Indoor training tip.

[stephenmarklay]

I do a lot of indoor riding and as a result have figured out how to make it a bit better mentally.

Ok the tip :) If you would like to increase the amount of time per ride but can't hold down your breakfast at the thought try this.

Figure out what the longest ride that you really can tolerate comfortably now. Maybe it is a half hour or maybe you can do an hour but then go nuts.

Ride your comfort time. Then get off the bike and get a light snack. Eat a banana, sip some juice maybe a shot of coffee then take a pee. If you really sweat even change clothes. Now get back on the bike and ride half of your first ride. It will be easy. Now your half hour ride is 45 minutes or your hoiur ride is now an hour and a half. Continue to do this until you think you can do two rides the same length. So a half hour now is an hour and an hour becomes two. You can take this as far as you like. My comfort ride is 90 minutes. At that point I like to eat a good sized snack of carbs and drink a bit of coffee. I have been changing clothes lately as I have been sweating a lot.

This will work. Last year I was coached and did what I was told. I did a lot of endurance riding this time of year and never got off other than to pee. It was really difficult. I did it but it was pretty hard on the mind.

This year I am back at it but started doing this. My longer rides are still just as long but the bite sized chunks make it seem better. Getting of the bike for this type of riding is no problem. You will find that your legs tighten up for a few minutes once you are back on but the works itself out fine.

The obvious other factor is that the longer you go the more you need in the way of distraction like movies etc. I do netflix etc.

Let me know if anyone does this and what they think.

[rnhood]

I get on the trainer a couple times a week, maybe for 30 minutes. That's about it. I am not interested in trying to figure out how I can ride it more, or how to better numb my mind so I can spend more time on it. I just go swimming or do something else. At my age I don't see a benefit from spending a lot of time on a trainer, and I will be just as strong come Spring regardless of trainer use.

But I agree, taking a break will allow you to refresh a certain amount. Even on my 30 minute trainer rides I take a break at the 15 minute mark :D .

[onekgguy]

That's great if it works for you. Once I get to 30 or 40 miles I find it easier to just take it 10 miles at a time and go from there. 100 mile rides aren't uncommon for me in the dead of winter on my TruTrainer rollers. I think I'm a bit odd this way though.

Kevin g

[Louis]

I think I'm a bit odd this way though.

Understatement of the day. ;)

[thwart]

100 mile rides aren't uncommon for me in the dead of winter on my TruTrainer rollers. My God, man.

How many hours does it take to do a century on your rollers?

[dekindy]

I don't like spending a long time on the trainer. Instead of torturing myself by finding a way to prolong the agony, I discovered interval training. A 20-minute session of intervals over several months last Winter helped my cycling ability much more than anything that I have ever done. I actually look forward to this Winter's training sessions in the hope that I will see a significant improvement next Summer. If I improve this year half as much as I improved last year, I would be ecstatic.

[bigbill]

Porn, it keeps you from going numb. Otherwise get a computrainer and watch cycling videos. Tape all the races on VS and watch them while you ride the trainer.

[onekgguy]

My God, man.

How many hours does it take to do a century on your rollers?

They say that to be an air traffic controller you have to have failed the psych exam so I suppose that just supports the belief. ;) I sometimes get on them knowing I'm going that sort of distance but usually it's not until I've got maybe 50 or 60 miles in before I decide I'm going for it. But it's very doable provided you've got some distractions that allow you to take the monotony out of it. A typical workout is at least 30 miles but usually it's 40 or 50 miles.

100 miles takes me not quite 4:30 (http://kevinandtammy.net/images/ride_photos/century_ride_1-30-2010.png) to complete. My rollers allow me a faster speed than I can do on my own out on the road but I find that when I'm indoors I'm much more inclined to focus on heart-rate, average speed, cadence and such than when I'm out on the road. It's really a great workout.

Kevin g

[rice rocket]

Is Minnesota really that flat?

[stephenmarklay]

I am glad to see that others have methods that work as well.

Again I was not saying everyone should do more on the rollers that is up to you. I am just trying to help those who have made the decision to do so.

Since I am racing next year conventional wisdom is that this is the time to build up an aerobic base and stamina in general. Intervals are great but serve a different purpose for "my training" and I will get them later in the winter. However, I will be doing a Sufferfest video in an hour and those are a fantastic way to spend an hour on a trainer.

[false_Aest]

If SoCalSteve were really a good moderator he'd offer up his livingroom couch for ya'll so you don't have to ride a trainer.

Way to drop the ball Steve

[regularguy412]

They say that to be an air traffic controller you have to have failed the psych exam so I suppose that just supports the belief. ;) I sometimes get on them knowing I'm going that sort of distance but usually it's not until I've got maybe 50 or 60 miles in before I decide I'm going for it. But it's very doable provided you've got some distractions that allow you to take the monotony out of it. A typical workout is at least 30 miles but usually it's 40 or 50 miles.

100 miles takes me not quite 4:30 (http://kevinandtammy.net/images/ride_photos/century_ride_1-30-2010.png) to complete. My rollers allow me a faster speed than I can do on my own out on the road but I find that when I'm indoors I'm much more inclined to focus on heart-rate, average speed, cadence and such than when I'm out on the road. It's really a great workout.

Kevin g

I'm amazed that you can burn an average of over 800 calories in 10 miles. I estimate that I burn that in about 20 miles.

Interesting! :-)

Mike in AR:beer:

[onekgguy]

I'm amazed that you can burn an average of over 800 calories in 10 miles. I estimate that I burn that in about 20 miles.

Interesting! :-)

Mike in AR:beer:

I don't believe the calorie count is at all accurate. It's just part of the stats kept by my Garmin.

Kevin g

[thwart]

If SoCalSteve were really a good moderator he'd offer up his livingroom couch for ya'll so you don't have to ride a trainer.

Way to drop the ball Steve

And after 12/11/10, false_Aest was never again a presence on the Serotta Forum...