Rest Day Writing

 

January is the month of New Year's Resolutions and many of us promise ourselves to be better, do better, live better.  We want to lose weight, get fit - both financially & physically - do more of what we enjoy.  But as the days and weeks go by and the new year isn't so "new" anymore, we discover that the success or failure of our good intentions often depends on our time and motivation.  No time after work to exercise?  Are you motivated to wake up earlier to workout before work?

 

I'm lucky in that I have plenty of motivation for exercise - I can't let down my teammates.  And I make the time for it, especially this time of year, because my first race is March 4(!).  But I'm much less successful finding time and motivation to write posts for this blog - especially when there's no racing to write about.  Finding time and motivation for our resolutions is critical - but sometimes a solution is staring you right in the face.

 

Enter "Rest Day Writing"

 

I've posted before about the 12 step week program I follow for winter training.  It's a series of varied trainer workouts which is ideal given the vagaries of New England weather and, if I start on time, it takes me from the first Monday of the New Year right into the heart of the Bethel Spring Race Series.  It's a periodized training schedule and always includes at least one rest day per week - Monday.  Since my workouts are usually after work, Monday evening includes a time slot when I'd normally be on the trainer, but ain't (sic).  So I just discovered the perfect time to wash my cycling clothes and memorialize (even if only for my own benefit) my training/life from the previous week.  So while these posts may not always be terribly exciting, I hope at least that they'll be more regular and help me meet my New Year's Resolution to "Write More for my Blog."

 

In that spirit, I'll bring us up to speed.  I just finished my first month of training and it's had its ups and downs, but - fortunately - mostly ups.  After my first workout - which is supposed to be "easy" I just about passed out.  Yes, I know - pathetic.  I even skipped the REAL "first workout" which was supposed to be a "Threshold Estimator".  I've never been quite able to figure out how hard "hard" is.  Which comes first - the threshold number at which you're supposed to ride, or the ride during which you're supposed to estimate your threshold number?  It started to make my head hurt, so I decided to do the first - "easy" - workout.  And promptly bonked at the end.

I was beginning to think I had my work more than cut out for me for 2012.

Added to that, part way through my second week of training, I had a bad reaction to some antibiotics and ended up in the ER.  Fortunately, I wasn't there for long and just had to wait for my system to clear out, but I ended up having to repeat that second week.

But since then, things have been going much more smoothly.  My weight isn't coming down as quickly as I'd hoped at all, but at least I'm starting to feel better on the bike.  And I did my first threshold test on Saturday, completing my first training cycle.  The first test of the season is always the toughest, especially mentally.  I always psych myself up wondering whether I'll be able to do it again this time.  Thankfully, I was and did.  My threshold HR is actually up a couple beats from this time last year, but I'll have to do a little research to figure out whether that's good or bad.

Main thing is, I'm 1/3 of the way through my winter training.  My first race is under a month away and I'm getting my miles in.  Mostly indoors.  339 for the year so far.  And I got 40 of those miles in yesterday during my first outdoor ride since Thanksgiving weekend(!)  The days are even getting longer.  Go figure.

I know it happens like this every year, but each year I get older I'm a little more surprised when things start coming around.  Each year, that seems to happen just a wee bit later than the year before.  Maybe I shouldn't lay off the bike for so long around the holidays.  Thankfully, I have a whole wonderful year of riding and racing to look forward to before I have to decide that.

How are your resolutions going?  Finding it tough to get on the bike, whether indoors or out?  Spring will be here before you know it, so think creatively about how you can shoehorn in a little extra time and motivation.  Like rest day writing, you may be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

Comments

[Don]

Chris,
I'm enjoying spending as much time in the weight room as riding (even though I can get outdoors). Addressing L/R imbalances I think (believe) will make me a better (faster) rider....we'll see. The racing season started here a couple of weeks ago....I'm afraid I'm still on NE time! As usual, you will do great at Bethel no matter your role at any race!

[suitcaseofcourage]

Thanks Don! And I still cant believe your racing season starts so early - though being The South, I guess I shouldnt be surprised. And this year you got your license renewed before I did even - heres to a great season!

[ChrisB.]

I'm a little late in reading this.

I've combined my New Year's resolution - work out more often, even if that means short workouts -with my annual "Lenten Improvement Period" (which this year includes acting "like a morning person).

I'm not even a week into to my newly realligned program, but so far it's going pretty well.

I had been getting in quality workouts right along, but I was also regularly missing my evening/night/late night workouts due to familial responsibilities. It's one thing to start a workout at 10:00 pm (which is/was totally normal for me); it's another to start a workout at 10:45 (or later!). And more often than not, when things were running behind, I'd just go to bed or prefer to just sit down, read and relax.

And so now here I am mindfully spending 40 days in the proverbial desert of early rising. And quite honestly, I'm starting to like it. I haven't missed one workout so far. I have been a little loose about it (in a good way), which means that yesterday I got up and did 45 minutes of intervals in the basement, but today (a bit crunched for time but still wanting to get outside) I went for a 3.5 mile run.

I still need to figure out the core stuff though - it's really hard to get excited about crunches and push ups at 5:45 am.