It's been raining for the past week. This is great news for our dry west, but not so good for us cyclists. I've piked from riding to work the past couple of days. I don't mind getting wet once I've started my ride, and I don't even mind riding home in the rain - but the thought of riding TO work or the gym in the wet is not appealing to me.
I've been wanting to get my bike serviced because it's started squeaking a bit - probably from riding through all the rain (!) and having the oil washed off. I'm no mechanic and I need help in fixing the squeaks. But the bike shop doesn't service on the weekends, only during the week. Well, this is problematic since I ride to work before the bike shop is open and ride home after the bike shop is shut.
So - I am taking this voluntary break from riding to get my bike serviced! Sort of like killing two birds with one stone. Instead of having my bike sit at home, it can be at the bike shop! Of course I didn't think of this brilliant idea until today - but luckily there is rain forecast for tomorrow too! Sometimes I am sooooo clever...
I'm really digging the elliptical trainer at the gym. Kills the calves, but I sweat bucketloads. Yesterday (on my way to another 6km in 30mins) I checked my heart rate. 156. Oops - it is supposed to be between 120 and 130. I felt OK and I wanted to maintain my speed, so I decided to just keep an eye on my heart rate and see if it went up. (Not that 156 is low of course...) Anyway I found myself concentrating on my breathing instead of mindlessly watching the Lifestyle Channel (the sports channels had football, football and motor racing - yuck!). Suddenly my heart rate started going DOWN. What the?? I watched it drop to 140 and then it stayed there. The ONLY thing I can think of is that I concentrated on my breathing. I can't believe it would make that much difference - but it seemed to! (Jaykay, you asked what resistance I have it on. Resistance?? I press quick start and that's it. I'm guessing the resistance level is at the default - zero. You mean I could make it harder????)
By the way, my speedo reckons I've ridden over 800km on my bike since I got it. If that's right then I'm a legend!
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13 comments:
Yep, you're a legend :)
It's not piking to skip riding in the rian -it's so much more dangerous & not worth the risk
oops I meant RAIN
800kms! It is like you are riding over here to say hi- not much further now....
800!! Way to go.
I used to love the elliptical at the gym, such a good workout if you can't run.
I guess the heart beat is all about getting oxygen into your body, so it makes sense that breathing efficiently might lower your heart rate.
Even if you do say so yourself ;)
You have been braver than me with the rain coming down over the last few weeks as I've resorted to driving into work. This week however the council near work in west leederville decided to make the street parking much tighter and as a result I'll probably start to cycle in the cold/rain again.
We're having a stack of a lot of rain over here too at the moment. I'm fine cycling home in the rain but having to face starting work with all the cycling clobber dripping and steaming in a corner is too much to bear.
800km is pretty impressive, you haven't had it that long have you?
I'm sure concentrating on your breathing would have an impact on the heart rate.
Well done on the bike kms, that's awesome!
Celeste, I think it's perfectly sensible to skip riding in rain, rain, rain.
Sounds like you're still having a blast at the gym. Way to go.
800 km! Woohoo!
800km, definitely a legend! :oD
I absolutely loved the elliptical trainer when I was a gym member, in fact it's one of the few bits of kit that I miss. And yep, I too would sweat buckets, but the feeling afterwards, if you do a massive session is soooo good. Comes close to the post-run feeling for me.
Hope that service goes okay, totally agree about the rain and going to somewhere... at least when you're on your way home there's the thought of getting all toasty and dry again.
B.
800kms is very impressive!!
I love the elliptical trainer as well and yes you can increase the resistance, lol. I have it on about 5-6 and decrease to about 3 when I want to ease up abit.
Good luck with the bike service :)
800 woo hoo. How many more km's until you can claim you have cycled to Adelaide.
Love the Mincing Machine as well.
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