I have no shame. None.

It hailed and snowed today. I saw all sorts of weather go past my office window during the 11 hours I was in it today. When I got home it was 3C outside, and looking like rain. At this point I was still willing to consider going outside for my ride. But after a bite to eat and one last look, I started seeing snowflakes in the rain. That was enough for me. Inside, on the trainer. But that's not the no shame part.

At the end of the Tues ride I got to thinking about Julie and making tiny adjustments to the bike. I'd been thinking of tweaking the saddle position slightly, and finally did it. I moved up maybe a quarter of an inch, and forward maybe the same at most. Riding just a bit more on Tues felt nice.

Then I got on the bike tonight. Hoo-ra! as Susi would say. It felt much better right from the start. I wasn't a minute into it when I knew I'd have a good session. Five minutes into my warm up I'm doing 95 rpm nice and easy. The stated goal was to have a high rpm easy gear workout, aiming to stay over 100 rpm. It turns out I set my goal too low. But that's not the no shame part.

After a 10 min warm up I started doing some max smooth rpm, 30 sec fast, 90 sec easy. OMG! 115 was easy. 120 was good. 125 was nice and steady. 120 for 10 sec then 125, then 130 for ten sec. 130 was a bit of work with a little bit of bouncing at the end. In all cases but the last I could have gone longer. Then I settled into some steady high rpm with some easy bits. That turned out to be 8 min at 100+ rpm and 2 min at about 85 rpm. Five times. At first it was hard to pedal as slow as 100. Really that's what it felt like. A couple times when I wanted to break the rythym I pedaled up to 110 rpm. Then 5 min cooldown for 1.25 hr. Almost all of this happened in mid to low zone 2, with the average heart rate at 103.

This was, no question, the single best spin session since I brought Estela home. I had fun on the bike. I felt strong and smooth and fast and comfortable. Granted, all this happened in an easy gear, BUT WHO CARES! (Ruby Rhod again.) I wanted a light and fast spin to flush out the legs, and get my lungs going just a bit. I could have gone on a little longer, but I was getting a bit tired (duh, with the run this am, do you think??) and wanted to go out feeling good. A bit of stretching finished off. I almost feel like going for another run, snow and all, but I'm not that stupid.

Here's the no shame part. To prove that I was in zone two, and because I was in a good mood, right from the start I sang along with the ipod sound track. Loudly. Where I didn't know the words I sang the lead instruments. Linda said that Amelia the cat kept giving her the most peculiar looks, and for a while tried to hide her ears. Here's the ride sound track for those that are interested:
My Best Friend's Girl - The Cars
Hello There - Cheap Trick (live in Budokan, just about the best rock and roll album ever!)
Atomic - Blondie
Bad to the Bone - George Thorogood
Bat out of Hell - Meat Loaf
Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker
The Boogie Bumper - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Balrog Boogie - Diablo Swing Orchestra
Good Times Roll - The Cars
Magical Mystery Tour - Cheap Trick
Rock this Town - Stray Cats
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Jumpin from six to six - Colin James
We Will Rock You - Queen
Tanzila - Hevia
Wonder Girl - Sparks
One Little Victory - Rush
Learning to Fly - Pink Floyd