30 Minutes is Really a Long Time

Today's training was a 2-hour road ride with 2 x 30 minutes at 80% of maximum heart rate, spinning easy for 5 minutes between the 30 minute sets. The ride was to be on a stretch of road with few interruptions. Once again, I didn't have the buck to up and dodge the rain drops outside. I hit the trainer. But the trainer is THE workout for 30 minutes straight because 30 minutes is a llooonnngg time to hold your heart rate at certain percentage AND keep your rpms at 70 with road riding in hill country. The trainer allowed me to hold the heart rate within 8 beats at 144 and 152; pedaling to the beat of Tiesto at 68-71 rpms. It was absolutely perfect. My average HR when done was 141 -- 144 during the 2x30 minutes intervals. 144 is exactly 80% of my max. And yes, I stayed on the trainer the duration of the 2 hour period this time. I found two new Tiesto songs I hadn't heard before and they pumped me up for the final 15 minutes when I normally start to fade. Tomorrow is yet another rest day - one we didn't have since last Wednesday. It's time. And Thursday is to be sunny and 65. It's time for something old but new this year -- the Stony climb. We used to do that climb to train for Ole Bull. It's a wondrous workout.