Elm Grove intervals

First things first. This short training effort I did today is dedicated to little Manny Wilke. Go to his web page to get the story. Many of my PhilCast show listeners donated to the cause and today is a big operation day for little Manny. I wore his T-shirt after the ride...

Now, about today's unique ride. I'd like to take you through a little coaching here if I can. I'm not saying this is for everyone, but it works for me.

This was not a TRUE interval workout, but I still call it intervals. REAL intervals consist of numerous reps of short, all-out bursts with very little recovery time between them.

This is sort of like that, only not as serious lets say. Give them a try to give your training a little more focus at times. I also think that this really helps you on those occasions you find yourself falling off the back of a group ride.

The idea is to repeat making a hard, short effort to get a spike in your heart rate and put your body at the limit. If you do not practice this once in a while then when you call on your body to do it on a ride it won't know what the heck is going on and more than likely you will simply blow up and watch the group fade away ahead of you.

55

Hazy Sun

Wind, 6-10

Elm Grove Crit, five laps

Practice this as if you needed to make a big effort to catch up or grab the wheel of the rider in front of you. Then recover and repeat. Here is a lap for me...

-Slight false-flat up on the way out. Middle chain ring and into the wind. Just ride steady.

-Turning around takes a few blocks on one end. When I get back onto the main route shift into the big ring and maintain a hard tempo going back.

-Once I get through a marked intersection I grab a big gear, flop to the drops and hammer. This is where you pretend you need to go all out for a burst to grab that wheel ahead of you. HR peaking. Breathing labored.

-Pick your spot to pull up and catch your breath. I used a certain road sign.

-Turned around each lap in the Elm Grove Village Hall parking lot and did it all again.

This way your body is getting used to the idea that at times you may just be asking it to hit the limit during a future ride. Now it knows what to expect!

Looks like this will be it for me until Friday when nice weather is predicted at last. Meantime, rain and jury duty is on the docket for me.

Season Miles: 409