Thoughts on Trainer Rides

I ride the trainer on the week days in lieu of actual rides, but happily take the bike out on the road on the weekends.  Trainer rides are tough.  I was originally going to attach a bike computer to the rear wheel so I can get an estimate of distance traveled while on the trainer, until my triathlon coach told me it would not reflect real-world conditions.  Riding the trainer, it turns out, is like riding uphill all the time.  When working on scheduling training sessions, he estimates 15 mph on the trainer. 

 

After initiall setting up the trainer in the living room, like this, I realized it gets pretty loud when I'm doing a hard set and I get very hot (and sweaty).  I thought that moving everything to the garage, semi-outside, would help - trainer rides are generally done early in the morning and the front of the garage doesn't get direct sunlight until the afternoon.  This set-up has worked out very well for me.  The bicycle sits on the trainer all week, coming off on the weekends to be taken out for rides.

 

60 minutes of riding

But being in the garage doesn't mean it doesn't get hot and I don't get sweaty.  In fact, just as I was in the living room, within ten minutes of riding I start dripping sweat.  A lot of it falls onto the bike frame, but much of it also drips to the ground.  When in the living room,  I actually laid an extra towel on the floor to catch the sweat.  In the garage, I just let it drip on the concrete floor.  The picture you see is my sweat from the main set of a 60 minute ride, less anything caught by the bike frame (you can actually see an outline of the bike frame in between the two larger blotches of sweat), and less all of the sweat I continuously wipe with my sweat towel.

Even then, I'm usually glistening with beads of sweat on my body when I wrap up my training ride, and need to wipe down the bike frame.  Lovely, isn't it? 

After Week 13

This past week was a heavy week, even with two skipped work-outs (one trainer ride and one functional strength session).  The idea behind this week's training schedule was to do, in the aggregate, full Ironman lengths of each discipline. 

Although that was the goal, the training schedule has had me swimming farther than a full Ironman length swim (2.4 miles) for some time now.  For the cycling portion, time spent on the trainer would be estimated as 15 mph. That means this week, I rode an estimated 100 miles.  The shortage is due to the skipped session and the actual ride that was scheduled for 80 miles but ended up at 76.67 miles instead.


I like this style of location posters/postcards

There are two items to note for this week in training.  First, little/no knee pains during the runs.  After the long 14 mile run session in week 12, knee pain was an issue I wanted to keep an eye on.  This week saw increased mileage, in the aggregate, and increased frequency, but none of the pain.  Tightness and soreness in the legs which I believe are quite normal, but nothing to worry about.  This was certainly good news.  Maybe my body isn't falling apart from old age just quite yet!

The second item to note was a nice weekend away in beautiful and very hot Palm Springs, a bit of a get-away with my Iron Sherpa.  With weekend temperatures breaking into the triple digits, I knew that all of my training would need to be done early in the morning.  An 80 mile bike ride with a 2 mile run was scheduled for Saturday, and a 10 mile run was scheduled for Sunday.  In each case, I'd be outside for hours, so to mitigate the effect of the heat, the training sessions started as the sun came up.  By the end of each training session, the sun was high and the heat was turned all the way up. 

I think Saturday's course will be similar to the IMAZ bike course - slight uphill on the way out, and then downhill on the way back in.  IMAZ is three loops, on Saturday I did two loops, northbound out of the city, then loop back into the city.  It was nearly noon by the time I finished the ride and jumped into running shoes.  Within a half mile, it was clear that it was just simply too hot to run, but I pushed ahead anyway.  Then a mile in, my feet were burning up from the heat.  No swelling or pain from running - just too much heat!  Figuring that I had a few tenths of a mile pocketed from runs earlier in the week, I called it quits a little early to get out of my shoes and into the shower.

Sunday's run was much better, being able to start when the sun came up and the weather was still bearable.  Just in case I brought along one of my water bottles, which I normally do not do.  Thank goodness I did so this time though - although annoying to carry a sloshing bottle around, I was very happy I did so by the end of the first mile.

I'll be back in Palm Springs in late October for a work retreat, and the bike will be coming along again.

To top off the weekend, I indulged in a nice Chinese foot massage.

Week Thirteen totals:

Bike: 76.67 miles + 95 minutes on trainer
Run: 26.2 miles
Swim: 5200 meters (3.23 miles)

Total Time: 12:20

Daily Priorities & Nutrition

Nearly every morning there is a morning training session.  More often than not, there is also an evening training session.  I usually do my runs and rides in the mornings, and save any swims, weight lifting or "functional strength" (core workouts) for the evenings.

