I'm a little confused on how to quantify the resistance on my Computrainer in stand-alone mode, so I just guess based on RPE. I found it tough to get my heart rate up during the first 1/2 of the ride (no higher than 120!)- I kept my cadence around 85 (lower than my usual 90-95) and tried to add more resistance than usual...I'm also getting pretty comfy in aero position, usually it kills my back and shoulders at the beginning of the season. I'm generally switching 5-10 mins aero, then 5 mins on the bullhorns for a break.
During the spinervals workout, they had us going at some high cadences, which definitely got my heart rate up! By the end of the workout, I was around 160-165 bpm...at a cadence of 100 rpm.
Tamara's awesome, we are pretty close in fitness levels, and we have a lot of the same goals this year, so she's a great training partner!
Then I went to Mettler Athletic in Champaign today for the Sport Performance Symposium; the main speaker was big name in my field of exercise physiology- Dr. Craig Horswill, Principal Scientist at the Gatorade Sport Science Institute in Barrington IL. GSSI just started doing these grassroots education seminars, so it was pretty cool to see Dr. Horswill in a small setting with maybe 35 people as opposed to the massive ACSM conference I last heard him speak at with 200 people. The symposium covered three main topics - Hydration & Nutrition for athletes(GSSI), Biomechanics and functional training, and Sport Motivation and Focus.
Exercise and nutrition intervention research is a huge interest of mine, and that is exactly what they do at GSSI - check out their crazy labs at gssiweb.net This is where they do the research to determine the needs and responses of athletes so they can perfect and create new Gatorade products. They can have you exercise in a temp controlled chamber, have you cycle in a plastic bag so they can collect your sweat that drips off, stick tubes down your throat while you exercise to determine stuff like esophogeal temp and rate of nutrient uptake....o man I would LOVE to wear a lab coat and do that kind of that stuff!
So I mailed an application to their facility 2 weeks ago for an internship this summer...however I found out that they are not taking interns for awhile since they are revamping the program...but like I said, I sent my stuff anyway. Going to Champaign was a chance to at least meet Dr. Horswill (again...I introduced myself at ACSM in May) and listen to the cool research he would present.
O man I wish he would have a change of heart and let me intern there this summer!
So that was the highlight...I stayed for the next talk, but I didn't stay for the last one, because my eyes were closing closing closing...sleeeeeep....not that they were boring, but I've been sleeping very badly this week because I'm so freaked out with school, and with this training, it's catching up to me FAST. I can't function or stay awake on 5-6 hrs of sleep!
5 runs (not going long until next Tuesday...but I have the 3000m on Friday! not setting a time goal on that b/c i have no clue!) So one speed workout on Tuesday, 2 short/quick 3-4 milers, then the 3K on Friday...then a 10-12 miler on Sat.
Well, I have like 10 definitions to do before bed for homework...not gonna grade, I'm too tired. aNd I don't feel like it, thus the blogging...haha.
Stay tuned for Motivation Pt. 2 and Hit With a Brick posts!