This summer I’ve been focusing on cycling to prepare for the Farm to Fork Fondo in hilly Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I’ve even swapped my weekend long runs for a second day on my bike. The Conte’s Bike shop ride taught me that I have to keep my head in the game to make it up those hills, but this week I realized how important my attitude is during my weekly indoor cycling classes.
Put Your Mettle To The Pedals
During the warm-up and tempo sections, your cadence should match that of the instructor–and hopefully the music–but when you’re sprinting or on a steep climb, how fast you pedal really is up to you.
The resistance is always up to you, especially at studios like Revolve that don’t have bike computers that rate the resistance on a scale of 1-20–just a red knob and your legs to tell you how hard it is.
It’s a basic bike, but it gets the job done!
If I’m on the treadmill at Orange Theory, I might want to back off before an “all out” interval is over, but I rarely will reach for the buttons to decrease my pace. On the other hand, when I’m at an indoor cycling class, it’s easier to let my legs slow down before the instructor finishes her countdown. I have to rely on self-discipline and mental grit to keep pushing to maintain my pace.
Sure, I could slow down and ease up on the resistance if I get tired, but when I’m outside, the hills won’t let me quit. In a few weeks I will have to be able to take whatever they have to give, so to get ready I have to put my mettle to the pedals, and push myself through the hard parts of my indoor cycling workouts. I know the only way to reach my goal is get outside my comfort zone.
[Tweet “Put Your Mettle To The Pedals #IndoorCycling #Cycling”]
Weekly Wrap
Monday: I started the week with a challenging OTF workout. Was it harder than usual, or did it just feel that way after vacation?
Tuesday: An unplanned rest day after my Monday “day trip” to Boston turned into an overnight stay. Apparently construction fumes caused the air traffic control building for Dulles and Reagan airports to be evacuated from about 6-10 pm. With all those cancellations, I was lucky to get rebooked onto an 8 am flight home Tuesday.
A bit too far to walk!
Wednesday: I headed to Revolve for my thought-provoking indoor cycling class.
Thursday: To make up for Tuesday’s missed worked, I crammed two workouts into one, running for 30 minutes and then doing 30 minutes of strength training.
That’s the Lincoln Memorial on the far side of Memorial Bridge
Friday: I was ready to get back to the mat at CPY2. This class focused on arm bind moves–one place where I do have decent flexibility. My bird of paradise isn’t very elegant, but at least I can get it off the ground.
Saturday: This was my fifth time joining Conte’s Hill ride, and the first time I looked forward to the challenge without feeling nervous about it.
Click > to see the route — I love the free Relive app!
Sunday: My husband wanted to get some chores done around the house, so we opted for a short ride, doing the Arlington Loop with the hills that used to make me nervous. They are still hard, but only for a few seconds!
I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia
and guest host Janelle @ Run With No Regrets
for the Weekly Wrap.
What activity draws on your mettle?
Have you tried the Relive app?
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Great week of training! I have never tried OTF but it seems like everyone that does it absolutely loves it!
I used to teach spinning so I’m a huge fan of indoor cycling as well. I love that I can really push the pace and /or resistance to get a great workout.
OTF is addictive – it’s fast and furious!
So true about the indoor cycle classes it really is up to you to push yourself
Great week! Would you believe I’ve never tried an indoor cycling or spin class?!
There are so many fun ways to workout – you can’t do everything!
My bike and I are going to get reacquainted this week! I don’t have anything to train for awhile, so it’s time. We’ve missed each other.
I hope you can enjoy it – it’s a nice change in the summer when you can make your own breeze!
lol I hate those classes where they display everyone’s stats. I’m always trying to make sure I’m keeping up with everyone.
Tempo runs in the humidity are testing my mettle. I hate the heat and humidity. If it wasn’t for that, I would easily be able to keep tempo. I have my count down for fall already started!
I’ve seen the relive app – really cool!
Tempo runs really do take mental effort! I’m not great at pushing myself to do them.
Well, I won’t be in the saddle for quite awhile…probably not until late fall or even next year. I need to work on cadence…something I’ve never really paid much attention to #mybad
I noticed how slow my cadence was when I tried a class with bike computers. I was usually 20 strokes behind the target. Oh, well!
I love that app too!
I haven’t been to a spinning class in years!
When I took my sister’s spin class that she use to teach I would only pretend to turn the intensity up sometimes…lol. It’s a good thing that wasn’t being shown on the screen!
Nice job tackling those hills.
Hah! Your sister would have busted you for sure!
Great job training, you’re going to amazing in Lancaster! Sometimes I have to put my mettle to the pedal on my tempo runs…sometimes I want to slack off but I try my best to focus and keep pushing!
Tempo runs are so challenging – I don’t do them. 😛
I swear one of the hardest things I’ve ever done were the FPT (functional power threshold) tests I did in tri training where you run/ride/swim at your threshold for 20 minutes. Holy ouch! You’re right. Many of us often do not go hard enough. That’s where the gains are made.
Great job with your training! I’m not a big app person so I don’t have many that I use for running/cycling besides Garmin Connect.
I haven’t done a spin class in a while. They’re fun, but I’m at the gym before a lot of the classes, both during the week and the weekend. I’m looking into some cardio equipment to have at home, and a bike is on my list. I could do my own spin class.
The couple times that I’ve done indoor cycling, it’s been on my trainer at home. I always change the gears to change the intensity. But I’m not really a cyclist so I don’t really know what I’m doing LOL.
I love it! As a former Spinning instructor, I always told my class that it was their workout and to go at their own pace ….but to also remember, you will only get out of it what you put in to it!! I love a good sweaty indoor cycling class just as much an outdoor long ride!
Good luck on your upcoming ride!
Great job on your cycling and workouts! I do not like riding a stationary bike but would love to take a spin class! That Relive app is so cool!
Spin class is great – the music and coaching make it fun.
I have never taken a spin class… got to widen my horizons 🙂
I haven’t tried indoor cycling…yet. Sounds like fun!
that bike ride!!!! I am loving the relive app – so cool to really see what everyone is doing 🙂
It’s such a cool app! It’s helping me figure out exactly where we go on that bike ride since we make so many turns and loops.
Sounds like a great week! I have to wear my HR monitor for indoor cycling to make sure I am pushing myself!!
I’m not good at using my HRM to adjust my effort. I should figure that out.
That’s an interesting comparison you make between the resistance on an indoor trainer and the hills outside. You definitely can’t change, or always avoid, the hills, so pushing yourself indoors just as much as you would outside is very important.
It’s all about getting ready for those Lancaster hills! I’m hoping more serious training will pay off.
It’s so great to see you getting more confident with riding hills! All this dedicated training you’re doing is working!
The relive app is pretty cool! I’ve only used it once myself, but love watching other’s videos on IG. Glad you got a flight back to DC and didn’t have to walk all the way from Boston!! LOL
I haven’t taken an indoor cycling class in years, but I agree, it really takes self-discipline and mettle to push yourself during those classes. 🙂
Sounds like a great week of training! I recently got a bike so I’m hoping to get a chance to ride it more often–my schedule just got flipped to nights again for the next 2 weeks, so we’ll see how that goes! :O