Sick Bike Workout, Workout Levels and Good Stuff

This is the sick bike workout that I did yesterday:
WU: 10' warmup, 3 x SpinUps. Then 3 x 2' (1') Zone 3
MS: FT repeats: 2 x 20' (8' @ 65-70%) @ 95-100%, 2' CD, 1 x 8' @ 105%.
CD: 5' Easy

It was what I call "challenging." I have an internal scale that describes how I think about my workouts. The scale goes like this:

• Wimp: The workout is so easy, I'm not sure I'm working out. Example: Ride easy 2 hours.
• Easy: I feel like I'm working out, but there is no stress. Example: Run easy Z1-Z2 60'.
• Challenging: The workout has some aspects that force me to focus for various periods of time at moderate to high intensity. Example: pick any of my weekday bike workouts, also my long runs for the past 7 weeks (and about 6 weeks leading up to Goofy Challenge), a sprint race.
• Hard: The workout is not only challenging, but because of the amount of intensity or sheer time involved, I know that I need to be extra careful to take in sufficient calories, fluids, and really be sure I do everything right to recover for it and be ready to go again the next day. Example: the long ride plus brick run I did last Saturday (repeat this Saturday), Horribly Hilly Hundreds 200K ride, a HIM or IM race.

There are levels within Hard, like hard, very hard and fucking hard, but I don't dwell on those. I prefer the bulk of my workouts to be Challenging. Challenging is good. It is never boring. It lets me see if I can push the envelope a little bit. Hard once or twice a week is good. Easy once or twice a week is good. Wimp is not something I like to do very often, and in fact I don't, maybe during a taper.

I used to only do 1 or 2 Challenging days per week. Now I have them 4 out of 7 days, plus 1 Hard and the other 2 are easy. But I guess it's a matter of perspective. Stuff that I consider Challenging now I used to consider Hard.

In other news, I did 2 workouts this AM since I'm leaving on a business trip. There were 2 peeps on adjacent treadmills while I was running (after I swam) trying to guess my bodyfat %. They both think I'm below 10%. The guy says I'm ripped. Then he asks me when is my next race. I tell him in about a week. He asks me what is my weakest sport. I told him I'm pretty good across the board for my age group. He asks me what is my age group. I tell him 45-49, that I'm 49 going on 50 this fall. He looks at me incredulously, and tells me I am "quite a specimen." I'm pretty sure I smiled back, and if I blushed, you wouldn't be able to tell because I was running tempo at the time. Both of these peeps are very fit. I appreciate a compliment much more from people like that. Good way to start the day!