Watts Going On??

Good morning.

I just finished my first 8 week Taste of Vision Quest cycling class. What an experience. This class taught me what a tough bicycling workout is. Sunday was the last day and also evaluation day. The evaluation consists of a good warm up and then two 20 minute sessions where you go all out on the selected course.

You have to pace yourself "some" but you also don't want to sandbag because you want to see what you are made of. I was exhausted after 5 minutes but kept going and entering even greater and deeper levels of exhaustion. When it was over I literally layed down on my aero bars. I could not pedal anymore. My heart rate was through the roof. But, the all important "watts" reading of 263 watts was very good. A nice improvement from 8 weeks ago when the number was 241.

After a 7 minute break we did it all again. My goodness!! The watts on this second run was 236. Not bad considering I was pooped. After the second test, me and the bike were just shaking from exhaustion.

I can definitely tell how this class will help my cycling. My legs have never worked this hard. The next 8 week session starts Jan 3 and it will focus on strength. I'm signed up and ready to go.

Yesterday I decided to get in a sorta long run because I was not able to run one this past weekend. This was a day after that grueling bike class. Nevertheless I thought the legs could handle a 12 mile run at a nice easy pace. They did. No problems.

I also am training for my first race of 2011 which is at the end of January. The race is a 1/2 marathon. Let the games begin.

Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:22 0:08:55 1 0 6 9:22 8:55 6:39 119 136 0 53
2 0:08:50 0:08:44 1 11 0 8:50 8:44 7:10 124 131 0 61
3 0:08:47 0:08:31 1 3 7 8:47 8:31 6:58 125 134 0 54
4 0:08:52 0:08:40 1 0 3 8:52 8:40 6:31 126 144 0 50
5 0:08:48 0:08:43 1 0 8 8:48 8:43 6:19 126 134 0 52
6 0:08:49 0:08:48 1 11 14 8:49 8:48 6:57 128 133 0 54
7 0:09:05 0:08:57 1 17 0 9:05 8:57 5:53 131 139 0 55
8 0:08:56 0:08:50 1 6 4 8:56 8:50 4:59 131 136 0 49
9 0:09:01 0:08:58 1 0 2 9:01 8:58 6:32 128 132 0 44
10 0:09:19 0:09:04 1 0 0 9:19 9:04 7:20 126 137 0 39
11 0:08:51 0:08:39 1 0 10 8:51 8:39 6:32 133 143 0 51
12 0:08:56 0:08:51 1 5 0 8:56 8:51 7:48 133 140 0 48
13 0:00:03 0:00:03 0.01 0 0 10:43 9:26 9:49 133 133 0 0
Summary 1:47:45 1:45:43 12.01 53 53 8:58 8:48 4:59 127 144 0 610



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" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."

* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin