On Cycling

This is what my mom looks like when she rides a bike:

This is what I feel like when I ride a bike (not my picture):

So it's probably no surprise that I started out fairly slow with the cycling training. For now I'm just spinning on a stationary bike in the gym, because I don't have a road bike to try out, but I'm hoping to be able to borrow one by the end of this week. Then again, it's not the bike that needs work.

Cycling really is fun, though. When I've visited home from college, I've gone on a couple of bike rides with my parents, and they're gracious enough to keep from leaving me in the dust.

You see a lot more when you're on a bike than you do when you're in a car. I can drive through an area a dozen times and never notice something that's impossible to miss when I'm moving at a slower pace. Sometimes it's a beautiful landscape, and sometimes it's just a road I never knew was there. Either way, there's this organic experience that comes with cycling that can't quite be recreated in any other way. It's kind of like surfing in that sense. The sound of the wind shoots past your face, and you go faster than you ever could on your own. But you're still connected with the outdoors on such a personal level. 

I love being outside, so I might be waxing poetic here. But if you don't know what I'm talking about, you definitely need to try it. 

Ah. Now I just want to get a road bike!

Thursday (May 3):

• Weights (upper body)

Yesterday (May 4)

• Nothing. This will probably not happen again anytime soon. But a slow start is better than no start.

Today (May 5)

• 25 minutes spin bike: I use cages, since I don't have cleats, and since I had the luxury of a computer, I tried to keep my rpms around 90 and did a couple of minute-long sprints or climbs about halfway through. According to the bike, I went around 7.5 miles, which is the same as a 12k--race distance.

• 15 minutes jumping rope: Sound easy? Then try it! If you're like me and your jump-rope days ended with your 4th grade PE class, let me tell you something: it's harder than you think. I actually can't wait to do this again. 

It's been an okay three days in terms of training volume. I'll give it a 6 out of 10. I'm hoping to work out early tomorrow morning and have a post up by late afternoon. Until then!

Jason

P.S. Speaking of jumping rope, look up some videos of Floyd Mayweather Jr. Not only is the man incredible at it, he's pretty good proof that jumping rope is a great part of any training regimen.