Drunk on Information!

Joy here...Back when I started running The Man bought me a Garmin Forerunner 405 CX.  This little watch gismo tells me pace, distance, heart rate, and calories burned.  I will admit that when I first started running, I just used it to time my runs (...please, god, just let me make it to 45 minutes...only 15 more to go...huff, huff...).  However, as I got fitter, I was able to program it for a certain distance, say 10kms, and then it would chart my pace and beep at the halfway mark, and then I would know that I only had 5kms left to go!  When I got sick of looking at pace, I would toggle the screen to the heart rate display so that I could run according to heart rate (i.e. effort).  Basically, once I got into using my little Garmie, I was drunk on information and loved it!

I would recommend this model or another one that does many of the same things for anyone who is either wanting actual data to help improve and hone a training plan.  I would also suggest it to the beginner runner (like me) who doesn't have body awareness.  Garmie gives me information so that I can compare one run to the next, but also information that helps keep me on track during a run.  For me, I find that it's a really helpful motivational tool, because my little negative voice in my head that is constantly telling me to "just stop now," or "take it easy," or "you can't do this" and Garmie provides me with objective data that counters that little voice.  So if you're a beginner runner and you think that fancy gismos like this are for "serious athletes" (said with a stern face and solemn voice), then think again.  More information is always better than less information.

In keeping with that motto, The Man just bought me a little, basic computer for my bike so that when I'm riding on the trainer indoors, I can still get data about pace.  You see, when I ride my bike outside, I can use Garmie, because Garmie connects to satellites, and can give me real-time information about my pace on the bike; however, when I've got the bike on the trainer indoors in my basement, that satellite link is about as useful as tits on a bull (to borrow one of my dad's more colourful phrases).  So my new little Strada by CatEye can tell me pace based on how many repetitions of the wheel there are.

So now I have a new device that allows me to be even more drunk on information!  You see, if you've ever sat on a bike on a trainer and tried to ride indoors you'll know that it's INCREDIBLY BORING.  It's like a psychological torture test just to make yourself sit there.  However, if you can do some specific drills on the bike while sitting there, it can make the time pass more quickly.  At least, that's how I feel.  On Monday, we did "tempo sets" which were 6 sets of 90second big gear, hard riding.  Now the way that I knew each 90second set was equivalent was that I could look on my new little computer and keep my speed the same.  If my regular riding speed on the bike is around 28km/hr, then my tempo speed for those 90second sets was around 38km/hr.  And yesterday, we did 7 "stomps," which are 30second really, really hard sections.  So basically we rode for 20mins at around 28km/hr, and then sped up to about 45km/hr and held it for 30 seconds, and then had 10mins back at 28km/hr before doing another 30second stint at 45km/hr.  It was hard, but made the time on the bike fly by.  And more than that, the payoff was great.  I burned 1,572 calories in less than an hour and a half.  If your workout plan is about weight loss, then you should seriously consider these kinds of drills!

Here are my stats from yesterday's indoor ride:
Rode for 1:25:01 with an average heart rate of 126 beats/min and a total of 1, 572 calories burned.

Over and out,
Joy