Coupled with a demanding work schedule, the training keeps me pretty busy.  Each morning, I run through a mental checklist of items I will need for the day, since an evening workout generally means not getting home until nearly 9pm as I go to the gym/pool immediately after work.

That mental checklist can be broken down into two main categories: (1) work-related and normal daily items, and (2) training-related items.  I almost always carry two bags to work for that reason, though the gym bag stays in the car all day.

The work-related/normal daily items include:

- security badge

- wallet

- phone

- work bag with any work I brought home the previous day

The training-related items include:

- swim gear (jammers, sandals, goggles, Garmin)

- shorts for after-gym wear

- extra ziploc bag to keep my training notes waterproof

My booty



Then there's the all important daily nutrition.  Today's workout included a morning trainer ride and then a long (3800m) swim in the evening.  That means today is an extra food day:

- bento box of mixed nuts and mixed vegetables

- apple

- two plums ("fun fruit")

- quesadilla

- rice krispy treats (hooray!)

- turkey sammich

- pb+banana sammich

- hard-baked egg

A "normal" food day would include only the bento box, apple, fun fruit and egg.  Since I began Ironman training, the sammich has become a part of the "normal" food day as well.  The only item that is not healthy in my lunch is the rice krispy treats.  However, I don't normally have desserts packed with my lunch.  Just today (and for the next few days until the treats run out!).  Everything home-made (though not by me; I'm pretty much useless in the kitchen).

With that many items on the list, it's easy to forget one or two items.  The most often forgotten item? By far and away, the wallet.   Like today, for example.

After Week 12

Week 12 was a difficult week for training.  A busy work work, with long hours nearly every day, and a trip to San Francisco for the weekend for the last dragon boat tournament of the season.  The weekend marks the end of the dragon boat season, but also meant a full weekend with no triathlon training and lots of time eaten up traveling.

The week started off with a bike time trial, which went really well (results to be posted soon).  But by the end of the week, there was one skipped swim session (2000m) and one skipped bike/run brick (105 min on the trainer + 2 mile run).  But I added one more long run under my belt - a total of 14 miles, which was the total mileage all week.



The hardware.



The training sessions I got in were all quality sessions, with some knee pain after the run (but not during).  Something to keep an eye on as the running increases in both frequency and mileage.  Otherwise, my body seems healthy, if a little ragged from the rigors and stress of work. 

Happily I can report huge successes for my dragon boat team, which took top honors in the top division in San Francisco while collecting a bunch of other hardware and logging in the two fastest times of the weekend.  An amazing feat by itself, but made even more so by the fact that those two top times were earned by two different crews.  It goes to show the depth and strength of the team.

Week Twelve totals:

Bike: 17 miles (time trial)
Run: 14.0 miles
Swim: 5000 meters (3.1 miles)

Total Time: 4:30 (excluding dragon boat tournament)

Progress Report: Run [1] Time Trial

Time trials explained here.

Let's take a look at the progress made on the run.

July 3:

7:58.2

7:34.0

7:02.8

Sept 6:
7:20.9
7:14.2
7:12.7

These results immediately tell me two things: (1) I am faster, and (2) I am more consistent.

Although the fastest lap on July 3 was quicker than the fastest lap on September 6, the total running time has decreased by nearly a full minute.  The consistency is key; it also signifies a better understanding of my own limits and likely the ability to push those limits.

I recall that after the July 3 time trial, my body was exhausted.  I had pushed myself extremely hard, but mostly on the third lap, knowing that it was the last lap.  On September 6, I was able to run closer to my limit for a longer period of time.  The third lap could have been quicker, if it had not been for over-eating prior to the run in an attempt to ensure that I would not be lacking in nutrition.  I think the exhaustion I remembered from July 3 caused me to overcompensate.  But the time trials do not take much time and I should have only taken in half of the nutrition I took prior to the time trial.  Chalk it up as a learning experience; I had hoped to get a sub-7 minute mile but that will have to be for next time.

Overall I am happy with the result.

