Thoughts on Super 6 Phase III: Commitment!! Base & Form and 2013 Annual plan 1/7/13
Last year about this time, I wrote about my main stream phobia in the gym. To complete today’s program’s cross train component of the Super 6, Phase III, I went to Lifetime Fitness Allen gym and used Octane elliptical machine. Unlike most friends on Spinervals community, I am a straight riding gal that has no interest in stretching into multisport or races. I will have no complaints if I am just using Coach Troy’s cycling programs with StrEndurance. However last year in original Super 6 Phase I, I quickly realized that the effectiveness of base building was enhanced with cross training zone 2 component.
I have already admitted zone 2 problems on cycling, so you can imagine me in the gym. Normally I try to go to the gym super early morning as I am a certified loner in the gym. (I have never raced on spin bike with a next person like David Smith.) So today I was in the New Year resolution gym in mid-morning with lots of people. I observed what personal trainers are having people do and new fitness toys being used. I was watching a guy on stationary bike thinking, he needs to keep his feet flat and his seat was too high and he is going to hurt his knees pretty soon if he keeps up like that. And although I am not a runner, I watch enough people to see different running forms. I know plenty people get seriously injured on treadmill in the gym (including my former primary doctor and former personal trainer). I was watching a gal, who is absolutely hammering running uncomfortably and another woman who works with weights for upper body while on treadmill. I know group fitness classes make people do that all the time, but I would not trust my balance and I would be happier doing weights after warmed up separately.
Just yesterday, I was transferring Phase III schedule into Word document to organize a weekly calendar for easier editing and starting to get worried if I can complete the program in satisfaction. On top of cycling portion, which as a default not that physical demanding, but time consuming, there is a second workout 4-5 days during the week. The second workout comes in a format of Strength/Flexibility and Run/Cross train format. I know I managed this year’s Challenge because I stuck with StrEndurance all year long, I cannot skip StrEndurance. And I know I could be using Flexible Warrior as time permits A LOT more often. And cycling portion is not cake walk in some days either!
Usually spring semester is easier than fall, but after all, I am managing college Minor program all by myself. I have learned to make my time in the office as efficient and intense as possible, but my day starts early with a gym visit in the morning and finishes with cycling at home in the evening and I turn to Pumpkin promptly to get ready for the next day. My husband knows that I do a lot of worrying in advance. This prevents me from doing anything stupid to harm myself, but at the same time causes a lot of whining and stress. Maybe not the extent of my friend, Alicia Chase, but when I feel obligations, especially if the action is attached to an important person, it becomes important for me to complete in a manner with my best. I also enjoy the company of triathlets who are described as motivated perfectionists, and driven. If I were younger and grew up in a generation that my homework is graded with green marker rather than red to keep my self-confidence intact, I would probably just drop it. I have seen a very good student, who worked hard all semester, didn’t show up in final exam. But I am more old-fashioned. My friend, Bob Lockwood, who speaks Excel spreadsheet as a second language, constantly reminds me that I should not get too tangled with workout data.
As I was looking at the schedule and thinking originally, well, if I get too busy, I just cut gym visit. NO! My weakness, cross train is what really makes Coach’s aero program efficient. I am taking preventive measures so that I do not easily go into incomplete/quitting direction. I still keep cheap gym membership so that if I need to use treadmill in the afternoon, I don’t have to make a long winding commute back wasting time. I transferred only audio part of StrEndurance maintenance so that I can get it done in the morning so that I do not get caught up in morning traffic and I will be done. I will be practicing going Lifetime location early morning for StrEndurance scheme and walk in the scheme.
But I did a little different about today’s gym visit. After giving up watch format of Forerunner 310XT I decided I do not want to carry around my brand new Edge 500 in the gym for the danger of losing it. This decision put me into a whole new dimension on how I look at things. I cannot remember when was the last time I did NOT wear heart rate monitor. Nor bring my training log to the floor. I just brought my water bottle with piece of paper saying my run zone 2 numbers, a towel and iPod. I decided to listen to my favorite Gloria Estefan and check heart rate once in a while with (often unreliable) machine’s heart rate reading mechanism and just made sure to complete the time Coach prescribed. I felt like I made things simple enough to reduce my stress, therefore increasing the chance of completing the program and obtaining the results that Coach expects.
And I am posting here to publicly announce the annual plan for 2013.
Spring
Super 6 Phase III (1/2-2/17)
Jan. 1/27 HC 100 (inside, part of Super 6)
Feb. 2/16 HC 100 (inside, part of Super 6)
Super 6 Phase IV (2/18-3/30???)
March 3/23 Ride Ataxia (50 miles) *1
April 4/20 Ride for Heros (73 miles) *1
Summer
Repeat Engage throughout the break *2
May Italy excursion and possible one in Texas
June 6/19 Collin Classic (?? Miles) and NM vacation (?)
July TBA and Japan vacation (?)
August 8/3 Tour de Cure (60 miles)
Fall (*3)
Sept. 9/? Wild West Waco (100 miles)
Oct. TBA Engage starts???
Nov. TBA Engage???
Dec. Challenge starts???
*1 Texas March temperature is very rideable, but it is also stormy and difficult to plan super long rides. However by the time I am done with Phase IV, I expect the best weather, not too hot, rather dry, will come around and I would be rather happy to be riding outside
*2 After graduation on 5/17, I will repeat Engage, which was Phase I of Super 6 offered in Fall 2012. Engage Phase is 10 weeks and my summer break is longer, however I will most probably suspend and restart while Italy and New Mexico vacations.
