Another year, (hopefully) more riding
Another year has begun! I have to say that I'm severely disappointed in my (lack of) riding this past year. Although I started off with a bang, I quickly fell off the back - just like my one big ride of the year. The biggest highlight of 2009 was my kids. My daughter turned 8 and my son turned 6. I decided that it was time to take them to some trails. Granted, the trails around here aren't that challenging, but they are perfect for introducing kids to the wonders of riding in the woods.
In preparation, I replaced the sprocket on my son's bike to reduce the gearing a bit. Most BMX-style bikes are overgeared for climbing hills, so installing a larger sprocket (that's the one on the back wheel) reduced the gearing, making it easier to get up those hills. Since it takes nearly an hour to drive to the trail, we only went three times. Although kids crashed and tears were shed on every trip, the kids always had a great time and were begging for more on the way home.
I started looking for a decent road route and I still haven't found one that starts and ends at my driveway. I suppose I just don't have the patience to deal with the Louisiana drivers any more. As a result, I now have that dreaded machine in my bedroom - the exercise bike. I believe these things actively discourage their use by hiding under clothes. But I have been fairly diligent in removing the camouflage and putting it to use. Two things have helped in this effort: a heartrate monitor, and a laptop computer.
The heartrate monitor lets me see how hard I am really working. I can usually burn 400 to 500 kcals in a session (40 minutes, 15-18mph). The feedback is great, but the real motivational tool is the laptop. During most of my rides, I'm catching up on television I missed through Netflix. On days when I'm feeling spunky, I'll try to keep up with a Spinverals DVD. If you haven't tried one of these yet, you are in for a world of hurt with a great sense of accomplishment at the end. That is, as long as you don't cheat.
The best/worst thing about the heartrate monitor are the tools for tracking your progress. The best thing is that every session is recorded. The worst thing is that the tools don't let me export the data into any other format. A number of people are asking Polar to update their software, but I think Polar is happy with things the way they are. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
In preparation, I replaced the sprocket on my son's bike to reduce the gearing a bit. Most BMX-style bikes are overgeared for climbing hills, so installing a larger sprocket (that's the one on the back wheel) reduced the gearing, making it easier to get up those hills. Since it takes nearly an hour to drive to the trail, we only went three times. Although kids crashed and tears were shed on every trip, the kids always had a great time and were begging for more on the way home.
I started looking for a decent road route and I still haven't found one that starts and ends at my driveway. I suppose I just don't have the patience to deal with the Louisiana drivers any more. As a result, I now have that dreaded machine in my bedroom - the exercise bike. I believe these things actively discourage their use by hiding under clothes. But I have been fairly diligent in removing the camouflage and putting it to use. Two things have helped in this effort: a heartrate monitor, and a laptop computer.
The heartrate monitor lets me see how hard I am really working. I can usually burn 400 to 500 kcals in a session (40 minutes, 15-18mph). The feedback is great, but the real motivational tool is the laptop. During most of my rides, I'm catching up on television I missed through Netflix. On days when I'm feeling spunky, I'll try to keep up with a Spinverals DVD. If you haven't tried one of these yet, you are in for a world of hurt with a great sense of accomplishment at the end. That is, as long as you don't cheat.
The best/worst thing about the heartrate monitor are the tools for tracking your progress. The best thing is that every session is recorded. The worst thing is that the tools don't let me export the data into any other format. A number of people are asking Polar to update their software, but I think Polar is happy with things the way they are. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
posted by Buck at 12:33 PM
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