-and-46/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=century-training-series-days-44-45-and-46 http://bikingtolive.com/century-training-series-days-44-45-and-46/#comments Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:08:50 +0000 Bryan http://bikingtolive.com/?p=1453 Day 44 – 4×6 Intervals at RPE9

All my interval sessions up to this point had been 4×8 (four intervals at 8 minute duration) so I was looking forward to something new and to see just how hard I could push for 6 minutes. It was hot when I started the ride with a stiff wind out of the Northeast which made the second and fourth intervals particularly difficult.

After my warm up I waited until I had a slight downhill section to start the first interval. I shifted up a couple of gears and quickly got up to 21 mph. My speed varied between 18.5 to 21 mph during the six minutes and it actually felt pretty good. I wasn’t all out but probably couldn’t have given it much more. After the interval I had to slow it way down to recover. This was repeated for the other three intervals but the two into the wind were very tough and my speed did suffer some in areas where I had a direct head wind. The last interval was particularly hard because it was the last of the day and was into the wind. I think I gutted it out pretty good though and gave it a good effort.

Even though these intervals were 2 minutes less than my normal intervals they were very hard due to the effort expended. I wasn’t all out but almost. Here are the days numbers:

Time (h:m): 1:13
Distance: 18.62 miles
Avg Speed: 15.3 mph

Day 45 – 1 Hour Endurance Pace Recovery

I was really feeling the hard interval workout from the day before. My legs were heavy, I was tired, and not keen on riding but knew I needed the recovery ride to work out the kinks in my legs. Even though it was only an hour in length it felt much longer and tougher. The wind was absolutely brutal today blowing at a stiff 20 mph out of the South. Instead of resetting my computer at the end of my warm up I just rode for an hour. My average speed really suffered because of that but I still got in a decent ride.

It was Wednesday which saw, again, lots of cyclists down at White Rock Lake. I think I’m going to have to start calling it ‘Bling Day’ because this is the day you see all the serious riders show up with full team kits, carbon wheels, TT bikes, Colnagos, Pinarellos, etc. I wonder what the total cost of hardware rolling around the lake on a day like this is?

Here’s the day’s numbers:

Time (h:m): 0:57
Distance: 13.6 miles
Avg Speed: 14.32 mph

Day 46 – 4×8 Intervals

Another interval day but back to the 8 minute variety with a little less exertion. It was a hot day but, amazingly, no wind. Wooohooo! Don’t get those very often. White Rock Lake was almost like glass. I did my warm up and rolled straight into my first interval.

I think doing the 1 hour recovery ride yesterday really helped because my body actually felt quite good and I had no heaviness in my legs at all. I had actually noticed that when I got out of bed in the morning. I found myself rolling along at 19 mph for the first interval with no problem and maintained that for most of the interval. The same was repeated for the other intervals with me able to sprint over the small hills in intervals two and four at over 17 mph and quickly accelerating back up to 18.5 to 19 mph. On the fourth interval I pushed it pretty hard for the last 3 minutes or so and it felt great. Once done with the last interval I decided to go ahead and start my cool down and roll back to my car due to it starting to get a little dark. I need to remember to bring my lights next time.

Here are the numbers for today’s ride:

Time (h:m): 1:00
Distance: 16.2 miles
Avg Speed: 16.2 mph

I have a rest day today followed by a four hour endurance ride on Saturday. Hopefully the weather will be nice.

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