That was my sentiment today as I stared up at the overcast sky and felt a light mist fall on my face.

I’d just arrived at nearby Bullis Park and was going on a bike ride despite Mother Nature’s prescription of drizzle with temps in the mid-50’s.

My road bike is quite familiar with Bullis Park as this picturesque location is a popular starting point for a variety of fast routes characterized by rolling hills and scenes of farm animals grazing peacefully in wide-open fields.

But staring up at me this afternoon was not my Felt F75 but my Trek Valencia.  I chose the Valencia because the wider tires, disc brakes, full mirror and stable handling would be perfect assets to deal with the unsavory weather.

I also made a decision to liven things up by forcing myself to do the entire ride in the big chainring. 

So off I went…and wow was I impressed.

This was probably my first true “fitness ride” on the Valencia and it passed with flying colors.  It was a nice change to be spinning along having a new experience on a very familiar route.

I took a quick break in “downtown” Bulverde where I find a colorful building to snap a photo or two as an interesting back drop.

Instead of feeling slow and cumbersome (the Valencia is a good 10-15lbs heavier than my road bike) on this ride, I felt comfortable and in full control.  I kept my heart rate solidly in the “target zone” and 58 minutes later finished up the ride feeling energized.

Mission Accomplished!

Now, it looks like my love affair with Chocolate Milk has risen to a new level.

Chocolate Milk: The New Sports Drink

Nice!

25 miles later, we were done and I could already feel the soreness in my hamstrings. But on the ride home, it happened. What I can only describe as that “Zen like” state of relaxation, contemplation…a “slowing down” of existence.

It’s no secret that exercising can help your body relax, unwind, etc.

At the same time, when you experience that relaxation it never ceases to please! When I got home, everything seemed to be in “slow motion” compared to my normal, hectic pace. I put the bike on its rack, brewed some Celestial Seasonings Peach Tea and hopped in the shower for a nice, steaming experience.

Even now, as I write, the fast pace of normal life has not caught up to me yet. I don’t miss it!

Moral of the story? Hop on that bike, hike the trail, walk that path…exercise is what your body needs and your mind, too!

Today, I

You can personalize this by finding your own maximum heart rate. A simple method is to take your age and subtract it from 220. The resulting number is your heart’s maximum beats per minute. When you’re close to that number, you’ll know it – the heavy breathing and pounding chest gives it away!

There are five heart rate zones:

• Zone 1 : “Healthy Heart Zone” : 50-60% of your maximum heart rate
• Zone 2 : “Fitness Zone” : 60-70% of maximum heart rate
• Zone 3 : “Aerobic Zone” : 70-80% of maximum heart rate
• Zone 4 : “Anaerobic Zone” : 80-90% of maximum heart rate
• Zone 5 : “Red-line Zone” : 90-100% of maximum heart rate

Interestingly enough, 85% of the calories burned in Zone 1 and Zone 2 are from fat. This number decreases as the intensity of the workout (and the Zone) increases. In Zone 4 & 5, your body is relying heavily upon carbohydrates since they are easier to burn quickly.

You can read more by visiting the following link:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/gf_guide2.htm

This information would suggest there are benefits to having workouts that are less intense. When I go back and review my workout data on Motionbased.com, I see that a large percentage of my bike rides are in Zone 4.

Weight loss is one of my primary training goals. To that end, I spent time during a 16 mile bike ride today to monitor my intensity and concentrated on smooth spinning. I was able to spend almost an hour in Zone 3.

More heart rate training information coming soon…as I learn more.

Bottom Line – There is benefit to be had by not always blasting away at the pedals trying to break new speed or max heart rate records!!