Performing Cycling Intervals

Daily Quote: "Cycling can also increase hip and knee joint flexibility.  Because there is no pounding with cycling, runners often recover quickly, so cycling does not interfere too much with the demands of the Key Run Workouts." --from the excellent book "Runner's World, Run Less, Run Faster," by Pierce, Murr, and Moss, pg 101.

I'm quickly discovering that the cycling does indeed help strengthen and increase my hip joint flexibility...I have no hip pain whatsoever from upright stationary cycling.  I haven't had knee problems lately (several years ago I did have my knee slammed with luggage), and can't really attest to the knee joint flexibility, but I do know that cycling has less pounding than running and I'm less likely to get a knee injury.

I'm somewhat recovered from Wednesday's Long Run of 13 miles, therefore today is a vigorous upright stationary cycling interval session.  In previous years today's workout would have been a short recovery run, but I'm now training using the FIRST program that calls for two cross training workouts per week. Today's workout is from the book, "Runner's World, Run Less, Run Faster," if you own the book the workout is on page 107, Cross-Training Workout #1 ((XT#2):

1. Mode:  Upright Stationary Cycling (45 minutes.)
       Workout: 10 minutes easy spinning as a warmup, alternate resistance between a PE level of 4 (Effort Level 4: Hard. Noticable increase in breathing; difficult to talk in full sentences.) for 1 minute with 4 minutes of fast spinning at PE level of 1 (Effort Level 1: Easy. No increase in breathing rate; can go all day.); all with cadence of about 95 to 100 rpm.  Repeat this six times.  Finish with 5 minutes easy as a cooldown.

Note: When I'm cycling at Effort Level 1 (easy), I set the Life Fitness Cycle at setting level 4, and Effort Level 4 (hard) at setting level 12.

Average heart rate during the 45 minutes was 160 pm, but cardiac drift due to the intervals was 173 bpm.  I'm confident that as I stengthen my cycling muscles my cardiac drift will become lower and will need to increase the stationary cycling interval level.  This workout is noticably tougher than my typical recovery run in the past, but didn't notice any soreness from my right hip nor my left plantar fasciitis.  Why didn't I crosstrain more in previous years?!?

Julie Sheppard commented on my facebook page, "Love the break on crosstraining days. check out the rowing machine if you have one at your gym. It's a great workout and a suggestion in the book for crosstraining too."  I discovered two rowing machines at my 24 Hour Fitness Club and will experiment with the rowing exercises soon; there does seem to be a small learning curve on rowing properly.  I'm going to be cautious as I'm not sure how the rowing machine would affect my recovering right hip.

Wendy commented on my Wednesday's blog posting: "I think once I am healed from this injury I will bag the 1,000 miles for the year goal and start working on the FIRST training. I will be avidly reading how it goes for you :-)"  I do believe the FIRST training program is great for those who are injury prone and/or who are elderly (like myself) and need more recovery days.  Thanks Wendy for keeping me accountable with my blog postings!  I do hope my FIRST training blog postings will be helpful to others.