So how do I feel after week 1 of my new training regime?
Tired! but happy.
The shift away from highly objective wattage based training to a more subjective approach has been a breath of fresh air, although it leaves me a little concerned that I'm not working hard enough. The current emphasis is on rpm and I'm to aim for 90-100 in a fairly easy gear.
I'm putting in more km's that's for sure, although most km's this last week were on the ergo, given the wet stuff that was constantly leaking from the sky....and it still is.
On Thursday I was s'posed to go first to the track and then to the Austin respiratory lab to be VO2max tested as part of a medical research program. The track part got ambushed by my car's light with BOTH my headlight globes having blown. I was soooo annoyed, getting up at 4am to be at the track for training by 6 only to get in the car and find out I had no lights.
The VO2 max test was slightly different from other times I've done it in that the bike and its set up and the room was...very average. Naturally I couldn't use my own pedals/shoes and the saddle was waaaay uncomfortable. The room was very small and there was no fan which was not an issue to begin with but by the end of the test I was dripping. Having said all that, it was a medical research test and not an in-depth test of my personal fitness level. There was a doctor present who took my BP every 2 minutes, I think it ended up being 200/85, he was surprised how quickly my pulse dropped once I'd stopped exercising.
However, apart from failing to keep my lips sealed over the mouth piece during the final effortful grunt, I was happy with the session. I kept going for ~15 mins I think ..maybe 14. He increased it by bigger increments than is normal for my age since he felt that we'd be there for ever! I wanted to stand up to grind out the last bit and felt I could have gone on for a minute longer if I had been allowed to do that, but sadly that's not in the protocol.
Apparently I'm so far above the norm for my age that I'm off the page. My score was ~50, it was actually high 49 but he said due to the poor seal towards the end, it was under reporting. I've been tested 2 or 3 times before and need to unearth the results, but from memory, I don't think it's changed much.
and from another source:
Women Age 50-65 (I'm 67)
Tired! but happy.
The shift away from highly objective wattage based training to a more subjective approach has been a breath of fresh air, although it leaves me a little concerned that I'm not working hard enough. The current emphasis is on rpm and I'm to aim for 90-100 in a fairly easy gear.
I'm putting in more km's that's for sure, although most km's this last week were on the ergo, given the wet stuff that was constantly leaking from the sky....and it still is.
On Thursday I was s'posed to go first to the track and then to the Austin respiratory lab to be VO2max tested as part of a medical research program. The track part got ambushed by my car's light with BOTH my headlight globes having blown. I was soooo annoyed, getting up at 4am to be at the track for training by 6 only to get in the car and find out I had no lights.
The VO2 max test was slightly different from other times I've done it in that the bike and its set up and the room was...very average. Naturally I couldn't use my own pedals/shoes and the saddle was waaaay uncomfortable. The room was very small and there was no fan which was not an issue to begin with but by the end of the test I was dripping. Having said all that, it was a medical research test and not an in-depth test of my personal fitness level. There was a doctor present who took my BP every 2 minutes, I think it ended up being 200/85, he was surprised how quickly my pulse dropped once I'd stopped exercising.
However, apart from failing to keep my lips sealed over the mouth piece during the final effortful grunt, I was happy with the session. I kept going for ~15 mins I think ..maybe 14. He increased it by bigger increments than is normal for my age since he felt that we'd be there for ever! I wanted to stand up to grind out the last bit and felt I could have gone on for a minute longer if I had been allowed to do that, but sadly that's not in the protocol.
Apparently I'm so far above the norm for my age that I'm off the page. My score was ~50, it was actually high 49 but he said due to the poor seal towards the end, it was under reporting. I've been tested 2 or 3 times before and need to unearth the results, but from memory, I don't think it's changed much.
| VO2 Max values for Women as measured in ml/kg/min | ||||||
| Age | Very Poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent | Superior |
| 13-19 | <25.0 | 25.0-30.9 | 31.0-34.9 | 35.0-38.9 | 39.0-41.9 | >41.9 |
| 20-29 | <23.6 | 23.6-28.9 | 29.0-32.9 | 33.0-36.9 | 37.0-41.0 | >41.0 |
| 30-39 | <22.8 | 22.8-26.9 | 27.0-31.4 | 31.5-35.6 | 35.7-40.0 | >40.0 |
| 40-49 | <21.0 | 21.0-24.4 | 24.5-28.9 | 29.0-32.8 | 32.9-36.9 | >36.9 |
| 50-59 | <20.2 | 20.2-22.7 | 22.8-26.9 | 27.0-31.4 | 31.5-35.7 | >35.7 |
| 60+ | <17.5 | 17.5-20.1 | 20.2-24.4 | 24.5-30.2 | 30.3-31.4 | >31.4 |
and from another source:
Women Age 50-65 (I'm 67)
- Low <21
- Fair 22-28
- Avg. 29-36
- Good 37-41
- High 42-45
- Athletic 46-49
- Olympic 50+
ok..now I've finished polishing my ego I'd better go out and train!
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