After Week 11

This week was a big bike week - lots of miles put down and lots of time spent on the trainer.  After weeks of spending significant amounts of time on the trainer, I've been very curious as to how many miles I'm logging while on the trainer. Starting next week, I should have that answer.  The plan is to hook up a bike computer to the rear wheel of the bike but leave the computer off of the bike - stationed, however, nearby so it can read the revolutions of the wheel.

This week's saturday long ride was unfortunately cut short due to issues with flats.  But because of Labor Day on Monday and an extra ride on Sunday, I was able to put in a good amount of time in the saddle, though not in one sitting.  I also decided the Palos Verdes loop is one of my favorite routes to ride.  It's a great combination of hills, seaside vistas, lots of bike lanes and a liquor store on the route for extra water. 

The purple arrow (Palos Verdes East) points at the biggest hill on the loop, but that dark blue-ish/purple-ish line in the middle is Hawthorne Boulevard, which offers a pretty spectacular hill too, perhaps steeper and longer than PV East. 

A cyclist friend who lives in the area tells me there are many detours off of the loop that offers even more climbing (including the PV East to Crest climb) and is his favorite area to ride as well. 

I'll likely be heading here more often than Malibu now that I've found this.  Although I would still like to climb the entirety of Mulholland Highway.  Angeles Crest Highway, I've got your number too. And it's 2. Get it? I made a funny!

Week Eleven totals:


Bike: 67.80 miles + 120 min on the trainer
Run: 14.1 miles
Swim: 6723 meters (3.81 miles)

Total Time: 14:00



Progress Report: Swim [1] Time Trial

Time trials explained here.

First swim time trial took place on July 6, Week 2 of formal training.  Second one was
Week 9 of training.

The results:
July 6
5:20.4
5:38.3
5:44.3

August 23
5:05.1
5:28.9
5:27.2

These results show a significant amount of speed was picked up between the time of the two time trials - each corresponding lap from the August time trial was anywhere from ten to 17 seconds faster.  Over 900m, this equates to a whopping 44 second difference!  Extrapolate that over 2.4 miles, and... well, math is not my strong suit but you get the picture!

This news reinvigorated me and really put numbers to what I have been feeling - that I am becoming faster (relatively speaking) and more efficient in the water.  This is proof-positive that all of the workouts and time spent training is paying off.

After Week Ten

Week Ten was a strong week.  The next event on the calendar will be a dragon boat tournament in San Francisco (mid-September), so training will be uninterrupted for two weeks.  After that, the dragon boat season will be over and it will be triathlon training all day every day.  I am a little concerned that the dragon boat season ends only a mere two months prior to IMAZ, which has limited my triathlon training somewhat.  But I knew this coming in to the training, and my coach doesn't seem to concerned.  I guess that's a good sign.  He did mention that after the dragon boat season, my weekend training sessions will be much, much longer.

But enough about what's coming up ahead.  This week I tried out a new area for cycling: Rancho Palos Verdes.  Lovely rolling hills, seaside cliffs with stunning views, nice breezes and lots of bicycle lanes made for a great Saturday ride.  I've heard many great things about this area and am glad to have finally rode more than just "PV East."  From the start point, we rode counter-clockwise until we hit the southern end of Hawthorne Boulevard (the red line in the middle).  Took Hawthorne up and hooked a left at the northern end to do the western edge of the loop again before heading back to our cars. 

I was very happy with this ride for a multitude of reasons.  A focus on this ride was nutrition.  Following my experience at the Santa Barbara Triathlon, I wanted to work on making sure I had enough nutrition during training (and races, of course).  For this ride, it meant a goal of 100 calories per hour.  I took a PowerBar (240 calories), a Gu (90) and a Kashi bar (150), for total of 480 calories.  A bit more than 100/hour but it felt about right.  Total riding time was a few minutes over 3 hours, but total time was just a hair over 4 hours.  This included one pit stop for water (which was probably unnecessarily long due to a very informative cycling chat with a new riding partner who is very fast and very experienced) as well as a stop to fix a flat tube early in the ride.  Over 3100 feet climbed cumulative in this ride and I still felt relatively fresh at the end.  There's certainly something to this training thing.

Even after taking in 480 calories, I happily scarfed down a big late lunch of Hawaiian food at Back Home in Lahaina.  Strongly recommend the Hawaiian BBQ Chicken there!

Week Ten totals:

Bike: 39.86 miles + 80 min on the trainer
Run: 12.78 miles
Swim: 6044 meters  (3.75 miles)

Total Time: 11:50