In past years, around November I would move my bike training to Craig Strong’s Precision Multisport Studio. Every Tuesday at 5:30 a.m. Craig and about a dozen of his clients would complete a 75 minute intensity ride. It was well-named – the rides were always challenging.
This year there was no studio, but Craig and his Precision team adapted. They set up a schedule of riding and exercise classes that are conducted via Zoom. I wanted to participate in the Tuesday and Thursday rides so I bought a smart trainer and the Perf Pro Training Software. Every Monday, Craig emails his clients the schedule of rides and classes for the week and the workout file for each of the rides.
You can do the rides on your own, but I find it more fun to join the Zoom ride which starts at 5:45 a.m. on Tuesday. When we rode in the studio, it always helped during the really challenging stretches to see that other riders are also challenged. It’s a misery loves company phenomenon.
So yesterday I went to my basement and completed my first ride of the week. I connect to the group via Zoom on my phone, click on the Perf Pro app on my laptop, and upload the workout which I project to the widescreen. Craig preps us for the ride, offers encouragement (he's also riding), and provides us with a curated playlist of songs, most of which I've never heard of. No Country.
I don’t see too much of the other athletes while I’m riding, but I know they are there and somehow that helps.
After the ride, Perf Pro emails me a record of the results. On yesterday's ride I burned 953 calories, the equivalent of six beers.
