Dominion's Sprint/Oly/70.3 Group--Closed (Page 6)

Sounds like another great race, Cassandra!  At 3.5 miles though, I don't see how they can call it a 5K.  That's a 36 minute 5k pace..Great Job!

I got some REAL good news last week and haven't had time to post it.  My surgeon gave me a clean bill of health!  The clavicle is healed 100%, FINALLY!  And, my foot is feeling better and better every week.  Saturday was my scheduled half mary and really didn't want to risk it so i ran the 5K with a friend who's just starting out.  It was nice to show up w/o any expectations and have a good time.

Just put 90 minutes on the bike now I'm trying these new recovery legging I got for Christmas.  I hope everyone has a good start to their week!!

Oh, I just started using RoadID's free Iphone app and it's really cool.  My wife gets a text that I've started my bike ride, she can follow alone and see where I'm at in my route, and it alerts her if I haven't moved in five minutes.  Check it out!

3 hours on the trainer, sounds like a form of torture!  I went 32 miles today,1:39:39 and it was plenty for me.  Longest I've been is 35 and don't plan to go longer!

That's a great question, Dore.  There are a few different ways to go about it, but probably the cheapest and simplest way is what Randy said.  You can just move your basic computer sensor (and magnet) to the back wheel.  I have a spare bike computer that I just set up temporarily with some zip ties.  It's wired, so the sensor goes on the rear fork with a magnet on the rear wheel and I run the base up to my top tube.  That way all my data is right in front of me when I look down.

As far as comparative to riding outside, sure it is going to be different, but that doesn't translate to less effective or "easier" to me.  Granted there will be no wind resistance and no uphills, but then again no downhills either.  I find my time on the trainer is a rather brutal workout.  It is a constant effort to maintain RPM, there are no breaks. No rest for that hour or hour and a half or however long the ride is.  This may not be applicable to all trainers, but when I go to tighten the flywheel against the rear tire, as soon as it makes contact, I give the knob 3 more full turns.  This assures (I assume) the same relative resistance on each ride. My goal is an "average speed" for the entirety of the ride.  For instance, the goal may be to average 19.2 mph, and the ride will be for 1 hour or 1.5 hours, or 25 miles or whatever is predetermined.  So for the length of that ride, I do whatever is necessary to get off at the end having a 19.2 or more average.  This requires a constant high effort, and of course occasional intervals or bursts (these are usually unplanned and depend mostly on whatever motivating song pops up on the Ipod to get me going even more).  

I feel like trainer workouts are often more difficult than outdoor riding and can be a more effective training tool.  Now everyone needs experience riding outdoors and honing bike handling skills etc, but for just pure "engine building" I don't think you can beat a focused indoor trainer program.  The problem is (at least for me) is that it is so psychologically difficult to keep going back for more over and over on that trainer.  I dedicate January and February to the trainer, not because I enjoy it in anyway, but because I see it as a necessary part of improving as a triathlete.  I know it works.  My cycling went from my worst comparative discipline to my best last year.  Now I see my riding as a weapon, a time to seek and destroy.  I attribute much of that to my trainer focus last winter.  

Here's some numbers to illustrate.  

2013 bike was 1.30% slower vs. the top 5 in my AG for Olympic distance races ( 2 out of 7 races in top 3 on bike)

2014 bike was 6.37% faster vs. the top 5 in my AG for Olympic distance races ( 5 out of 6 races was 1st or 2nd on bike (Other race was 3rd out of 19))

I rode 1:06:46 for 40k at Nationals last year, my best 40k in 2013 was 1:14:02.

My total bike leg time dropped by an average of over 3 minutes per race.

I don't share that to say "look at me", I share it to say, the trainer works guys.  I know it sucks sometimes and hard to get motivated for (trust me, I know) and that's what I tell those I work with as a coach, but if you can get through it and hit it hard, you will get stronger and you will get faster.

http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/2015/01/20/who-cares-if-you-run-slow

Good article about changing your self-perception and reaching true potential.

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Rod, I'm having some of the same issues.  I have a HM next weekend that I feel fairly unprepared for, so we'll see how it goes.  Just have to push through it.  

I really had trouble second guessing my training a couple of years ago before a marathon.  I guess the cliche is, "If you put in the work then trust your training."  I found that to be a very true statement.  Just be sure and stick to your nutrition/hydration plan!

Good article, btw.  Tanks.