Little Grey Cells

I keep breaking the pedals and eventually the results will come is what I tell myself. My legs have always been a powerful part of my anatomy and they still are some 30 odd years later after my running career,  but spinning keeps me from one thing that road racing always provided me with, the time it took to cover a given distance. Whether it was an ultra-marathon or a 5 mile road race, the clock told me if I was improving or not. Now that might not be so important to some because we are not in a race with anyone other than ourselves. I can deal with that all right. It is my programming that has me playing old tracks that I need to see improvement. But what does that exactly mean to me? Probably nothing, and it might serve to dissuade me from the pure enjoyment that I derive each session ruminating about the cerebral aspects to my ride like I am right now.

A heart rate monitor could certainly give me an indicator of my recovery rate, that would be one sign of improving conditions inside my ventricles. Also the on board computers that have not arrived might do some of the same. I couldn't care if those gadgets ever arrive, as I don't even turn it on when I am in Roslyn which has them installed. I am not enamored with knowing what my RPM is at any given moment because it just might have me  thinking about pedal stroke speed and then the thoughts of the day might creep in as well. I think I will stay in the dark for the time being and rely on the wading pool beneath my bike to be my indicator of me keeping myself honest.

The power of the mind is always something I have been fascinated with. I think conventional wisdom (I hate conventional wisdom it's often wrong- Hello Suze Orman) says we use only 5% of our minds capabilities and that leaves a vast undiscovered country of the innate power we possess. Kristen urges us to use self-talk by having us ask our mind to slow our heart rate or send more blood to our faltering legs. I for one don't think that's hocus pocus. If we ask our mind to go to task, it often is completed. Like when I have misplaced something I just ask where it is and it usually comes to mind where I left my keys. When some of the women of KSC ask me to loosen a wheel I tell my mind I have the strength to open it and it works every time. The same thing can be true about blood flow and heart rate I am so sure of it.