My Weak Legs

I have been doing bike intervals for the past couple of months and I always find that my legs are the weakness. Each interval session has a HR target, but I find as though I am usually short of this target, not because my lungs can't handle it, but because my legs are on fire and I can't keep up the pace.

Today's goal of 6x4min @ 82-88% of MHR @ 70rpm with 3min easy spinning at 95rpm, was another example.

1: 144 avg HR/147 max HR/ 68rpm
2: 142/147/69
3: 142/147/70
4: 142/148/69
5: 145/149/70
6: 142/148/69

My legs just won't pump fast enough, strong enough, long enough to get my HR up higher.

Mileage: 14.79
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 53:01/16.7/23.3
Avg HR/Max HR: 135/149

Bike Intervals

A bit of a lackluster performance tonight.

I was looking for 5x4min intervals, getting my HR into the 82-88% (153-160 bpm), but I really struggled getting my HR in this zone. Again, my lungs were fine, but my legs could just not move enough to get my HR up.

1: 147 avg HR/151 Max HR/71 rpm/1.36 miles
2: 147/154/69/1.37
3: 148/154/70/1.36
4: 145/151/70/1.33
5: 147/154/70/1.35

Mileage: 13.01
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 46:01/17.0/23.7
Avg HR/Max HR: 139/155

No Excuses

I could have bailed on my bike intervals tonight. My legs were feeling tired, I wimped out on my run intervals (kinda?!?) I really have no excuse to bail on a workout. I want to get stronger, faster, etc. I need to put in good effort, even when I'm tired. I like to walk that fine line of pushing myself and overtraining.

Bike Intervals this evening. 5x4min @ 82-88%MHR (153-162), 70rpm. I am still having difficultly getting into the target heart rate. My lungs are fine it is my legs that are letting me down.

Interval 1: 146 AHR/151 MHR/71rpm
2: 148/154/72
3: 145/153/70
4:146/150/70
5: 147/161/71

Totals
Mileage: 12.93
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp:46:01/16.9/24.9
Avg HR/Max HR: 138/161

A Standard Tempo Run and a Heart Racing Bike Interval Session

Pretty typical tempo run, goal was 4 miles @ 6:41/mile.

Tempo Splits: 6:39, 6:39, 6:39, 6:37

Total Mileage: 6.00
Time/Pace: 44:24/7:26
Avg HR/Max HR: 148/176

Then power intervals on the bike.

Goal: 4x4min, 82-87%MHR, 70rpm

The 1 interval went off fine, avg HR 151, max 161, 71 rpm.

My heart began to race during sets 2 and part of 3, got upto 191bpm and 171bpm respectively, before it settled down again for an avg of 144 for the last set. Weird.

Mileage: 10.09
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 40:00/15.1/23.7
Avg HR/Max HR: 142/192

I've experienced these HR spikes in the past, most noteably at last year's Turkey Trot. It is troublesome, but happens infrequently. I did have my heart checked out last year; i.e. stress test, cardiogram, and everything was acceptable. They found my resting HR of 47 to be curious, but normal for my activity level.

3x8min Bike Intervals

What better way to work off a Wegmans Peanut Butter Cream Pie?!? 1100 calories, 78g fat, 60g sugar. I only ate half though...

How about some bike intervals?

Today's goal: 3x8min Intervals at 80-82% (150-154) of MHR @ 95rpm. Rest at 60rpm, until 70% MHR (132).

1: 152 Avg HR/ 157 Max HR/96 rpm

2: 151/157/97

3: 151/156/97

Totals
Mileage: 10.30

Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 38:00/16.7/23.1

Avg HR/Max HR: 141/157

Intensive Endurance Ride

Today's Goal: 5 min @ 80% MHR (150bpm), 5 min @ 85% MHR(160bpm) (3.5x)

After the 1st 5 minutes, at 80% I was struggling, so I decided to ride another 5 min at 80%, then do 75% & 80% the rest of the way.

1: 142 Avg HR (75.5%)/ 152 Max HR
2: 150 (80%)/153
3: 141 (75%)/150
4: 148 (78.7%)/152
5: 142 (75.5%)/149
6: 149 (79.2%)/152
7: 144 (76.6%)/154

Mileage: 13.18
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 50:01/15.9/21.9
Avg HR/Max HR: 135/153

Disappointed that I couldn't get up to the 80-85, but was successful with the modification.

