Keeping my yap shut!

Today I got out on the bike again for 10 miles. Damn does it feel good to move! Maybe even too good, judging from the numbers I saw early in my workout.

Yesterday I posted all about keeping it under control. Reigning it in. Stop pushing so hard and spend the next several months staying aerobic. Today at the start of my workout, I caught myself doing the exact opposite just because it felt good. My heart rate was constantly pushing 160 and approached 170 into the wind or going up hills.

I was pushing too hard already. Begging for a relapse a day after setting my goals!

I started watching my heart rate meticulously to try and keep it under control, trying to make an effort to use less effort. No matter what, though, just trying to try less wasn't working for me.

Then, I figured it out. It was simple. I gotta keep my yap shut!

By just breathing through my nose, my legs don't have enough oxygen to push too hard. My heart rate immediately fell to 150 and stayed there. Whenever it got back up towards 160, I couldn't sustain the effort while breathing through my nose.

So, theres the trick to me staying aerobic, and healthy. I don't need a heart rate monitor to tell me. I don't need numbers. As long as I know how to listen, my body can tell me exactly when I'm in the right zone.

Post ride my knee is feeling good. I even jogged across the parking lot at the YMCA and it felt healthy. So long as I'm patient and can keep my yap shut during workouts for the next couple months, I might just be able to build back up injury free!

Image: Chanimal.com