First Trainer Ride

yes. but did your butt hurt?

because my 2 hour ride hurt more than normal I thought.

<----rode trainer first time on thursday i think it was

LaurenSU02 - 2008-09-13 7:55 PM I really like the trainer. I'll admit that the first few weeks during the the transition from all-outdoor riding to mostly-all-trainer riding isn't very fun as you're just not used to it (bike's not as comfortable and your mindset isn't there). But once we really get into the routine, I like it. I can't watch TV/movies as I find I can't really "get into them" while on the trainer and so it doesn't help with the mental aspect. I just turn the lights down and crank up the music and just think about training, racing, winning, etc. I've done 4+ hours on the trainer. I do all my winter long rides outdoors on the weekends so long as there isn't snow or ice (I'll do long rides in sub-freezing temps), but if a long ride is forced to the trainer, I'll usually do a shorter, yet more intense ride. (Training load is a product of intensity and volume, not just volume.)  However, sometimes, I was having so much fun, I would ride the trainer longer than I needed to .

^^^ great advice

Like Lauren it takes me about 2-3 weeks to get in the trainer groove each winter. I like intense workouts on trainer instead of long ones as I train with power meter and I can nail my power numbers as terrain, lights and cars like on the open road don't come into play.

When I did longer rides that were bricks on the trainer I'd do 60-90 minutes with 3 different sub workouts that were 20 or 30 minutes long so I'd vary what I was doing, then run 10' outside, and repeat that 2 or 3 times. Mentally it was fun as I was doing a variety of different things. I ended up with huge pile of laundry.

I have a coach who lays out these fun workouts for me. 

I plan on training for a 24 hour bike race in February in Florida and will need to get a few 6-8 hour rides in January. Living in MA may make that challenging. Trainer rides with variations will be the key. I may do hour outside and an hour inside and keep repeating depending on temps outside.

Try rollers next time you can't let your mind be bored.  Plus they help with your bike handling skills. 

ok. just did an hour ride. MUCH BETTER.

 I still had ADHD but the butt was much better. I literally had to say to myself "stay on the bike, stay on the bike" during th commercials.

Once you get used to it it's not so bad.  Last winter I built up to 5 hours on the trainer (although I've no desire to repeat that) but I could cope with 3-3.5 hours easily enough.

I watch DVDs or listen to music.  For the last few days I've been watching the Vuelta a Espania whilst on the trainer - it's always very motivational to watch the pro cyclists I think.

I did this the other day (also going into aero during the commercials) while watching recorded Olympics.  Yes, I could have fast-forwarded through them, but the 'intervals' really heped to break up the monotony.

If I'm going real hard on the trainer, though, then I can't focus on the TV.  I just blast away until it's over.

That's a great idea!  I just bought a Kurt Kinetic trainer which I'll be setting up next week (after I get the new bike I just bought).  Intervals during commercials will definitely be on the agenda - should keep it at least a little bit more interesting.  Of course it may become one more reason to look forward to the end of the commercial break...