Daylight Shifting Time

Yes I know it's called daylight savings time but we're not really saving daylight, only shifting it from the morning to the evening. Whatever you want to call it, I'm still struggling making the adjustment. The mornings are hard to get up and I feel totally drained. Hopefully this weekend will finally reset everything.

Computrainer - Building a Workout

One thing I liked from the PIG was the warm up. One thing I didn't like about the warm up was that there wasn't much time between the 5 x 30 warm up intervals and the start of the main set.

When I started to build my own workouts, I decided to start with the PIG warm up and tweak it a little. I kept the progressive warm up but shortened it by two minutes to eight minutes. With the extra two minutes, I put one before the start of five intervals. The other spare minute went after the five intervals. Here's how the results look:

Computrainer - Intervals

With a nod to Coach Troy, I created my first interval workout. The difficulty with Spinervals on a trainer is that you have control over the intensity. By creating an ERG file based upon my CP30, I'm able to define the workout and then work to hit the intensity. The result, a tough workout with a variety of different interval sets.

Computrainer Silver Cyclist

The silver cyclist must be related to the silver surfer. To just stay even I have to ride at least ten percent harder and don't even try to stay close on the downhills.

Computrainer Slogan Contest

If you're not on a Computrainer, you're just spinning your wheel.

Computrainer PIG Review

It's been twenty-two weeks since I took the first CP30 test (I know, the program is only twenty weeks long but there were some hiccups along the way) and I thought I would look back and see how it went.

First, the program is hard. If you're not going to be serious and committed, you shouldn't start.

Second, I think I did pretty good. In my first CP30 test, I averaged 193 but not satisfied with the effort, I retested a day later and achieved 224. My best CP30 test was 255 which represents an increase of 13.8 percent. The program promises a ten to twenty percent improvement so I guess it worked for me. Would I have like to been better, of course, but I know as a triathlete and with a full-time job, twenty percent is going to be hard.

The interval sessions were the hardest for me, especially when the interval was longer than five minutes. I struggled with maintaining the intensity for the longer durations. Under five minutes was just fine.

The tempo sets, both the long intervals in the last weeks and the long steady tempo sets were perhaps my best sets. I had the ability to get into a rhythm and just ride.

If you're a trithlete and attempting the PIG, I recommend doing it during the off season when you can reduce your running to maintenance levels. If you try to maintain high intensity running and PIG, I think you will get injured or either the PIG or run training will suffer.

Over the next couple days, I will be working on a modified PIG to use during the season as I build up my running and swimming. My goal is to incorporate so workouts based upon Daniel's, Coach Troy and Progressive Power. The goal is to continue to improve during the season and then try for another ten to thirteen percent improvement next winter.

Computrainer Week 20 PIG Test

Time for the last PIG test to measure how much I improved over the last twenty-three weeks. Ok, I know PIG is twenty weeks but it took me twenty-three to complete it.

The goal was to go out easy and smooth, increasing the wattage every five minutes. The targets were to start at 240, increase each five by five and finish at 265. The first five went by at 251 so I tried to easy back a little, not explode and begin the increases at fifteen. The second five came in at 250 which was just about perfect. I went through fifteen at 252 which was still looking good. I tried to increase over the next five and actually slipped back to 251. Definitely not the direction to be going. Over the next five, I tried to lift the wattage and get back to where I wanted to be. I held the output even from twenty to twenty-five but that wasn't the goal.

Did the test come out the way I expected? Not by a long shot but what can you do?