23rd
Tough week
I’ve moved the start of my week to Friday @ 5pm. My weekend starts around 9am Thursday morning and runs through to Friday afternoon. Mentally, this arrangement seems to fit my training plan better and I’m not missing the former emptiness of my Saturdays and Sundays, which are now filled up by training and work.
Last Friday, I went down to Wynn Fitness to help out a fellow cyclist from Chain Reaction CC get a handle on his zone training. We did a very standard threshold test by measuring his average heart rate over the last 15 minutes of a 20 minute high intensity spin. Afterwards, I pulled on my new weight vest and did 20 minutes on the stairmaster, some squats on the half-bosun (with 10lb dumbells in hand) and some assisted chinups (The power to weight ratio of my arms is pathetic). Went home, had a light meal and was in bed around midnight or so.
Saturday morning, I reported in for the regular Lapdogs bootcamp at RPM and did 90 minutes of zone training with Cranwell and the gang. Not sure if I mentioned it before, but this is a twice-weekly session he runs over a 16 week period. All very structured and very cycling oriented. Its an awesome way to get in some more training volume but in a group setting. Afterwards, we went for breakfast - four poached eggs and some “dry rye”. I got home around 10:30 or so and went for a quick nap.
After my nap, I went back to RPM for my first dryland class at 12:30.
Louis, our instructor, kicked my ass through the most intense 60 minutes I’ve been through in a long, long time. Louis says he is a former phys-ed teacher from Chicago. I think “phys-ed teacher” is his secret code for “Boot Camp Drill Sargeant”. I mean, he was nice enough and everything, but the drills were intense. He warmed us up with 100 situps and it just got harder from there. Stepups, squats, plyo…it seemed non-stop, and then, before I knew it, it was all over. I got home around 2:15 and fell asleep until 5.
Sunday, I felt pretty messed up. I had been up late from the night before - we celebrated Amanda’s birthday, and my day started at the usual 6:30 so I could get up and get ready to lead my Sunday morning spin class @ 9:30 (yeah, that’s a three hour lead, but I like to arrive slightly early for my classes just to make sure I’m prepared. There’s nothing worse than rushing in with three minutes to spare and find out that the mic isn’t working or you forgot your shoes or something…).
The spin actually perked me up a bit. I was still a bit lagged from the lack of sleep throughout the week, but the spin really loosened me up from the punishment that I’d suffered the day before. Sunday afternoon, I took a quick run and was in bed early enough to get okay rest.
Monday’s start at 5:00am for me - I lead a 6:30am class at the Fitness Institute. Afterwards, I spent a good 30 minutes in the whirlpool - it felt awesome. Lunchtime on Monday, I did an easy 3k run with a co-worker. Monday evening is the second of the two Lapdog bootcamp sessions at RPM - we start at 7:30pm and ride until 9:00pm. This gets later and later each week.
Tuesday evening, spin class at RPM, Wednesday afternoon light run again with a co-worker. Wednesday evening the same. Both late nights.
Thursday morning at 7:30 am, I did an awesome 10k cross country run through High Park with my friend Larry. We did a 1:02 pace, which is pretty respectable given the conditions and terrain (hills, snow, etc.). I finished out the day with three meetings between 6pm and midnight - killer.
Today, nothing. Friday is my day off. No workout since yesterday morning and a great day to recharge. I’m pretty tired right now, but I figure after a quick dinner, possibly a glass of wine, I can get in some good shut-eye tonight before the cycle starts all over again.
I just hope that Louis doesn’t kill me as hard tomorrow as he did last week :)
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