Two Speed Workouts

I started off the day with a 4 mile tempo run at 5:30am at the gym. Goal pace was 6:45/mile.

Mileage: 6.00
Time/Pace: 45:16/7:32
Tempo Splits: 6:43, 6:45, 6:43, 6:37
Avg HR/Max HR: 149/166

Finished off the day with some power intervals on the bike. 4x4min @ 85-90% MHR 70rpm. Didn't quite get to the prescribed HR. Good leg burn though. Got a pretty fierce calf cramp after the last interval.

Mileage: 10.31
Time/Av Sp/Max Sp: 40:01/15.5/24.2
Avg HR/Max HR: 137/159

Interval 1: 147 Avg HR (78%) /153 Max HR (81%)/ 71rpm
2: 148 (79%)/156 (83%)/71
3: 148 (79%)/157 (84%)/71
4: 149 (79%)/158 (84%)/71

Power Intervals

Today's bike workout: 3x4min at 70rpm, target HR 85-90% (161-169). I had a difficult time reaching the target HR, even in the lowest gear, but I still got a really nice burn in my legs. Hurt so good and feels so good to be done!

Mileage: 8.94
Time/Av Sp/Max Sp: 35:06/15.3/28.8
Avg HR/Max HR: 136/161

Interval 1: Avg HR 149/Max HR 159/ 72rpm
Interval 2: 148/156/70
Interval 3: 149/159/68

Back in the Saddle

I missed my scheduled training ride on Thursday because of an usually sore behind. My hind quarters feeling much recovered today, I got on the bike for some interval work. I had scheduled 3x8 minutes at 86-88% HR (161-166), but I only did two intervals.

In short I struggled. I found it really difficult to get into the target HR without my legs feeling like they were on fire. Maybe that's the point. Or, more likely, I'm out of bike shape. Either way, it was a pretty intense workout, even though I shorted it. I did run a 5K today too, so....

Also, for whatever reason, my Garmin didn't calculate my distance, so I had to do it the old fashioned way (using Xcel of course!)

Total Mileage: 9.38
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 35:00/16.1/23.3
Avg HR/Max HR: 138/161

Interval 1: 2.63 miles/Avg HR 156/ Max HR 160/Avg Sp 19.9
Interval 2: 2.47/154/161/18.6

More bike tomorrow, butt willing.

Bike Intervals and 800 Repeats

Double workout today! Exercise makes me happy...why?!? More exercise=more food!! I'm discovering and re-discovering new foods everyday. My wife turned me on. To Boca Burgers that is (wink-wink). I'm sitting here eating a baked potato as I write this, my 2nd one this week. Awesome!! Organic burritos with tofu, blue corn chips. YUM!

AM Workout/800x4 (3:40) On Treadmill

1: 3:40/132 Avg HR/ 137 Max HR
2: 3:39/136/142
3: 3:40/140/145
4: 3:40/143/151

Total Mileage: 5.00
Time/Pace: 43:52/8:46
Avg HR/Max HR: 128/151

PM Workout/Bike Intervals 8x4mins

1: 1.52miles/22.8 Avg Sp/27.6 Max Sp/139 Avg HR/ 147 Max HR
2: 1.64/24.6/32.7/141/150 (downhill)
3: 1.56/23.4/25.6/148/153
4: 1.61/24.1/26.9/147/151
5: 1.57/23.5/25.4/148/153
6: 1.58/23.6/26.5/146/152
7: 1.36/20.3/27.2/146/155 (uphill)
8: 1.57/23.6/28.0/144/150

Total Mileage: 22.51
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 1:08:56/19.6/32.7
Avg HR: 129
Elevation Gain: 221 ft

Bike Intervals and a Tumble

Today's Workout: Bike Intervals 6x4min

Splits

1) 1.48 miles/22.2 Avg Sp/29.8 Max Sp/148 Avg HR/152 Max HR

2) 1.61/24.2/25.7/150/156

3) 1.43/21.5/23.2/152/156
4) 1.36/20.3/29.9/152/157

5) 1.43/21.4/26.3/149/155

6) 1.45/21.7/23.8/150/155

Totals

Mileage: 19.17

Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 1:00:11/19.1/31.1

Avg HR/Max HR: 134/157

Elevation Gain: 268

T/W: 60, cool, overcast

And then a tumble....I was done with my ride and clipped out my right foot as I was coming to a stop. I stopped and was attempting to unclip the left foot and started to fall to the left. I couldn't get my foot out in time and...TIMBER. The picture speaks for itself.

