Week completed

Another week completed as planned.

I did three workouts, one of which was a Carmichael yesterday. Today I did 30 minutes straight spin.

Next week I ramp up the trainer effort to the following:

A total of FOUR workout days now, TWO of which have to be Carmichael workouts. The other two can be a minimum of 30 minutes.

Carmichael Thursday

Got my Carmichael of the week in early today. Two workouts down, one to go this week.

Then next week check back as we ramp it up another notch.

Go Pack!

Triple Digit

First time with a triple-digit time on the bike, hitting one hour today. That's a marathon for me.

Weigh-in Wednesday did not go well this week, with a gain of a pound, putting me right back to where I was when this started at the beginning of the year.

I blame me...and the Packers. As long as they were playing in the playoffs I was munching to make it the fullest experience I could have.

And so it will be with the Super Bowl too!

I'll hit the dieting and riding harder after Green Bay wins the Super Bowl.

Week Three goal completed

I put in 40 minutes on the trainer today while listening to music. It felt like about three hours. But I achieved my goal for the week, and in fact went over by adding an extra Carmichael.

Week four is to be a repeat of this week, and then I add more work the first week of February.

I am not being helped at all by the great run of the Green Bay Packers. There is no way I take a pass on eating some special munchie that is totally bad for me during the game. The game is too big. Life is too short. I like to eat too much to stick to the healthy eating plan. These playoff games have been my only time off the wagon since the first of the year also.

No weight was lost in week three. In fact, all I have lost since the start of the year is a single pound. Nine to go. But weight be damned on Sunday...we've got to get to the SUPER BOWL!

Back-to-back Carmichael's

Threw in a second Carmichael workout of the week, above and beyond the one required for this Week Three.

Felt good doing it and felt good about it afterward.

Weigh-in Wednesday tomorrow, then perhaps an easy spin. Got a busy Thursday so it looks like that will be a rest day.

Week 3 starts with a Carmichael

Off to a solid start in Week Three as I did my first Carmichael workout of the new year, a structured :45 training ride of three various effort levels.

Ah memories...I can almost do that thing without looking at the cheat notes taped to my handlebars now.

I felt pretty good, considering the fact that I was tempted to take a nap instead of working out!

...had a nice visit/chat with reader "Der Jan" on Sunday, when we talked a little cycling. He is thinking about getting back into a little local racing this season and therefore will have to ramp up the trainer work at this time of year. I hope he does...I won't join him, but would be glad to cheer him on from the sidelines come SuperWeek.

Don't forget to check Versus for some Tour Down Under highlights this week. The pro season has begun!

Week Two completed

Nothing much, but Week Two according to the plan was completed today with 40 minutes of a standard spin. That makes three times this week of at least 30 minutes each.

Next week I'll increase the load just a bit by requiring that one of the three rides needs to be my Carmichael workout, a structured :45 with exact purpose that combines spinning at a high rate at times and increasing gears at other times. Basically it is a structured rotation of easy, medium and hard effort.

Back-to-back :45's

Day Two of Week Two and I did an extended :45 again today at a pretty steady 90 rpm straight through.

No issues.

Slow but sure...lay the foundation one day at a time now.

Weigh-In Wednesday; Week One tomorrow.

Week Two starts well

Week Two of the annual effort to lose holiday weight and get back into at least some cycling form went well today.

Spurred by the joy of a Packers' win over the Eagles in the playoffs and taking the lead in the PhilCast Fantasy Football League (my first-ever attempt at fantasy football) I jumped on the bike in the afternoon and did a steady spin for 45 minutes, 15 more than required this week.

I felt fine today.

The week's goal is to do at least :30 at least 3X. One down, at least two to go. Weigh-In Wednesday week one should be interesting.

Week One goal hit

Easing into it all after the holiday, the first couple of weeks are just to break a sweat and not do much to rattle these 52-year-old bones on the saddle.

So it's a minimum 30 minutes three times in the week. Today marked the third ride of the week. Two 30's and a 45. The 30 today kinda bothered me by the end. Legs were kinda stiff...right knee was a little gimpy. These are the times when you wonder how in world you ever did a solo century last season!

But it's a start. I went 15 minutes over one day, and I may try to get in 30 minutes on Saturday too...which would make it four rides instead of the minimum three. We'll see.

The plan for next week, Week Two, is to do the same as the Week One plan.

Solid :45

As long as I had the time I went ahead and hit the trainer for the second day in a row today, putting in 45 minutes of spinning this time.

I moved the bike too, placing it where it will stay now for a couple of months, despite making my 'recording lounge' a little cramped now. Getting back into shape and losing the holiday weight is a priority this time of year.

All felt fine today.

Weigh-in Wednesday tomorrow. The toughest part of my 'smart eating' now is evenings when I like to have a little something while watching TV. That's how I knew this was for real Monday night! Nothing but some fruit and water.

And we're off...

...with the first workout of the new 2011 indoor season.

The good news is that I got on a scale for the first time in months. This first weigh-in has been worse in years past. This year it seems I am right on my usual gain of six pounds. I think last year it might have been a whopping +8 at this first weigh-in.

So from now on, Wednesday will be weigh-in day. Weigh-in Wednesday's.

I did an easy spin 30 minutes today as planned, a bit rushed due to other things going on. 

I even passed on the morning nosh during the recording of Pack Yak for the PhilCast show. Bran muffins were on hand rather than a danish. I saved mine for later today.

Again, at least three days this week of at least 30 minutes of spinning. It's a base, a starting point to begin to focus on losing that holiday weight and getting into shape again.

2011 begins Monday

I hope you all had an enjoyable celebration ringing in the new year. Look for more material to start appearing here now that the new year has arrived. 

It's a cycling ritual with me.

The new season starts Monday with a weight program and the start of regular workouts on the trainer, all leading up to getting back on the bike in spring for my 11th season of riding.

By weight program I am not talking about lifting weights. I'm talking about getting back on a scale as of Monday, something I have not done in months. During the season while I am riding and eating what I want there is no reason to weigh myself. I'm fine.

But without riding and eating non-stop (and whatever I want) since Thanksgiving, the time to have a reality check has once again arrived. Each year I put on about 5-6 pounds in that period, and each year I battle to lose it starting in January. It always works. But I have to prove to myself once again now that I can go cold-turkey on the sweets and starch. Plus, it's time to start riding the Klein on the trainer too.

Here's the plan for Week One:

--Ride for at least 30 minutes at least three times this week. I combine that with full stretching before and after, in addition to situps before and after. I start with only this to ease into it and work up toward starting those Carmichael workouts later this month.

--As for eating (not a diet) I immediately go cold-turkey on sweets, cut out most starches and nothing, quote, "bad for you" like pizza or burgers will be eaten either. That's all out the window now. Goodbye my friends the french fries.

--And Monday I'll step on that scale to see the magic number. I'll post it here too...shames me in public to keep track of whatever I am able to lose each week.


The goal here is to get into some form or riding shape and down to 190 pounds at the start of the outdoor season, which I usually start right around Easter weekend.


Stay tuned...and play along if you like...unless of course you didn't gain any weight and have been riding all holiday season long!