I rode on the trainer tonight. First because, as we all know, I'm a big buckKAWK chicken and secondly because it was night and I have no lights.
Fortunately, I had company. Four loveable mop top Scouser lads (for the first half hour or so), and four long-haired weirdos, one barefoot, with fading Liverpudlian accents (for the second bit).
Since seeing Across the Universe for the second time (blush) on Saturday, I've been re-connecting with my neglected inner Beatles fan and re-collecting my long lost library of albums. Tonight I started with A Hard Days Night and moved onto Abbey Road. I found that the music helped me to enjoy the ride much more than a DVD does. I focussed on my riding, and incorporated the music into the ride, but I wasn't watch checking or waiting for it to be over anywhere near as much as usual.
The progression from early 60s rock'n'roll/pop to late 60s experimental pop/rock worked really well for the ride too. I started off mixing short high gear sets with hill sets (trainer has adjustable resistance) interspersed with short, easy spins. The songs on "A Hard Days Night" are all about 2-3 minutes long, so I never got bored and I got past the evil 30 minute mark (which in my opinion is key to trainer riding). Highlights of the first half mostly just involved hearing some of the less well known songs (If I Fell, I'm Happy Just to Dance with You) for the first time in years, and the first time on headphones (whihc really gives a new appreciation for some of the harmony... swoon).
The songs on Abbey Road are, by and large, longer and a little more intense. I was warmed up by this time, and enjoyed a challenge. I climbed hills during Come Together and sat back in awe during Something. I stood for the choruses of Maxwell's Silver Hammer, and hammed it up a little with no one watching. Oh Darling was the real highlight of the second half. I hit the verses hard and the choruses harder. In my top gear with my legs rotating frantically at 140rpm I pounded out "WHEN YOU TOLD ME, you didn't need me any more.. " My speed maxed out at 67 kph, and my heart rate nudged up to 180. Eek. From there I chilled out to Octopus' Garden, before finishing out the set with seven long long minutes of "climbing" to I Want You/She's So Heavy.
Clearly, this is a bit of a niche post. So, all you trainer riding Beatles fans out there- what are your favourite cycling songs? ;-)
2 comments:
Oooh. One of my work colleagues has offered me her unused trainer. I should really take her up on that, though goodness knows where I'd set it up other than the hallway!
I'm a fairly bog-standard techno-ish kind of gal when it comes to my favourite RPM tracks. Anything by Scooter. Make it fast and loud!
This happens with all types of music for me when I'm running. I wish I had a trainer or a bike, but I will have to stick with running for now. I definitely push harder during specific types of songs and then relax during others. It's cool to see how songs motivate you.
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