Who's Cryin' Now?
I am, that's who. I've only been doing this EN training thing for 3 years, you'd think I'd learn that there is NEVER, EVER, EVER, such thing as an easy workout, unless it's a rest day.
I've been lurking in the Nov OS and watching everyone new and old with their trials and tribulations of muscling through the workouts. Wondering why it's so hard to do the .85 after the interval, etc.
Me, well, I was still in my easy world of just riding outside and hammering away for an hour or two, bustin' out some watts, charging up hills, you know, having fun. All the while thinking to myself that 'easing' into the OS program will be easy. Moron. 
Then the cold and the dark came and so did my first trainer session. 2x8' at a guesstimated ftp, no problem, right? No. There was a problem. 8' was friggin long and hard. I thought about bagging it, but finished just a tad under .95. Then I got my groove on for some good .85 and did a solid hour. However, it was humbling. I forgot how hard these were.
Well, last night I figured I'd do the first pre OS bike, 3x5, that will be easy, right. See above. Moron. I was able to hold the numbers better, but for love of ... it was friggin hard.
I've been humbled, again. My early new year's resolution will be to NEVER, EVER, EVER say that will be an easy workout. 
Looking forward to some structured training again.
Dave
Comments
I did it again this week. I crushed by 2 x 20 on tuesday feeling great, had a great run yesterday, and "only" saw a 2 x 12 on the schedule today. So once agian my mind goes that's no big deal, and sure enough about 6' into the first one, it was a big deal and hard. In fact I suffered more on the 2 x 12 today than the 2 x 20.
Totally agree with you, none of the workouts are easy. If they are your FTP or VDOT is wrong, period.
Welcome back Dave, you should know better by now
I was showing a friend of mine how we do the workouts, they tried 3x2 minutes and wanted to stop
My response was you can if you want Buttercup!
My favorite is the people outside da Haus telling me I'll fry myself before the 2001 season even begins. Umm... Not at 7 hours a week.
Dave,
You should try this after taking 8 weeks completely off with just a couple bike and run workouts. I would not recommend it as optimal and yes I did not think it would be that bad.
I have to get going again as I moved from the November OS to January and this thread brought me to the realization that I need to start some pre OS work.
Gordon
yup, I about died with 3x5' this morning with what I thought was a sandbagger FTP. should probably start working on that huh??
David – I’m crying with you.
This is my third OS season and you would think things would get easier - nope by design these workouts are HARD. It’s difficult to get the head wrapped around how a “couple of hours on the bike and a few miles of running” in a week can be more tiring on the body than say the 12-16 hour weeks in the race prep phase. I’m still working on geeting the head right on the long intervals! The good news is I get to practice again in a couple of hours.
suffer time!
The trainer is especially evil.
re: The trainer is especially evil.
All that work, I usually don't go anywhere.....
HA HA HA, that sounds painfully familiar!
Dave, unlike you I REMEMBER how hard it is, and I'm scared to death!!! That first 2x20 in Jan is going to be UGLY
Matt, I'll give you an Amen on that!
This will be my fourth OS, and I decided to ease my way back into the workouts before Jan with no pressure or schedule to follow. Started with 2x8 or 2 x 6 and inched my way up on my own timetable. No pressure on myself. Took months to work into 2x15 on Tuesdays and 2x12 on Thursdays. FTP coming back up. And because I feel totally rogue and doing my own thing, I have really been enjoying getting on the trainer. Still haven't ventured into 2x20 territory--saving that for January.
We're all going to get back on the horse and do great!!!
I'll tell you whose cryin now, my legs. Just got off the bike doing 2 x 12's with coach P's little challenge of cranking up the watts to mentally get ready for next weeks test. I'm nauseous, blurry eyed and wobbly.
Aint nothing easy about this OS, and that is why we are all here, because we are getting stronger and faster every day !!!!
Nice post Dave, cry now, gloat later !
OD MY GOD - Did my first Pre-OS 3 x 5 on Monday and I am right with ya there, Halligan. Amazing how we start micro-managing the minutes - "I can do 3 more minutes" "I will focus on the next 30 seconds" "Almost there, I hope." "54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59" push the interval button and collapse.
I was doing them with Tom Glynn and I looked over at him and said, "how the hell did I ever do 20 minutes of this before? And two times in a row!?"
Good work! Looking forward to watching you rock it in January OS!
Someone's going to be cryin' if he doesn't get frickin' Journey out of my head pretty damn quick.
Here...you can replace it with Midnight at the Oasis.
I'm still uber-pissed from the finale of The Sopranos and I almost go into a rage when I hear that song.
I was planning on staying outside for as long as I can through the OS; I figure I could probably do that (even during the week) until around now. But about 2 weeks before the start of the Nov. OS I had to get on the trainer due to rain; did 2-3x 5' ftp work and it felt like it was one of the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I was pushing much higher watts for for a lot longer outside and it wasn't even close to how bad I was feeling. I realized that if I was switching from outdoor to the pain cave during 2x15s or even 20s I would be broken mentally and physically for a long time. So I took the easy way out by getting into the pain cave and start with the shorter ftp work, it was hard but at least it was manageable.
Yes, I am a chicken; but at least I am not as misarable right now as I could be.
Good luck adapting!
Man, I need you Sallies and Nancy's to come ride with me in SoCal:
Tues:
Wed:
Today:
Tomorrow I'll take the ankle for a spin around the block and hopefully I'll be able to add running next week.
Rich is having some GF problems = he's got nothing better to do in the AM except ride with me
'Til the heartache is over
And now you can say your FTP....will never die. (piano part)
I know Linda's getting some wisdom; comes with ( I hate to say it) ... age.
Evey year, I moan inwardly as I read about "pain", "suffering", "agony", "fear". And such downward pointing words.
Try these self-images in your visualization about the FTP intervals:
"I feel so POWERFUL as I do this!" "I can feel the STRENGTH pouring thru me when I WORK."
If you're going to do the Jan OS with me, be prepared for more lectures on the power of positive thinking, and the real joy of reveling in your sweat.
Uh oh, don't get me and Al started!
For many years I felt somewhat offended by the use of the term "suffering" in the Tour, and other such words as Al uses above. Sure, I know what they mean, and it is damn hard. But "suffering," and "agony" are what the people in Haiti are enduring, or those in Darfur. "Fear" is what a single-mother in inner-city Baltimore deals with every day trying to keep her children safe and out of the thrall of gangs. What I do is by happy choice. Yes it's hard, and I fall into being scared and regress to using those words too. But--by keeping perspective about what this is, how incredibly fortuntate we are to put ourselves to these tests, I can't help but change the narrative in my head to something more positive. I will be on the powerful, awesomeness spin train too--because we are all those things and more! So get ready! LOL!
How did this convo morph into this direction???? Gotta love it!
Always a useful reminder! Although I'm very glad to read that others find the trainer just as challenging as I do. Outside on the MTB- no problem to hit my HR intervals - on the trainer - different story! I think my legs are going to fall off before I get my HR where it's supposed to be. Which I suppose means I really need to be doing a whole lot more on the trainer.
@ Sumner - Challenging - that's a good word! Regarding MTB - one of my favorite trails is called "Anerobic Nightmare". There's something about wanting to get to the top of an impossible grade that brings some extra jiuce to the effort.