Hour of Power
Hi, I know it’s been a while since I’ve put something new up, but with work and training, there’s little time to annotate it all… So, I thought I would share one of my staple workouts this time of year. I call it the”Hour of Power!”
Indoors
For the indoors version, I do my workout at the Timberhill Athletic Club using their Expresso stationary bikes. Here’s a breakdown of the workout:
- Jog to the gym to get blood flowing to the legs (5 mins)
- Warmup on easy or medium course, until sweat beads on my forehead (10 mins)
- Real hard, hilly course, jamming the hills at max from 400-600 watts, keeping my cadence under 95 (25-50 mins 1 or 2 laps)
- Cool-down on flat course, aiming to keep blood flowing in the legs, but also lower my heart rate and respiration rate (10 mins)
Joglimp home (5 mins)
For the course that I use for the hills, I usually use “Wicked Workout” or “Oh Mama.” The key to this workout is to make sure that every ounce of effort is directed at the hills, and the flats/downhills are used for recovery. This workout is designed to train maximum, not sustained, power.
And, yes, I know that it’s not precisely an hour, but that’s not the point. The point is that you can get in a solid training ride in a short period of time.
Outdoors
Ok, I’m about to share with you one of my favorite “hill rides” throughout Corvallis, for training power. Follow closely, and you’ll learn a real gem:
- Warmup 5-10 minutes until blood is in the legs (I live in Timberhill area, so I ride SOUTH on 29th to warm up)
- Head WEST on Grant from the intersection of Grant Ave. and 29th
- Turn right (NORTH) on Alta Vista
- JAM IT to the crest
- Rest on the slight downhill
- Turn right (SOUTHEAST) on Crest
- JAM IT to the top (try and stay seated as long as possible, but scream over the top)
- Rest on the downhill
- Turn right (NORTH) on Hillcrest and continue resting as you loop around
- Turn right on Garfield (WEST)
- JAM IT until you intersect with Alta Vista
- Turn left (SOUTH) on Alta Vista
- Immediately turn right (WEST) on Hayes
- JAM IT to the top of Hayes
- Rest until you reach Witham Hill
- Turn right (NORTH) on Witham Hill
- Turn right (EAST) on Circle Blvd.
- Turn left (NORTH) on Lantana Dr.
- Turn left (WEST) on Jameson Dr.
- JAM IT to the top of Jameson
- Rest on the slight flat on the top of Jameson
- Turn right (NORTH) on Woodland Dr.
- JAM IT to the top of Woodland
- Turn left (WEST) on Estaview
- JAM IT to the top of Estaview
- Rest on the downhill on Estaview and follow it across Elmwood
- Turn right (EAST) on Lantana and follow it to Circle Blvd.
- Turn right (WEST) on Circle Blvd.
- JAM IT to the top of Circle Blvd.
- Turn right (NORTH) on Witham Hill
- Rest on Witham Hill down to Walnut
- Cross Walnut on Glenridge Dr.
- Follow the road left (WEST) on Ponderosa
- Once you pass the Royal Oaks Dr. JAM IT to the top of Ponderosa (Skyline)
- Turn left (SOUTH) on Skyline
- JAM IT to the top of the next ridge
- Rest on the downhill
- Turn right (SOUTH) on Glenwood
- Turn right (SOUTH) on Windsor
- JAM IT to the top of Windsor (Dead End)
- Turn around and rest heading back to Glenwood
- Turn right (EAST) on Glenwood
- Turn left (NORTH) on Royal Oaks Dr.
- JAM IT to the top of the ridge
- Rest on the downhill
- Turn right on Ponderosa
- Spin out to Glenridge Dr.
- Turn left (NORTH) on Glenridge
- Turn right (EAST) on Boxwood
- JAM IT to the top of Boxwood
- Follow Boxwood down to Arrowood
- Turn left (NORTHEAST) on Arrowood
- JAM IT to the top of the ridge
- Turn right (SOUTH) on 29th and rest all-the-way-home!
There it is! I know it is a long and convoluted list of directions. Doing this workout will burn you and really get your legs used to short, powerful bursts. Great for this time of year, if you can catch it when its dry outside.
