My discovery of interval training

I was having one of those bad, bad riding days. You know the ones? The ones where you mine as well be pedaling in squares, you're not getting anywhere, your IPod isn't helping, fowl mood - the lot. I turned around after only 3 or 4 miles because I thought I was being counterproductive. On my trudge (and it was just that) back home, Queen's "Under Pressure" came on. I thought to myself, "you're lame. get your *** in gear". And so I did... for about the last 2 miles or so, I did "intervals". It's an amazing feeling to accelerate out of nowhere, watch your cyclometer jump to a number you're not entirely familiar with, feel your heart beating in your mouth, and keep that sensation for 5 or so seconds before slowing down... realizing what you did, and how it felt. It's so romantic, almost, these intervals. I did it again... and again... and again. I got home about 45 minutes earlier than I normally do, but the ride didn't feel as non-productive after that.

I think I might try that more often.

A fowl mood? Thinking about chickens makes me happy :)

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Originally Posted by Zen

A fowl mood? Thinking about chickens makes me happy :)

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Whoops! :)

Time for me to get the cluck outta here...

Now, let's not have any ruffled feathers...

Kewl that fowl turned into fine :)
Glad

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Originally Posted by Geonz

Now, let's not have any ruffled feathers...

Kewl that fowl turned into fine :)
Glad

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Making chicken salad out of chicken sh..? :p

I have been doing intervals about every other ride to help with my hill climbing and they definitely make the time go faster :)

They also release any tension you may have ;) I how you can often push yourself further than you think you are able to go.

Oh boy. The chicken jokes. :rolleyes:

I've heard that interval training is good for losing fat. I've lost about 30 lbs and 8% body fat using intervals as part of my workouts. Not saying that you need to lose any, just pointing it out. :D

I know what you mean about the feeling, though. I feel the same way.

I love intervals, and in partcular sprints, blimey that's fun! I'm reading Joe Friel's The Cyclist's Training Bible these days, and at one point he writes that natural sprinters love those short burst intervals - just confirmed once again that I'm one of those...

I've always heard that one should improve endurance first, long steady pace workouts, and I've always disliked it. Not the steady pace in itself, but I always felt like I never ran for long enough (I was originally a runner, and I still do a fair amount of running), even though I spent quite some time every week running. Then I started doing interval workouts, and I loved it. Just the idea of having a set program, something that I could finish, instead of just finishing because I ran out of time, felt fantastic. And in six months I experienced better progress than the last three preceding years.

Funnily enough I've been fooled back into the steady pace stuff when I started cycling, going for dreadfully long group rides at far too high a HR. However, I think I need to get into a more systematic training schedule in order to see the progress required to do massed starts.

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Originally Posted by Pan Dulce

Oh boy. The chicken jokes. :rolleyes:

I've heard that interval training is good for losing fat. I've lost about 30 lbs and 8% body fat using intervals as part of my workouts. Not saying that you need to lose any, just pointing it out. :D

I know what you mean about the feeling, though. I feel the same way.

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Good to know! I think I may incorporate them more, now!

I hope you don't mind if I chirp in....

I did intervals yesterday on my ride and notice if nothing else it gave me something to concentrate on besides just the usual. I finished the ride saying to myself; "self you've got to do that more often."
Eh, I talk to myself a lot.....anyways I really do think it helps develope endurance, strength and keeps the road from being so boring.

Ride on sista!