Power Pacing
So I bought a bike this summer. I beautiful Giant RC1 road bike. It's awesome, and I logged several hundred miles on it. It's been a couple months since I've been on a bike, however, and I don't like the way I'm feeling. So, since there's a YMCA 3 blocks from work, and since I have a membership, and since they have a Power Pacing (read - spinning) class over the lunch hour everyday, I figured I'd go check it out.
Now, lets get some things straight here. I'm in shape. I'm a healthy 160 pounds (158 on a skinny day), I get regular excercise (about 3 - 4 times a week), and for the most part I eat healthy. Couple that with the fact that I can easily pound out 60k on my bike on the highway in under 2 hours and you have what amounts to a severely false sense of over confidence. Power Pacing made me feel like a Power Pussy.
I lasted 15 minutes. I got off the bike, went to a water fountain and almost puked. Despite it's name I did anything but pace myself. I was beat to a pulp by a guy who looked about 90 years old. I've never been more grateful for somebody to come along half way into some activity and seat himself directly between myself and that what I am watching (the pace leader). I quickly stood up and tumbled myself to some place less dangerous.
The moral of the story? You gotta pace the power pacing and don't let the activity of others decide what your pace is. Now excuse me, I'm going to go pass out.
Now, lets get some things straight here. I'm in shape. I'm a healthy 160 pounds (158 on a skinny day), I get regular excercise (about 3 - 4 times a week), and for the most part I eat healthy. Couple that with the fact that I can easily pound out 60k on my bike on the highway in under 2 hours and you have what amounts to a severely false sense of over confidence. Power Pacing made me feel like a Power Pussy.
I lasted 15 minutes. I got off the bike, went to a water fountain and almost puked. Despite it's name I did anything but pace myself. I was beat to a pulp by a guy who looked about 90 years old. I've never been more grateful for somebody to come along half way into some activity and seat himself directly between myself and that what I am watching (the pace leader). I quickly stood up and tumbled myself to some place less dangerous.
The moral of the story? You gotta pace the power pacing and don't let the activity of others decide what your pace is. Now excuse me, I'm going to go pass out.