Some folks have requested my century training schedule, and some even want to virtually do the training with me, which is very exciting. Here’s what I’m doing:

First, this is the blueprint that I am following for my schedule:

• Sunday: Optional Day – Rest or Do some form of cross training (walking, swimming, weights, etc.)
• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: Cross Train Day – I’ll (more than likely) swim or do a boxing workout with Harper, but any form of cross training will suffice.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Timed ride with various intensities (easy, steady, or hard intensities – see schedule below) – These are shorter rides that will build strength.
• Saturday: Long ride day – These are the most important training rides. Long rides gradually increase over time, and teach my body how to parcel fuel (carbs) and also increase endurance and stamina.

Proper training for a Century bike ride will insure that I can, first, finish the 100 mile ride. Secondly, I’ll be able to walk afterwards. It’s doable to ride that distance without proper training, but the days following the long ride would be hell without proper training.

Now, here’s the actual schedule that I’m following (each bullet point is a week, and I created my schedule on Jan 4th, thus starting on the 5th) :

Intensities: easy – keep the legs moving, just a slow recovery ride; steady – maintain a good steady pace; and hard – hill intervals, max out strength and breathing, then slow down, repeat. Intensities on long rides are to do whatever you feel (if on a stationary bike) or do whatever the chosen route throws at you (if riding on the bike)

• Saturday Jan 5: 10 miles (first long ride)
• Week of Jan 6-12: Tuesday and Thursday, 20 minutes steady | Saturday, 12 miles
• Week of Jan 13-19: Tuesday and Thursday, 25 minutes steady | Saturday, 15 miles
• Week of Jan 20-26: Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes steady | Saturday, 17 miles
• Week of Jan 27-Feb 2: Tuesday and Thursday, 20 minutes easy | Saturday, 20 miles
• Week of Feb 3-9: Tuesday and Thursday, 20 minutes hard | Saturday, 25 miles
• Week of Feb 10-16: Tuesday and Thursday, 25 minutes hard | Saturday, 30 miles
• Week of Feb 17-23: Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes hard | Saturday, 35 miles
• Week of Feb 24-Mar 2: Tuesday and Thursday, 20 minutes easy | Saturday, 40 miles
• Week of Mar 3-9: Tuesday and Thursday, 35 minutes hard | Saturday, 45 miles
• Week of Mar 10-16: Tuesday and Thursday, 35 minutes hard | Saturday, 50 miles
• Week of Mar 17-23: Tuesday and Thursday, 35 minutes hard | Saturday, 55 miles
• Week of Mar 24-30: Tuesday and Thursday, 20 minutes easy | Saturday, 60 miles
• Week of Mar 31-Apr 6: Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes steady | Saturday, 65 miles
• Week of Apr 7-13: Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes steady | Saturday, 70 miles
• Week of Apr 14-20: Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes hard | Saturday, 75 miles
• Week of Apr 21-27: Tuesday and Thursday, 35 minutes hard | Saturday, 80 miles
• Week of Apr 28-May 4: Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes steady | Saturday, 85 miles
• Week of May 5-11: Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes steady | Saturday, 90 miles
• Week of May 12-18: Tuesday and Thursday, 20 minutes easy | Saturday, American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure: 100 miles

Swim Lessons with Jay

I started swim lessons this past Tuesday with Jay at work. He is teaching me on using good, proper technique, and also getting the most benefit from my swimming workouts. I’ve learned various drills to increase strength and endurance in the water. My future pool workouts will be a lot more fun that what I would normally do, which was swim a bunch of laps, freestyle. Now I can use fins, paddle boards, and other accessories during my workout. I’m also learning the breast stroke, which I’ve never done. It’s easier than I thought it would be, and I just need to put in a lot of practice on it.

Off Week

I’m lacking motivation this week, or maybe I’m just feeling blah. As silly as this sounds, part of my blues stems from me missing the National Championship game on Monday. I pumped that game up for weeks, then because I didn’t check to see which network was carrying the game, I couldn’t watch the game at home, and I was too tired to drive around town or back to work to watch the game (we have ESPN at work). We have the lowest priced satellite package at home, which doesn’t have ESPN, and I just can’t justify the extra expense of upgrading our satellite package. Anyway, I’ll be checking the schedules in the future.

One thing I must teach myself is to healthfully deal with disappointment. I can’t allow silly, trivial problems, injuries, screw ups, etc. derail me. I am proud that I have been following my workout schedule this week, but my eating has been off. I’ve got to bring it all together.

I believe the upcoming “Scale Back Alabama” program will help. Here’s a description of the program from their web site:

Now in its seventh year, Scale Back Alabama is a statewide weight-loss contest that begins in January each year. The purpose of the 10-week contest is to help our state fight its challenge with obesity by encouraging Alabamians to lose weight, to exercise and to have fun while doing it. Last year’s campaign drew nearly 30,000 people in almost every county with a cumulative reported weight loss of 148,963 pounds.

A group of us St. Vincent’s One Nineteen front desk associates have created a team, and out first weigh in is coming up the end of January, then 10 weeks later we will weigh again. We have 10 weeks to lose 10 pounds each. When that’s achieved, our team will be eligible for a cash prize. ($$$ is a great motivator)

The motivation from team support and dreams of extra money in our pockets will be a fun way to get back or stay on track.

Final note, my College Algebra class at Jeff State started the end of last week. It’s an online class, so I have to force myself to stay on top of it. ha ha.