Zippy McSpeederson

Hmm.  Odd.  I’ve been doing a lot of circuit training recently in the gym (well, after my schoolwork, which is another story.  H.L.A. Hart is now my boy.)

Anyway, for the last six weeks or so I’ve been hitting the leg press at a pretty good resistance for me: ride for 15 min, 300 lbs. 3 sets of 10, climb/ride for 15 min, then another round on the press, then ride for 15 min.  I never really thought it would have a huge impact, and instead viewed the whole project as “a faster, but just as intense workout.”  I figured an hour in the gym hopping from press to stationary bike would be the equivalent of my usual 2 or 3 hour rides.  But I was very wrong.

Recently I got on the Little Red Rocket and took her on a tour (well, a long pretextual errand ride – no use pretending I have any free time left.) I felt that I was winding faster than I normally would (no surprise, what with the cold air and all), however I felt strong - not absurdly strong, just unspectacularly solid.  But my time – wow.  Just shocking.  I was clipping along in the low 20s.  On one level stretch I pulled it up to 27 for a half-mile;  I couldn’t keep it up for all that long, but just to do it at all without going completely full-out was impressive to me.  It’s something I can build on.  It sounds silly, but the 20mph/average barrier is my grail - not that I can sustain it for an hour just yet, but to have that be my "default" clipping along speed.  15 was easy enough.  18 took some effort.  19 was something I’ve been stuck on forever.

In some senses that means I’m finally “back” to where I was in my peak years.  Well, that’s not entirely true.  My cardio isn’t nearly there.  And my climbing, accordingly, isn’t what it was.  But it’s nice to taste that kind of straightaway speed again (even if it’s somewhat of an illusion – it’s really harder to do that as a climber, and I’m about 15 lbs. heavier than I was in my early 20s.)

So anyway – yea!!  I know this is probably greek for 99% of my readers, but I’m pretty happy with it.  I have smorged the fligenfalch, even though professionals routinely schnalgle blorfingly, it's enough for me, given circumstances, to smorge, even though it's more like snoffling.  There.  That was probably clearer.

OK – for something not totally boring, I suggest you all go to both Seth and Neo Tokyo Times and read their observations on the recent immigration reform bullshit. 

Comments

[blm]

Congrats, my friend!

I'm still trying to get back to 19 after my winter sabbatical -- stuck around 16 right now (oy!)

BTW, I never see you around the IM-o-sphere anymore -- computer issues? If so, my services are always at your disposal!

Take Care!

[Scoplaw]

Look for me on Gmail's Talk under skalding@gmail.com AIM kept causing all kinds of odd problems, so I just went with the sleaker G-Talk.