Vison Quest Cycle Coaching Kicked my Ass...And this was the first class!

This morning was my first day attending Taste of Vision Quest (VQ) class hosted by Team in Training Head Coach Dan Jurger and Mentor Captain K.C.  Maddelein. 

Vision Quest is a 8 week program designed to make you a better athlete. They have a variety of programs. Some of the pros go through this program during their off seasons. I'm in the Taste of VQ cycling class. 

In the VQ cycle class they hook up your bike to a comp-u-trainer. There, the computer measures your speed and energy output in watts. The comp-u-trainer will also control the Resistance the bike is going . In essence, the instructor can make any virtual ride. Similar to a spin class but you get to use your bike and your gears work.

Today's goal was to get our average energy threshold so future "rides" can be based on.  I started out riding at a 290 Watt output but ended up with a average of 260 Watts. What did this mean? First I went out too fast, but that's okay. I now know my limits.  Second, I know how powerful I am and in 8 weeks I should improve my average. 

It was a tough 40 minutes. I wonder if I could of done better if I didn't go to a holiday party and got only 5 hours of sleep. Afterwards I was soar and ended up with a giant migraine. I went straight home and crawled into bed for 2 hours.  It was a small price to pay but in the end It will be worth it. 

At the end Coach Dan was telling me that eventually will be able to improve my average to 290 Watts. He also told me That since I'm a runner I have a tendency for my pedaling to be in the shape of a square. That causes some weired clicking noises in my chain. Pedal strokes should in a circle. He said I need to control my hip action. This won't happen overnight but with more live bike riding and my VQ I could get really good at this biking thing.

Review of the movie "Run Fat Boy Run". A must see for any marathoner.

When I was on the plane ride to Tucson I watched the movie Run Fat Boy Run on my iPod. The movie revolves around a over weight mall security guard named Dennis (played by Simon Pegg). Dennis left his baby's mama, Libby (played by Thandie Newton), at the alter by running away. Several years later, Libby is getting married to a well off marathon runner Whit (played by Simpons voice actor Hank Azaria). Dennis then decided to train for the local marathon to prove he is a grown up to Libby and his son. Only problem is the marathon is in two weeks.  (IMDB.com)

I liked this movie for all the little moments that reminded me of my training.

• There is this moment where Dennis has to go to Spin class for the first time. Whit  convinces Dennis its a "good work out". By the end of the class Dennis falls off his bike in exhaustion.
  
  It reminds me how I feel after a Tuesday  night Spin Class.
  
  
• Another moment I liked is the way Dennis gets a entry into the race. The only way for Dennis to get into the all ready full London marathon is to get sponsored by a charity. After failing to convince the racing committee he is running for a bogus condition his neighbor has, Dennis accidentally drops a wheel chair on a nearby runner. Then Dennis ends up taken the fallen runner's place for Erectile Dysfunction Awareness . Through out the race Dennis wears a bright blue shirt with a limp banana on the back. 
  
  I cringe because I run with the charity group, Team in Training. 
  
  
• Finally Dennis goes through all the pit falls of a runner doing a marathon for the first time without proper coaching or research. Dennis doesn't carbo load the night before the race, he wears cotton while training, and doesn't wear the right type of running shoes, and uses KY Jelly to reduce body friction.  
  
  I laugh because I did the same things when I was training for my first marathon. My first marathon was the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon in 2005. I had a salad and beer the night before, trained in cotton boxers (I know T.M.I.) under my running shorts, and discovered Body Glide the day before the race.

If your a marathoner or training for your first marathon watch this movie. You'll get a kick out of  Run Fat Boy Run.

For more on the movie Run Fat Boy Run go to IMDB.com and Flixster.com.