that great things are just around the corner! I have been taking a 12 week performance cycle class at my Life Time Athletic this winter. On Sunday, we will finish up week 11. To say I have ramped up my workouts since January 1st is an understatement. Last year, when not training for a race, I was at the gym maybe 4 days a week at the most & focusing on a running with a little spin thrown in for good measure. Fast forward to 2014, apparently it was time to start training for the indoor triathlon in addition to the performance cycle classes. I thought - okay, I am up for a challenge & I can finally learn to swim freestyle! Swimming is improving (there is a lot to remember in the water!) and my running is improving thanks to the swim & bike workouts. The biggest change has been on the bike. The first day of performance cycle was functional threshold power testing (FTP). Basically, you warmed up for about 25 minutes then did a 20 minute time trial where you measured your average watts (power) at the end. At the end of the 20 minutes, we noted our average watts (191) & heart rate (147). We would use these numbers in the following workouts to improve our performance. At the half way point, we did the FTP testing again. This time my average watts were 222 (with a HR of 158). Last night we had our mid-week class. It was called Warrior and involved (3) 10 minute time trials. We had done the same workout about 4 weeks ago. I had vaguely remembered that the class was tough - I had written on my Garmin account that the workout kicked my ass. After reading that comment, I was looking forward to the class again to see if I had improved. For the last four weeks, I have been working out 6 days a week almost every week. This week was no different - I had done morning & evening workouts on Wednesday & the same could be said for yesterday (strength in the morning & PC at night). When I got to class, I asked the instructor, Dave, to check out how I was seated on the bike. I had a feeling I wasn't quite lined up right (mind you, I had been using the same settings for weeks - it just takes me a while to ask sometimes!) After a few adjustments, it was time for class to get started. After the warm up, we started our first 10 minute time trial. The goal was to not go all out & stay below AT. I cranked up the resistance and got comfortable & went. I averaged 200 watts for the first one & my heart rate was under AT, so I was happy. Distance was 3.6 miles. The second time trial was to get to AT (and stay there) and increase the average watts. It was a good 10 minutes. I averaged 207 watts & just as the time ended, I hit 3.7 miles. Two down, one to go. After a recovery, we were ready to start the third time trial. Dave suggested going 3 minutes steady, then adding more resistance for another 3, then add more for the final 4. Ready, set, go! My legs felt good, my mind was in the right place & the music helped keep the doubts from taking hold. I was adding resistance about every 2-1/2 minutes (I never listen!) and was cruising. Then with 8:30 done, I thought I was in trouble - felt a wee bit sick (please no!) We always joke about needing a bucket, but I had never experienced it. I told myself to ignore it & kept pedaling. I wasn't going to give up now. There was no doubt in my mind that I could keep going, so I had a towel close by and kept moving my legs. Focused on the mileage & it hit 3.7 miles with 20 seconds left, so I knew I had gone farther. Nearing the end of the 10 minutes, Dave seemed to forget how to count down - it went something like this: 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, done! Of course, my bike showed 10:00 already, so I stopped at the 2nd 2! I slowed my legs & checked out the watts (think the average was 229, but not positive). I had never had a class like that. It was incredible - I was completely spent at the end of the 3rd time trial, but after about 5 minutes or so, I was feeling better. So much better that I went an ran 1-1/2 miles right after to complete the brick workout. Legs cramped up a bit, but I survived.
I sent Dave the workout info from the two classes & asked him to compare. His response made me feel like I had gotten an A on a test!
Warrior Feb 6, 2014
Warrior Mar 6, 2014 
Ok, I've taken a good look at the 2 Warrior workouts. In only 1 month, you've been able to raise your avg watts up by 10 just for this workout. Which is impressive by itself, but what I really like is that you are now using a more consistent approach to your power, and flattening out the graphs a little more. So instead of slowly increasing your power like you did in Feb and burning yourself out. You stayed at a consistently higher rate and held it each time. Then you turned it up again and held it. Then at the end of the 3rd set you destroyed it!!!! For the last 4 minutes, you dug deep and produced the biggest #'s I've seen from you yet. This speaks volumes to your strength and endurance state of your body right now. The equivalent of that would be like running pickett 10x and on the last one sprinting for 4 minutes up it. 1 word STRONG.
If you had told me on January 1st that I would be doing the things I am today, I would have laughed (heck, I probably did laugh at Dave when he would suggest it!) It is a great feeling to be able to raise the bar on yourself & pass it. Great things are on the horizon, I can feel it! By the way, my review of this workout was "nearly turned myself inside out on this one!"
Have a great day & remember to smile, it makes people wonder what you are up to!
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