Training, Feb. 9

I finally had the chance to ride again last night. I was on the trainer in the garage. I had wanted to ride my bike into my office, where I needed to pick up my car. My wife insisted that I let my mom drive me and then ride after I was back. I guess it was just as well, it was pretty cold last night.

I decided to try to understand what recovery pace should be. I still have done any baseline testing, but I tried to keep my heart rate under 100. That is in the 55-60% of Max HR range. My heart rate did spike up to at least 130, but my average was 98 for the hour of riding. It felt very slow. I did not sweat much, if at all. I guess that to recover, you really need to slow down. As I work my way through the Cyclist's Training Bible, I will have to see if this is actually the right pace. It feels too slow.

I listened to a John Piper sermon on Romans 1:18. The thesis is that God is pouring (active verb) out His wrath. Piper highlighted three ways that Romans talks about the wrath of God: death, futility, and degradation. Death (both natural and spiritual) is the result of sin, particularly original sin. Futility talks about the frustration that we face as things do not go our way. Degradation refers to the fact that God gives people over to their sin when they refuse to do what is right. Romans refers to each of these as a consequence of sin.

The good news is that God speaks with two voices. In Romans 8:20, when Paul discusses futility, he also talks of God subjecting the world "in hope." So in the midst of God pouring out wrath, He also speaks hope and salvation.

Great workout. Great sermon.

Tags: training, cycling, bicycle, goals, family, Friel, Cyclist's Training Bible, wife, John Piper, Romans, Christianity, sermon, Bible, sin