Bike Intervals 10x3min

1) 1.19 miles/23.8 Avg Sp/25.4 Max Sp/129 Avg HR/139 Max HR (tailwind)
2) 1.16/23.2/24.6/136/142 (tw)
3) 1.06/21.1/22.0/138/143(headwind)
4) 1.07/21.5/22.6/139/145 (hw)
5) 1.16/23.1/24.7/138/143 (tw)
6) 1.04/20.7/22.3/137/144 (hw)
7) 1.18/23.6/25.3/138/144 (tw)
8) 1.18/23.7/25.4/139/145 (tw)
9) 1.06/21.1/22.7/139/146 (hw)
10) 1.07/21.5/22.8/141/147 (hw)

Total Mileage: 23.00
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 1:17:16/17.9/25.5
Avg HR: 122
Elevation Gain: 58ft
T/W: 71, wind (W @13)

8x3min Bike Intervals and 7 Mile Run

Feeling good today. Two workouts this evening, with about 30mins of rest in between. 85 and humid, but tolerable.

Bike Intervals (3min @ max tempo, 1min easy spinning)

1) 1.19 miles/23.8 avg sp/28.8 max sp/144 avg hr/151 max hr
2) 1.27/25.5/31.5/143/147 (slight downhill)
3) 1.18/23.6/25.6/145/151
4) 1.19/23.7/25.5/146/150
5) 1.00/14.9/15.7/148/152 (uphill)
6) 1.27/25.5/27.1/144/148 (slight downhill)
7) 1.05/21.0/26.0/145/149
8) 1.23/24.6/31.1/144/148

Total Mileage: 19.48
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 59:18/19.7/31.5
Avg HR: 131
Elevation Gain: 334 ft

Run

Mileage: 7.00
Time/Pace: 1:00:03/8:34
Splits: 8:38, 8:37, 8:35, 8:39, 8:37, 8:39, 8:15
Avg HR: 145
Elevation Gain: 199 ft

Bike Intervals

PM workout...Bike intervals...7 x 3mins at max effort with 1 min rest in between.

1) 1.12 miles/22.3 avg sp/26.0 max sp/avg HR 150/max HR 154
2) 1.11/22.1/24.2/153/156
3) 1.03/20.7/22.2/153/157
4) 1.26/25.1/26.9/153/156
5) 1.24/24.9/26.8/152/156
6) 1.20/24.0/26.8/152/157
7) 1.08/21.6/24.2/153/158

Decent headwind on the first 3 intervals, even better tailwind for 4-6 and a hill on the 7th.

Totals
Mileage: 16.63
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 51:46/19.3/34.3
Avg HR: 139
Elevation Gain: 210 ft
T/W: 80/sunny

6 Mile Run/ Bike Intervals

Morning Workout:
Run
Mileage: 6.00
Time/Pace: 52:16/8:42
Splits:8:39, 8:48, 8:45, 8:46, 8:44, 8:32
Avg HR: 140
Elevation Gain: 46 ft
T/W: 68, sunny

Afternoon Workout:
Bike Intervals: warm up, 3 minutes at all out pace, 1 minute easy spinning (6x), cool down

Interval/Mileage/Sp/HR

1) 1.21/24.2/136
2) 1.19/23.8/142
3) 1.15/23.0/144
4) 1.21/24.1/145
5) 1.19/23.7/144
6) 1.18/23.5/144

Totals
Mileage: 17.82
Time/Avg Sp/Top Sp: 58:45/18.2/28/4
Elevation Gain: 191 ft
Avg HR: 125
T/W: 75, sunny