Back to the grind

Properly motivated, well rested and with loads of energy, I made it out to the gym on Monday. And it was a good workout as I rode for 45 minutes and even got in a brief bit of weigh training.

So I was happy with how the day went then, right?

Sort of.

I hadn't intended to run or work out pretty hard. In fact, I'd intended for an easy workout, something that would help get me back into the rhythm of working out, both mentally and physically. It had been a week since I last did any sort of physical activity, when I ran the Mission Inn Run 10K.

Did Monday's workout meet my goals? Yes, but those goals weren't ones that I would normally hold for myself. I suppose then that's why I feel satisfied that I worked out but not exactly feeling great over a killer workout.

Perhaps the problem is in my expectations and not so much the workout itself. Every time I go to the gym, I try and challenge myself and while Monday's workout was a challenge in and of itself, it wasn't of the usual I'm-going-to-push-my-body-to-the-limits kind. I wanted to ride the bike for 45 minutes, I did and that's that.

Here are some stats to prove how merely satisfying my workout was:

Time 45:00; Avg Hr 135; Max Hr 160; Cal 525

Compare that to my Mission Inn Run

Time: 52:30; Avg Hr 182; Max Hr 192; Cal 989

Okay, maybe that comparison is a bit unfair. After all, running a 10K is supposed to be challenging, far more challenging than the typical gym workout. But still, when I run my heart rate is typically more than 160 and sometimes is in the 170 range. So when I work out and I only get as high as 160, it's natural to feel it as a bit of a letdown.

Again, it's all about expectations. I expected myself to have a recovery-type of workout and I did, so I need to feel satisfied. My normal expectations are quite higher so I just have to adjust them sometimes to meet my specific demands.

Because I can't run a 10K every day.