Bikey bike

So, I brought my biking shoes to the gym today... only to discover that the super awesome spinning bikes (that take clipless pedals) don't actually fit my cleats. Dammit. Had to use the cages, which are worn out and don't hold my running shoes very firmly. :(

But, it was a pretty decent ride nonetheless. I worked on interval training for 38 minutes. The trainer said I went 13 miles (average pace of 20.5 mph), which I'm told is crazy fast. Either the computer is way off (very possible) or I'm pushing WAY too hard (also very possible). The trouble is, I'm only getting about half of the benefit from the workouts because I don't have any way of monitoring my heart rate, which is really what this kind of training is all about. Need to look into getting a strap.

Much of my focus, therefore, has been on maintaining the cadence and resistance that is required. I like the video because the host does a great job of reminding viewers of form, relaxing the upper body, hydrating, and feeling the heart rate changes.

One thing that I've noticed, as I have limited athletic training, is that I tend to overdo it. I push much harder than is required to achieve results. I think this is partially psychosomatic. As a child, when compared to others, my very best was WAY behind the very worst of my classmates. So, to make up for this, my body perceives its exertion at the very outer limits as "not being enough". Turns out, as I monitor my actual physical performance, I am actually achieving greater results than I suspect. In fact, greater results than I thought possible.

That being said, a great deal of my workout should probably take place below my personal idea of "best" because I'm wearing myself out too quickly. "Hardest" and "best" are not synonyms in training. I can get a lot more out of my body if I work better... not harder.