Tour de France 2007

I signed up for the Tour De France!

Well, at least my local YMCA's version of it.
Remember I wrote how the instructor had us doing 'Stage 1', or 'Stage 2' of the Tour de France?

Well, it turns out there are really 20 stages (days) to the real race, which really starts in real France July 7.

The Y has the instructors doing a different stage each week day. And if you sign up (which I did) then you have a little stamp card and you get it stamped for each workout. The goal is to complete 20 workouts in the month of July. They can be any type of aerobic workout, but I am going to try and mostly spin so I can get better.

(I really have a long way to go.. can't really do a standing run or sprint and my seat really still hurts a lot even with the padding...)

But, it is fun to have incentive! If I do it, then I will be in a drawing for neat stuff, get invited to a celebration ride and breakfast and also get a cool T shirt.

Also this is fun for me because I am learning all about the Tour de France. I really only know it because of Lance Armstrong. But in our packet they gave us the map, etc. So every day I can see what the upcoming 'ride' will be. The instructor simulates it and tells us there is a hill coming at mile 130, (so we are supposed to increase resistance, but often I just don't because I am already at max!)--- or we are on the plains, but our group is trying to pass another.

Call me silly, but I love this imagry working out.. I close my eyes and really picture it!

Also today a new person joined and it helped put things in persective for me. She was about 5 ft tall and must have been more than 100 lbs overweight. She could not bend over to get her foot latched into the pedal. I was so happy the instructor came over to welcome her and I gave her a smile. I give her so much credit for working out- that must be so hard when you can barely bend, to get up and to the gym and try and get healthier. Ladies, we really have no weight struggles compared to this and it also made me realize how lucky I was.

I hope she keeps coming back.

Ok... off to shower and then dogsit, then dentist, then cat sit and clean the house... then read some to the boys... .then... busy day!

Thanks for letting me share.. I just love this kind of stuff (the virtual bike race)- just makes working out and life more fun. :)

Eat My Dust, Lance!

Today I did my second spinning workout at the Y. It was really hard, but I liked it. Like I mentioned before, it was kind of like running, in that the lights were low and I could veg out if I wanted.

(This is NOT me... but a stock Google photo -- lol -------------------------------->

Dave was our instructor. Nice guy. He has us doing what he called a "stage I" workout. What it was was the first stage of the Tour De France. Oui!

He told us the course layout. We would have a sprint, then a big hill to climb, 26 kilometers of plains, then another sprint and bigger hill, then down the backside of the hill.

What he would do is tell us to adjust the tension of the bike up and down to simulate hills. He told us how to adjust our cadence (pedal revolutions) to 'sprint' or maintain.

So Dave would say something like,

"A big hill is coming. Adjust your tension a full turn, stand up and put your hands in position 3 (further out on the handlebars) and keep up your cadence. Hill is beginning!"

We would and then he would tell us to adjust the tension tighter, the 'hill' was now very, very steep. then,

"Ok, now, don't loosen the tension, but increase your cadence... someone is trying to pass us, but we won't let them!!!"

Like the competitive fool I am, I pedaled my little heart out. My hr was racing. Then he told us we were at the top of the hill and had Lance Armstrong in our dust.

WOOO HOOO!!

I am so silly, I could actaully imagine the hills, the plains, the scenary as Dave spoke. After we climbed a hill, I thought we would get to coast down. But he hold us to release the tension all the way and pedal fast.

"Can you feel the ocean breezes in your face?" he grinned. I smiled back... I could! But it may have been the monster fans they have in that room. They are serious fans and I put my bike right in front of it. Hot flashes, you know.

He told us that we would burn about 500 cal in this class (mine was more like 350), but the guys who race will burn 9000 in a day. Can you imagine?

It was really interesting as he gave little tidbits about the racing they do and the strategy. I learned a lot. It was hard and made me work. I would never do that on a stationary bike alone.

Oh well, I ate back most of the calories with BBQ chips tonight. Gosh, too bad I can't burn 9000 like Lance.. lol

Running and Spinning

This past week I saw an old college friend who is a physical therapist. She told me I CAN run again.

I quite 8 years ago because every time I ran, I got this really bad pain in my left shoulder. She gave me several sports massages and 'released' the muscles that were tight and then showed me how to do it. We went to a running store where they watched my gait (I pronate) and I bought some good shoes. I realized I have been running on cheapies the past years, so duh, no wonder I hurt.

Anyway, I have done two short runs.. and no pain! I am so excited, as I miss running. I will have to get up early to do it in Houston as it is so hot and humid this time of year, but plan to a few days a week.

And... today I tried a spinning class! I have done it *once * before about 3 years ago. This time was great!

I had my padded bike shorts (lovely, just want I DON'T need in that area.. more padding!), but it was so fun! Here is what it was like:

The room lights were dimmed and about 10 of us were on our spinning bikes.
Martha (the cute, young, blonde, thin, vivacious) instructor led us.
She put on some great rock and other music and led us through our paces. This was an 'endurance' class, so she would tell us to work on our form how hard to work, etc.

I liked it in that I could set my own resistance. It was like running in that you could veg out into your own world. I like group excersice, but I miss this.

I wish my polar watch had been working, cuz I bet I burned a lot! Then after I stuck around for a 30 min pilates stretch class.

Good day. I have been putting on some weight lately, so am trying to track a bit bettter what I eat. But it is really fun to have a couple more workout options.