CompuTrainer Class: Force and Power V

Today was significantly more difficult, and thus quite a bit more rewarding than, both last week's classes and the previous week's. Last week's were sprints, and the week's before were hills. Today we went back to hills, the same as on February 28 and March 1. But for some reason (maybe the 6-mile run outside yesterday), today felt harder than that week. But I made it through, with a lot of coaxing from Todd and encouragement from Anna and Parri, so success! My HRM was also working today, so I have more data than last time and was definitely working harder than on Feb 28!

After 10 minutes of tempo, we did 2-3-5-3-2 — 2-3-5-3-2 minutes of low-cadence (70 or 75 RPM), strong-effort intervals. Basically, we had to get up and over a lot of hills.

This was crazy hard!

2-28-12. 3-01-12. 3-13-12.

• Total ride: 1:40:00, 156 bpm (185 max)
  Total ride: 1:42:00
  Total ride: 1:49:00, 163 bpm (187 max)
• Warm up on trainer: 9:00, 122 bpm
  Warm up on trainer: 10:00
  Warm up on trainer: 17:34, 125 bpm
• 10-min warm up + 10-min tempo + 4-min rest: 161 bpm; 157 bpm
  10-min warm up + 10-min tempo + 4-min rest
  10-min warm up + 10-min tempo + 4-min rest : 159 bpm; 175 bpm; 167 bpm
• 2-min hill + 2-min rest; 167 bpm; 167 bpm
  2-min hill + 2-min rest
  2-min hill + 2-min rest; 175 bpm, 173 bpm 
• 3-min hill + 3-min rest; 170 bpm; 164 bpm
  3-min hill + 3-min rest
  3-min hill + 3-min rest; 175 bpm, 170 bpm
• 5-min hill + 4-min rest; 170 bpm; 158 bpm
  5-min hill + 4-min rest
  5-min hill + 4-min rest; 178 bpm, 168 bpm
• 3-min hill + 3-min rest: 168 bpm; 165 bpm
  3-min hill + 3-min rest
  3-min hill + 3-min rest; 176 bpm, 169 bpm
• 2-min hill + 5-min rest: 166 bpm; 157 bpm
  2-min hill + 5-min rest
  2-min hill + 5-min rest; 172 bpm, 166 bpm
• 2-min hill + 2-min rest: 163 bpm; 167 bpm
  2-min hill + 2-min rest
  2-min hill + 2-min rest; 172 bpm, 173 bpm
• 3-min hill + 3-min rest: 168 bpm; 160 bpm
  3-min hill + 3-min rest
  3-min hill + 3-min rest; 176 bpm, 168 bpm
• 5-min hill + 4-min rest: 169 bpm; 158 bpm
  5-min hill + 4-min rest
  5-min hill + 4-min rest; 178 bpm, 169 bpm
• 3-min hill + 3-min rest: 163 bpm; 147 bpm
  3-min hill + 3-min rest
  3-min hill + 3-min rest; 176 bpm, 169 bpm
• 2-min hill + 1-min rest: 163 bpm; 173 bpm
  2-min hill + 1-min rest
  2-min hill + 1-min rest; 173 bpm, 182 bpm
• 4-min tempo at 105 RPM; 147 bpm
  4-min tempo at 105 RPM
  4-min tempo at 105 RPM; 178 bpm
• 3-min cooldown + sprint: 117 bpm, 671W
  4-min cooldown + sprint: 666 watts
  4-min cooldown + sprint: 166 bpm, 651 watts 

I think part of what made today so much more challenging than last time is I really focused on getting over the hill, not just getting to the top of it. So even though we'd crested the hill, I kept working hard for an additional minute every time except the final 5-3-2 intervals (it was all I could do to keep my cadence above 60 on those). That will pay off, I know, because in a race, it's not just getting up the hill with the group (though that is key), it's also being able to stay with the group once you're at and over the top.