Promise (half) kept

A couple of months ago I gushed about relaunching Cycledork with daily reports about my progress with the Reoch-Zonneveld training program. I've stuck with the program but have neglected my reports. Short version: it's going better than I expected even if it has been an ass kicking one day at a time.

Longer version: I'm impressed that so far the 31 workouts I've done have been progressively more difficult and subtly more ass kicking. As mentioned previously, Reoch-Zonneveld is 50 interval workouts meant to last 26 weeks. My plan was to complete the program in 50 plus days. I started the program, went hard and productively for nine sessions, then had a family health concern (everyone is well — it was benign stuff that had malign symptoms; objective data demonstrates the stuff was benign) that kept me off the bike for a few weeks. So I started from the beginning again in mid June and mostly rode six or seven days a week, the four days I took off last week notwithstanding. The intensity of the endorphin rush merits the obsession.

Data I've gathered, as I expected, indicates I am indeed riding myself back into shape. The 10 pounds I expected to lose over the course of the exercise? Lost. I can go at least an hour anaerobic. My resting heart rate is now typically in the low 50s after being in the 60s at the start of this exercise. If I'm going to time trial Sept. 1, I've still got some work to do, but I'm confident I'm getting it done.

Today's data:
Weight: 143.0
Average heart rate: 157
Maximum heart rate: 183
Music: Squeeze, "Up The Junction"; The Avett Brothers, "Die Die Die"; Gorillaz, "Feel Good Inc."; Janis Joplin, "Call On Me (alternate take)"; NOFX, "The Moron Brothers"; John Fahey, "The Holly and the Ivy/The Cherry Tree Carol"; Patty Griffin, "Rain"; Freddy King, "Sen-Sa-Shun"; Krüger Brothers, "If I Had A Sweetheart"; Jimmy Buffett, "Come Monday"; The Rolling Stones, "Factory Girl"; Jimmy Buffett, "Everlasting Moon"; Guitar Slim, "Things That I Used To Do"; Wynonie Harris, "Lovin' Machine"; Roy Buchanan, "Soul Dressing (live)"; Mahgeetah, "My Morning Jacket"; Pearl Jam, "Evil Little Goat"; Gilberto Gil, "Quilombo, o El Dorado Negro."