| I remember the first time I brought a wind-trainer | | | | 25 minutes and then back.3)My bike stayed REAL |
| home. It was meant as a bike training alternative | | | | clean.4)No potholes.5)No dogs6)No cars7)No |
| when the weather was bad.For 95% of my rides | | | | sudden rainstorms. Or in my part of the |
| I would load my bike on the back of my car and | | | | world---snowstorms.8)Great for transition training. |
| drive out to the countryside where there was a | | | | Bike--jump off wind-trainer--put on running |
| wide shoulder and less traffic. Besides, there was | | | | shoes--be running 60 seconds later. Faster than an |
| no way on earth I would ever attempt to ride in | | | | Ironman race-day transition and great training for |
| the city. Far too dangerous and not very | | | | what it will feel like.9)Ideal for interval training. You |
| productive anyway. what's the point when you | | | | can gauge each interval exactly. Outside you're |
| have to stop every few blocks for a traffic | | | | dealing with wind and uneven terrain, so each |
| light.As the years passed and the city grew, my | | | | interval is different than the last.10)You can get |
| favorite training routes became busier and busier. | | | | the same effect of climbing a big hill by doing low |
| Almost every year a cyclist was getting killed or | | | | rpm's in a big gear.11)Flat tire. Who cares? Sit on |
| badly injured out on the highway. It seemed that | | | | the couch and change it.12)Nature calls? The |
| every year that passed I was doing more and | | | | bathroom's never far |
| more training in my apartment, logging endless | | | | away.DISADVANTAGES?Sure.1)If your bike is |
| miles on my wind-trainer.Ultimately, something I | | | | fancy, you don't get to show it off.2)It can be |
| never thought I would ever do, finally happened. I | | | | boring(unless the movie is really good).3)You don't |
| did all my training for an Ironman on my | | | | learn the small things like drinking and eating while |
| wind-trainer.First of all let me say that I am | | | | you ride.4)Seriously, I believe the biggest |
| notorious for trying radical training methods. My | | | | downside to not getting road miles in is that your |
| theory is...how can you know how something | | | | bike-handling skills will suffer.Would I suggest trying |
| works unless you try it. For instance, I wanted to | | | | just biking on your wind-trainer?Well, when I did |
| see how extreme distance training would help my | | | | the race, I was only around 15 minutes slower |
| marathon time. So for several months I kept | | | | than I usually was. So really, in the big scheme of |
| ramping up my distance until I peaked at around | | | | things, it didn't make any difference. I would do it |
| 150 miles a week. In order to do that I ran about | | | | again.If you're living somewhere that is just not a |
| 24 hours a week. I did 2 a day training. So often I | | | | good place for cyclists, then sure, don't obsess |
| would run 3 0r 4 hours in the morning and then 1 | | | | about it. Just get a good wind-trainer and build |
| or 2 hours in the evening. At one point I ran 25 | | | | yourself a program and go for it. Ultimately, I |
| days straight.Was it worth it? Well I went to Las | | | | don't really think it will make that much of a |
| Vegas and ran their marathon in 3:03. It was a | | | | difference come race-day.The one thing I would |
| pretty good time, but I honestly felt that I would | | | | suggest is maybe in the last month or so of |
| break 3 hours. would I do it again? No. I think its | | | | training when you're starting your taper for the |
| risky and just asking for an injury and the reward | | | | big day, get outside and brush up on your |
| just wasn't there. However, it was in my nature | | | | bike-handling skills. Six or eight rides should do it. |
| to try. Besides, one day I will be able to tell my | | | | They don't have to be real long. Thirty-forty kms. |
| grandchildren that I ran 600 miles in one | | | | or so. That should get you ready.You might think |
| month.Anyway, back to the wind-trainer. My | | | | this whole idea is crazy, but I promised myself |
| whole point of the run story was to explain my | | | | when I first considered building a site for the |
| thought process. I was willing to try this radical | | | | "new" Ironman triathletes that I would say what I |
| bike training and give it a test in an Ironman | | | | thought--and feel--not what you necessarily want |
| because I was curious if would really be that | | | | to hear.So you can take it or leave it. I'm just |
| different. I'll let you be the judge.I did "all" my | | | | saying........don't give up on your Ironman dream |
| training inside. 100%I used a program that slowly | | | | because your area is not really made for |
| built up my distance to "five hours". Or about two | | | | cyclists.By trying it and risking an Ironman race on |
| and a half movies that I watched while I cycled. I | | | | it, I know you can do it if you choose to, with |
| must say that there were many, many | | | | really very little difference in the final result....My |
| advantages to training at home.1)Saved a lot of | | | | name is Ray and I'm a veteran of 14 Ironman |
| gas money.2)Could come home from work--get | | | | triathlons.I have a website that is full of training |
| on the bike and start training right away. No time | | | | and racing tips that I hope can help others realize |
| lost to loading up the bike and driving one way for | | | | their Ironman dream. |