First MTB ride of the season. I started off by doing my climbing ride ( up Towers Trail ( Rd. ) in Fort Collins if anyone is familiar, if your not, it's a pretty grueling climb ).
I could feel that I haven't ridden in a while, the weekend BC trips and less frequent goes at the stationary bike don't keep me in good enough shape for MTB season. I monitor things like HR, if I'm running out of air vs legs just giving up the ghost.... Today my legs were aching, HR hit 178, was only breathing moderately hard, things didn't really get tough till I got out of the parking lot.
Actually, I did feel pretty good, HR did hit 178 but not till the very last steep section of climb, and it was my legs that gave up the ghost, did not at all feel like I was running out of air. If things go as they usually do, HR will initially hit higher numbers ( I can sill get into the 190s ), but will then all come back down to the high 160s, low 170s as I get back into riding shape. As long as it never hits 0 I'm good with it. I tend to care more about the HR recovery to judge fitness.
Anyway, fun day out on the MTB
second picture is on the way down, I have never been able to get a picture that appropriately conveys how steep things are.
I could feel that I haven't ridden in a while, the weekend BC trips and less frequent goes at the stationary bike don't keep me in good enough shape for MTB season. I monitor things like HR, if I'm running out of air vs legs just giving up the ghost.... Today my legs were aching, HR hit 178, was only breathing moderately hard, things didn't really get tough till I got out of the parking lot.
Actually, I did feel pretty good, HR did hit 178 but not till the very last steep section of climb, and it was my legs that gave up the ghost, did not at all feel like I was running out of air. If things go as they usually do, HR will initially hit higher numbers ( I can sill get into the 190s ), but will then all come back down to the high 160s, low 170s as I get back into riding shape. As long as it never hits 0 I'm good with it. I tend to care more about the HR recovery to judge fitness.
Anyway, fun day out on the MTB
second picture is on the way down, I have never been able to get a picture that appropriately conveys how steep things are.