Friday, April 27, 2012

Going Nowhere or...Enough With the April Showers

Today's ride was abit unusual in that I didn't go anywhere, but I rode for three hours with an average cadence of 73. Yes, I was on my trainer in my garage. So, what's unusual about that you ask? I ride my trainer all the time, right? That's certainly true, but this time was different in that I rode as if I was riding out on the road. That means I took rest breaks (even getting off the bike after an hour and eating a bar) just as I would out on the road. Normally, when I'm on my trainer, I ride for two solid hours non-stop, then I'm done.

At noon, after two hours, I even got off and came in for lunch at "Chez Colleen's Kitchen". I must say, the service wasn't very good. I even had to fix my own meal! Too bad there wasn't a Subway!

After lunch I got back on for another two hours. I was tempted to turn the bike around for the ride "back". Since the view would have been the back wall of my garage, I opted not to do that. At first it seemed slow going (yeah, yeah, I know, it was NO going). Once I warmed up again, things were fine and I was back to the sweat factory (downside of not actually riding--more sweating for sure!).

At the three hour mark, I realized I must have ridden MORE than halfway before lunch because, SURPRISE, I was home! Okay, okay, I'm not crazy. I know I never really left. But, my BUTT was done. That's the funny thing about the trainer vs the road; even though I took rest breaks, I was never "coasting" like when I'm out on the road. There are no steep downhills on the trainer. So, the butt is sitting completely on the saddle all the time (except when I stand up to pedal).

The one thing that makes riding in the garage for three hours tolerable is that I can listen to music. Ya gotta love Pandora for that!

Hopefully, we'll get back to some nice days so I can actually ride out on the road; not just in my head (in the garage). Bring on the May Flowers!

No comments: