Spinning Into A Personal Best or Maybe Just A First

Yesterday morning I was up bright and early and headed to the gym for the 5:45am spinning class (group cycle.)  I had to work at 8am so I figured I'd so spinning then get ready for work at the gym. Got my on one of the good bikes and started to warm up.  The instructor was around chatting it up with the other members.  I pulled my cap to cover my eyes to avoid eye contact and chit chatter at such a god awful time of day.  I mean who is up for chattering at 5:45am?  Then after the class I did some quick leg weights and was done.  After my shift I decided I had 15 minutes to change and get to the 3:15pm spinning class.  It was an instructor I haven't been to yet so I wanted to try it out.  Actually first I asked my boss who was going to be the instructor and then she told me that she was planning on taking the class also so then it was a given I'd go.  So a bit before 3 I snuck into the spinning room and placed a towel and my water on a good bike.  I wanted to be in the 2nd row but looking right at the instructor. My morning workout clothes were still in my locker but I didn't think about hanging them up to dry.  So I put on my wet clothes and went into class. The rest of this workout story is me against me!  The way these classes are held is that all the trainers have the same program.  Same music played in the same order with the same routine to the music.  So then why do I feel I got a better workout with one instructor over the other?  Why do I feel that some of the instructors are more challenging?  It's pretty much the same exact thing except that each instructor brings personality to the class.  I guess it takes a certain personality to push myself.  I find it so amusing that I could dislike one instructors class but love another instructors class even though it's the same exact class. Besides all that it was the first time I attended two spin classes on the same day.  I think.  After the 2nd class I saw my legs muscle twitch a bit.  Guess I didn't stretch enough after.  But felt great!

So this morning I was able to sleep in a bit.  No running to 5:45am spin class or 5:30am swim practice.  Back to 7am swimming!  Wahoo!  I headed to the pool this morning feeling at first a bit tired even with the itty bit of extra rest.  Also at first my legs felt a bit tired from yesterday double spin day.  Warm up went sorta slow.

200 Swim / 200 Pull / 100 IM / 50 Free Swim with Fins (550)  Then we did a 200 kick with fins. (200/750)

Main Set:

3 Rounds of 5x100's -

Round One - 1st 100 Drill on 2 Minutes then 4x100's on 1:40 Descending.

Round Two - 1st 100 Drill on 2 Minutes then 4x100's on 1:50 Pace swimming at the last 100 from previous round.

Round Three - 1st 100 Drill then 1x100 Pace, 1x100 Sprint, 1x100 Pace and 1x100 Sprint all on 2 minutes.

So for some reason once warm up was done I was in high gear.  I felt comfortable and fast.  Guess the day off from swimming was good for me.  Leg day was a blessing I guess.  My descends ended up a bit too fast for what I wanted my paces to be.  I ended up with a 1:09. I was hoping for 1:11's to be pacing myself.  When I got to the pacing I was at 1:11's except the last one was a bit slower with a 1:13.  Then for the last round I did the paces on 1:13's but my 1st sprint I did a 1:01 and my 2nd a 1:02.  Which aren't so bad for me for workout sprint times.  Like I said I felt comfortable swimming this morning.  We took an extra minute between each round for rest.  A few things I noticed today was that I'm still pretty lazy with my turns.  Need to get my head around and plant my feet on the wall correctly.  Still need to remind myself to finish my stroke at the end.  I was trying to correct my stroke duing my last sprint 100 which is why I think I was a bit slower.  I can hardly chew gum and walk at the same time so to be thinking about sprinting and correcting myself at the same time is a challenge.  (1500/2250)

I then warmed down a 100 and got out.  So 2,350 yards this morning.  As for the rest of the day I'm hoping to get an upper body wieght training session in today.  Don't know If I can fit it in with my errands and appointments today.  If not I'll do it tomorrow.  Planning on running tomorrow morning if I can get up early enough.  I have a fundraiser pancake event at 8am for the local dog rescue group then going to watch a 10am fun swimming event.  Below is the video of last years event.  I won't be swimming or dressed up.  I'll be just laughing and cheering them on.