Okay, it has been exactly 16 days since I broke my thumb and ribs in Asheville. Sometimes it seems like it was just a couple days ago, but most of the time it feels like it has been an eternity.
I’m not one that likes to just sit around much. I like to fiddle with stuff and get things accomplished. But, getting things accomplished with the use of only one hand is frustrating. So, I’m kind of sitting around.
I have been riding the trainer pretty consistently. I think I’ve only missed two days since the accident. Yesterday I rode 2 1/2 hours. I was producing pretty good wattage I think, but still it is riding a trainer.
For some reason, I’m not sure why, the last couple years I’ve really enjoyed riding my bike. Historically, I like to ride bikes, but love to race bikes. I still love to race bikes, but the training, or just riding has gotten more enjoyable. So, overall, I’d say the sport is just better, since the training is more fun and the racing is just the same.
Riding a trainer isn’t the same. It is a chore. I don’t like sweating like that. I don’t like the noise. I don’t like the pressure on my seat, the lack of standing. I don’t like just about everything about it. One thing I do like that it keeps some resemblance of fitness for when I get to go back outside, which I’m hoping is very soon.
It is snowing right now in Topeka. Supposed to snow all day. If I weren’t injured, I’d probably call Bill and go ride trails over at the governor’s mansion. I think riding when it is sketchy out is important. It gives you skills and confidence to be able to do it during a race. In actuality, most of the bike handling skills you get to race in sketchy conditions, happen during races, but you need the confidence to be able to attain those skills and that comes from training.
I called Vincent yesterday and he is in Sedona riding. I was supposed to be there with him. We were going to go to Arizona for a week and then race a 50 mile MTB race on Saturday. I would love to be there. But, I’m sitting around home, getting all sweaty and anzy. Maybe that is a good thing in the long run? I sure hope so.
My cross bike on the trainer at Dennis’. I need to put my road bike back together. Maybe I’ll make that a project for the day.
I’ve been using this Exogen ultrasound bone healing system to help my thumb get better faster. It is hard to tell, but I guess it works.
Steve, you should look into Zwift. If you’re a premium strava member you get two months free. Yes, you’ll need an ANT+ key but those are pretty easy to find. Its not riding outside but its better than just spinning on the trainer.
Give Zwift a try. My longest time on the trainer in 10 years up until I started Zwift was about 1:45. I sat on Zwift for 3 hours to get the 100K jersey and I’m actually considering doing the 100 miler after reading Lawson Craddoks’s account of his Zwift experience.
It has the amazing ability to immerse your brain to the point you react as if you are on the road. I don’t find myself sitting there fighting intense boredom and resisting the urge to just get off the damn bike.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/02/news/lawson-craddock-ride-100-miles-inside_361736
We’re starting to see more and more pros on it all the time. Ones I’ve personally seen:
Lawson Craddock
Jens Voight
Eveyln Stevens
..a few others I can’t recall right now.
No fan? That’s brutal.
I put the ear buds in and watch mostly marathon mtb race videos on YouTube. The NUE series videos by dirtwire are excellent. I can immerse myself in the videos and forget that I’m even sitting on the trainer. The videos are roughly 13min on average so after 4 videos I will have pretty much knocked an hour out.
I need three things to train indoors. 1 = Rollers – I can’t stand just being attached to a trainer. 2 = A good fan that moves a shit ton of air – I like the Vornado brand. 3 = Funny stuff on the DVR – nothing even close to serious, it has to be something that’s going to make me laugh.
Agree wholeheartedly re: the skills you gain from riding in sketchy conditions. I believe that almost all of the crashes you see in racing, especially Cat 4+ racing, is the result of too much power and almost nonexistent bike skills. Too much time on the trainer when it’s rainy/snowy, not enough time outside in the real world.
I usually binge-watch a television series on Netflix. House of Cards comes to mind.
You don’t like the noise …. no shit, you are riding a Lemond trainer! They have great road feel and I love the attachment versus the normal but seriously, a jet engine. Get a fluid trainer if you really hate the noise, you can even watch tv while riding one without blowing out the windows.
What’s that seat? Looks damn cool.
Zwift is the answer. I quit riding the trainer now due to other commitments, not boredom.
He’s sponsored by Selle San Marco, so I’d start there.
It’s a Selle San Marco Mantra