Intervals - The Word I Dispise Most in the English Language!

Interval – seems like an innocent word. Unless you are a cyclist. Not a pro cyclist, mind you, but just an average person who enjoys riding her bike and thus feels obligated to do some training during the winter months in order to be ready to ride once spring arrives.

Interval training – it’s hard to escape. All my spin class instructors are onto this form of torture. All they have to say is “and now we’re going to do some intervals….” and my heart rate sky rockets before I turn up the resistance or crank up my cadence.

It’s just so painful…..but they tell me, it’s so good for you! These instructors obviously know their stuff. In the recent Bicycling magazine (Jan./Feb. 2008), Chris Carmichael explains that even though intervals don’t burn a ton more calories (so WHY do them??), riding at intensity stimulates change…….positive change that can make you faster and pack your muscles with more fat burning mitochondria.

In personal terms, I hope it means I might be able to hang with the group out on the road this spring! Thanks to all my spin instructors; Kevin, Joe, Holly, and Kirsten, for making me work hard! I realize these workouts are for my own good, even if I whine from time to time.