*3 8/26 is the first day of Fall semester and training is most likely focused on building distance for Waco ride.
I have already admitted zone 2 problems on cycling, so you can imagine me in the gym. Normally I try to go to the gym super early morning as I am a certified loner in the gym. (I have never raced on spin bike with a next person like David Smith.) So today I was in the New Year resolution gym in mid-morning with lots of people. I observed what personal trainers are having people do and new fitness toys being used. I was watching a guy on stationary bike thinking, he needs to keep his feet flat and his seat was too high and he is going to hurt his knees pretty soon if he keeps up like that. And although I am not a runner, I watch enough people to see different running forms. I know plenty people get seriously injured on treadmill in the gym (including my former primary doctor and former personal trainer). I was watching a gal, who is absolutely hammering running uncomfortably and another woman who works with weights for upper body while on treadmill. I know group fitness classes make people do that all the time, but I would not trust my balance and I would be happier doing weights after warmed up separately.
Just yesterday, I was transferring Phase III schedule into Word document to organize a weekly calendar for easier editing and starting to get worried if I can complete the program in satisfaction. On top of cycling portion, which as a default not that physical demanding, but time consuming, there is a second workout 4-5 days during the week. The second workout comes in a format of Strength/Flexibility and Run/Cross train format. I know I managed this year’s Challenge because I stuck with StrEndurance all year long, I cannot skip StrEndurance. And I know I could be using Flexible Warrior as time permits A LOT more often. And cycling portion is not cake walk in some days either!
Usually spring semester is easier than fall, but after all, I am managing college Minor program all by myself. I have learned to make my time in the office as efficient and intense as possible, but my day starts early with a gym visit in the morning and finishes with cycling at home in the evening and I turn to Pumpkin promptly to get ready for the next day. My husband knows that I do a lot of worrying in advance. This prevents me from doing anything stupid to harm myself, but at the same time causes a lot of whining and stress. Maybe not the extent of my friend, Alicia Chase, but when I feel obligations, especially if the action is attached to an important person, it becomes important for me to complete in a manner with my best. I also enjoy the company of triathlets who are described as motivated perfectionists, and driven. If I were younger and grew up in a generation that my homework is graded with green marker rather than red to keep my self-confidence intact, I would probably just drop it. I have seen a very good student, who worked hard all semester, didn’t show up in final exam. But I am more old-fashioned. My friend, Bob Lockwood, who speaks Excel spreadsheet as a second language, constantly reminds me that I should not get too tangled with workout data.
As I was looking at the schedule and thinking originally, well, if I get too busy, I just cut gym visit. NO! My weakness, cross train is what really makes Coach’s aero program efficient. I am taking preventive measures so that I do not easily go into incomplete/quitting direction. I still keep cheap gym membership so that if I need to use treadmill in the afternoon, I don’t have to make a long winding commute back wasting time. I transferred only audio part of StrEndurance maintenance so that I can get it done in the morning so that I do not get caught up in morning traffic and I will be done. I will be practicing going Lifetime location early morning for StrEndurance scheme and walk in the scheme.
But I did a little different about today’s gym visit. After giving up watch format of Forerunner 310XT I decided I do not want to carry around my brand new Edge 500 in the gym for the danger of losing it. This decision put me into a whole new dimension on how I look at things. I cannot remember when was the last time I did NOT wear heart rate monitor. Nor bring my training log to the floor. I just brought my water bottle with piece of paper saying my run zone 2 numbers, a towel and iPod. I decided to listen to my favorite Gloria Estefan and check heart rate once in a while with (often unreliable) machine’s heart rate reading mechanism and just made sure to complete the time Coach prescribed. I felt like I made things simple enough to reduce my stress, therefore increasing the chance of completing the program and obtaining the results that Coach expects.
And I am posting here to publicly announce the annual plan for 2013.
Spring
Super 6 Phase III (1/2-2/17)
Jan. 1/27 HC 100 (inside, part of Super 6)
Feb. 2/16 HC 100 (inside, part of Super 6)
Super 6 Phase IV (2/18-3/30???)
March 3/23 Ride Ataxia (50 miles) *1
April 4/20 Ride for Heros (73 miles) *1
Summer
Repeat Engage throughout the break *2
May Italy excursion and possible one in Texas
June 6/19 Collin Classic (?? Miles) and NM vacation (?)
July TBA and Japan vacation (?)
August 8/3 Tour de Cure (60 miles)
Fall (*3)
Sept. 9/? Wild West Waco (100 miles)
Oct. TBA Engage starts???
Nov. TBA Engage???
Dec. Challenge starts???
*1 Texas March temperature is very rideable, but it is also stormy and difficult to plan super long rides. However by the time I am done with Phase IV, I expect the best weather, not too hot, rather dry, will come around and I would be rather happy to be riding outside
*2 After graduation on 5/17, I will repeat Engage, which was Phase I of Super 6 offered in Fall 2012. Engage Phase is 10 weeks and my summer break is longer, however I will most probably suspend and restart while Italy and New Mexico vacations.
*3 8/26 is the first day of Fall semester and training is most likely focused on building distance for Waco ride.
2 Comments:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, hard work and success! You work hard. I see good fortune for this summer"s schedule!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, hard work and success! You work hard. I see good fortune for this summer"s schedule!
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