Isonobe sandwich

Glorious weather today. Perfect autumn weather. The mornings are cold but warm up quickly. Take off the gillette. Enjoy the breeze.

Working in Takayanagi today. What could be better? Three climbs of Isonobe. One at 170HR. One set of intervals. One more at 170 HR. An Isonobe sandwich.

Riding up the valley there is a strong head wind. A chance to test the legs. See how the heart reacts. A new backpack is more comfortable. Less strain on the back. At the foot of Isonobe in less than 45 minutes.

Climb number 1. Ditch the bag. Off with the glasses. Roll down the arm warmers. Unzip the shirt. First climb plan? A 170 HR lactate threshold climb. The heart rate responds quickly. Mid 160s by the first hairpin. Up to 175 HR on the steepest sections. Hold back a little. HR drops quickly on the easier sections. Push a little harder. Beautiful autumn colours and clear views at the top. Perfect reward.

Climb number 2. Intervals this time. 40 seconds hard / 80 seconds easy. Hard interval out of the saddle. Legs screaming to sit down. Heart rate kissing 180.

Climb number 3. 170 HR again. Harder than the first one but the heart rate still responds well. Interestingly, all 3 climbs take about 18:40. Not bad at all....

Wednesday’s training: Isonobe x 3 (90 km, 1400 m climbing)