Better then sitting on the couch

Last night was my weekly trainer ride in Coach Tim’s ESP Fitness Training Studio.  Ok, it’s really his garage but fitness studio sounds so much better.  Anyway, I have written before about how I enjoy the social aspect of these weekly workouts.  Last night promised to be a great time, with a great workout and I didn’t want to go.

Yesterday was one of those hard work days.  You know, nothing out of the ordinary, it just seemed harder then most.  Mentally, I was fried and wanted nothing more then to sip a little wine while trying to become one with the couch.  Fortunately, I decided that the idea of chatting with friends while getting stronger on the bike as a better option.  So no matter how much I tried to convince myself to go home, I found myself driving to Tim’s studio.

Even on the drive my mind kept creating scenarios that allowed me to skip the workout.  Maybe there wouldn’t be enough room for me even though Tim can handle up to 8 riders and we typically only have 4 or so.  Or, even better, maybe no one else would show up and I could convince Tim to skip the workout and open wine.

Alas, as I pulled up, I see the other three regulars already setting up. Damn!  As I walked up they all said hello and I think I grunted back some response.  Then they start teasing me about my cycling attire.  I have to go to Tim’s straight from work so I was still in my business suit.  Some of the comments were pretty funny but I don’t remember laughing.  During all of the this my mind was telling me that since the bike wasn’t set up yet it wasn’t too late to head home.

Less then 10 minutes later I was changed and on the bike warming up.  We start the intervals Tim has planned and I do not have it.  Physically, I am fine, maybe better then fine.  These weekly workouts have made a much stronger rider.  Mentally, well that’s a whole different issue.  Normally I can easily spin away all of day’s stress and grind but not last night.  I just couldn’t shut down the work side of my brain.  Plus, this is shaping up to be a tough week so I can expect more of the same.

It’s time to make a command decision.  Either get off the bike and go home or man-up and get on with it.  I choose the latter without ignoring that I wasn’t mentally into the workout.  Ultimately, I decided to keep going but drop everything down a notch.

This meant riding at a lower cadence and heart rate then everyone else.  Tim would tell everyone they should be at L3 and I was at L2.  Next we would hear go up to a cadence of 90-95 and I would stay at my comfortable 85.   I started to bonk thanks to a healthy dose of dark chocolate hearts consumed earlier in the day (another indicator of stress) but I was able to ride through it and persevere.

Finally, the cycling part was complete and we started our strength and core workout.  Honestly, I was still looking for excuses to leave but at least I know we are almost done. I am also finally starting to feel a little better.  During the core workout we were joking that there is not as much chit chat now as there was in November, which is directly related to increasing toughness of Coach Tim’s plan.

Once we were finished, Tim and I were chatting about the adjustments I had to make to get through the routine.  In the end, it was decent, but not great, workout.  However, although it may not have been the workout I had originally planned, it was better then sitting on the couch.

Ciao!