Post Century Recovery

After Saturdays 103 mile wind-fest, I took an easy hour long ride up the Kelly bike path to the falls bridge and back. I kept my heart rate below 75% and averaged around 65%. I rarely do this and was surprised I was able to keep a 15 mph average at such a low perceived exertion and heart rate level even with the wind common to the path. The legs felt weak and I doubt I could have made any hard efforts, but it was a definite confidence booster. I wonder if this is the result of all the aerobic work I've been doing? I'm taking it as a sign to return to intervals and hard 90-95% Max HR for a while. I've also been reading some links from bike forums about the need for deprieving your muscles of oxygen by going anaerobic, or above your VO2 max in order to increase the mitochondria density and produce more power aerobically.

On Saturday I also planned on going to a new yoga class with a friend, but she bailed because of school work so I went alone. Going somewhere new alone is something I need to do more of, so I decided it was the best decision, especially given my only experience with yoga at my school's gym, which were very relaxing with lots of slow, steady stretches in positions that stretched things I'd never stretched before. Given my past experience, I just assumed more of the same and didn't check the schedule for what type of class it would be.

Turned out it was some sort of power yoga, with fast poses that changed frequently in a hot room preceded and followed by meditation. This, most definitely, was not what my body wanted after Saturdays ride and it may have aggravated my upper back, which is still stiff. Judging by Mondays new sore spots, it did seem to work my core out a bit, which isn't a bad thing but I would have been better off at a much slower pace with long easy stretches. No serious damage though, but it's Tuesday morning and my back is still stiff.

I took it very easy yesterday and may do the same today, I'll see how I feel on the ride to school and go from there. I'd rather wait until tomorrow morning to do hard intervals than overdue it before I'm fully recovered today. A two day break from cycling aside from my 5 mile commute is a little longer than I'd like, but I have to go by how I feel and not by what I expect of myself. The former is easier in terms of satisfying an addiction but a good way to promote injury while the latter takes a lot of willpower and by including rest will actually make me stronger than over-training.