Fitting in the Training

As a freelance website designer it’s always difficult to plan your weeks in advance. Some weeks I have little work to do and can do plenty of activities such as running and cycling, other weeks I seem to be rushed off my feet and find myself working long days just to fit everything in. It’s my own fault of course, as I set my own deadlines, but I just can’t leave things half finished until the next day. No 9-5 for me, if there’s work to be done i’d rather just get on and do it.

This week has been one of those busy ones so far, lots of projects on the go, lots of meetings and lots of long days in front of the computer. It isn’t the end of the world for my fitness though. For a start as I said in a previous post, some rest is of course essential, but I also have a few fairly time efficient workouts that I can do.

I did a couple of these back to back yesterday. First up was 35 minutes on the Turbo Trainer for a 1:1 minute interval session. It takes no time at all to put on a heart rate monitor and pair of cycling shorts and fire up the Turbo Trainer. It’s all set up and ready to go in the spare room so I can be on it in no time.

After a 10 minute warm up ramping up from 120 – 200 Watts it was then straight into 7 x 1:1 minute intervals:

  • 1 min @ 430 Watts, 1 min @ 120 Watts
  • 1 min @ 430 Watts, 1 min @ 120 Watts
  • 1 min @ 430 Watts, 1 min @ 120 Watts
  • 1 min @ 430 Watts, 1 min @ 120 Watts
  • 1 min @ 430 Watts, 1 min @ 120 Watts
  • 1 min @ 430 Watts, 1 min @ 120 Watts
  • 1 min @ 430 Watts, 1 min @ 120 Watts

It was pretty hard work at that wattage, the highest I’ve ever managed I think, but that’s the whole point of this workout, short, sharp and high intensity. This was followed by 6 minutes at 200 Watts and then 5 minutes cooling down.

Here’s my Heart Rate, Speed and Cadence Trace.

1 minute Interval Workout

1 minute Interval Workout

It was then straight off the bike, into my running shoes and off for a quick run around the block. It’s only a 2.5 mile loop, along road, sand and rocky track. It is also flat, except for a short incline at around the 1.75 mile mark. It only took just under 18 minutes yesterday which is a pretty good pace for me at the moment. Again it is a short but hard workout.

Here’s the route I took.

2.5 mile Run

2.5 mile Run

And that was me done, back home, a few stretches, a quick shower and back to work. Two, good quality, hard workouts that I’m certainly feeling in my legs today but less than an hour of my day used up. Best of all, if I keep working this much I might even earn enough money to buy a new bike!

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.