Thursday, January 12, 2006

flying through the winter

[1/12/06]
Bike - 14 miles, 55:39 - 12 x 1 min alternating single leg drills
Run - about 2.5 miles, 24:50 - walk 4 min, run 15 min, walk 5:50

Today's ride was awesome. It was sunny and 50 degrees with a light wind. This is like spring, not like a typical January in Wisconsin where it is 0 degrees with icy roads. There were other bikers, runners, and walkers out. I took my gloves off for the second half of the ride because my hands were too hot. I did an out and back route from the UW campus through the arboretum and down seminole highway. The wind was at my back for the second half and I was really flying. With my new deluxe sunglasses, I felt like a real biker.

I know it is important to develop a smooth pedal stroke, and that the single leg drills are the best way to do it. I noticed right away that my stroke is not as even as it could be. It took me a few repetitions to get the feeling of the perfectly smooth round stroke with even pressure throughout. I can tell my hip flexors are working a lot harder to get that upstroke. This is something I am going to need to practice more because I had to think about it to do it. When my mind wandered off to the beautiful sunny day, I would lose the upstroke.

I had planned to run inside on the treadmill today, but how could I with the great weather? What a treat it is to do a bike/run brick outside in the winter. I ran past the Monona Terrace and looked out on the lake (now frozen) where the Ironman will be in September wondering if it would be safe to run the swim course...

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