Coffee, Dog, Cats, & Life

I had a tough workout yesterday on the trainer. I think it was more mentally tough than physically. The workout was only 2 X 20 minutes @ 225 Watts. 225 is well below my threshold in season. I don't produce the most amount of watts unless going uphill because I only weigh 135. But my Watts per KG is not too bad. My goal by the time April rolls around is to have my Threshold / Tempo watts around 300. I never realized the benefits a power meter can have for my training until I started using one. While there is never one standard way to train for anything it's nice when you can use a technological tool in order to establish a guideline. I know it's only December but 225 should feel easy and yesterday it felt like a chore. Ironically enough I'm realizing it's a lot harder psychologically than physically.

Once the pain starts setting in it's good to try and accept it rather than rebel.

A long time ago back in 2001 when I was in boot camp for the Army there was a quote that a Drill Sergent said to me during a long road march. While many might have heard this quote it has always stuck with me when the going gets tough. He said to me "Your mind will give out before your body does." There have been many times I wanted to cut a workout short or even not train for the day. In the end all the times I made it through those tough days running or on the bike I still felt a sense of accomplishment. There will always be days where you are sore, tired, or stressed out. The most simple cure is a small dose of exercise. This does not mean you have to hop on a bicycle, run, or even swim. Maybe you have a dog. A quick game of hide-and-go-seek with your pup can take your mind off the present. This is something I regularly do with my girlfriends doggies. I'll keep them downstairs and then find a good hiding spot. Once I'm good and ready I'll call them up and try to act as silent as possible. Frito the "hunter" usually sniffs me out first. It doesn't take much to get the mind off of the stress you might be having. While this example or others may only be a temporary fix, it's sometimes does more good than harm.
On Sunday I'll be taking the City of Wilmington's Police Physical Fitness Test in Delaware. I think if I run under 8:30 for the 1.5 mile I'll be considered in the 99th percentile. It's funny but I never thought I would be worried about running 8:30 for a mile and a half. For the Delaware State Police test I went out way too hard. 35 seconds for the first 200! On Sunday I'll try a lot harder to run a more consistent pace. For an in shape cyclist and an out of shape runner 8:30 shouldn't be too difficult. You might be wondering why I'm looking to work in Delaware. Well, there are not many Police Departments hiring. I can't find one department in New Jersey that has openings. I already took the NYPD test so I'm still waiting to hear back from them. The whole police application is a long and stressful process that can take anywhere from 6 months to a year. Wilmington PD is looking to hire by February and have an academy start date of March. Lets hope I get picked! Ultimately I still need to think about where I want to start my law enforcement career but sometimes you have to start somewhere out of your element.

There are the physical standards for the TEST.

If I don't write until Sunday enjoy the weekend!

A

Oh and here is a video to make you laugh!