5 ways to make a long trainer ride more tolerable
It's time to add some early season miles ... but doing that indoors can be a challenge
Riding indoors can be a great alternative to heading outside when it’s cold out, but it can be mentally tough. There are those days where minutes—even seconds—seem to tick by in slow motion. If you have a set routine with intervals or a workout, it can help, but if you’re looking to do a longer ride, it can be tough to get through.
Everyone’s definition of a long ride is different. Ninety minutes, two hours, three hours? Four or five? Whatever you consider to be a big one, check out some of these ideas to help you make it through.
Zwift, Rouvy, FulGaz or TrainerRoad it
If you haven’t used training platforms like Zwift, Rouvy, FulGaz or TrainerRoad before, it’s definitely worth considering to make the time go by. There are many worlds to explore. While visually they don’t aim for verisimilitude, the pixel roads help with boredom. You can even mix and match different routes if you are feeling creative. Whether it’s mountains, flats or rolling courses, they have something for everyone. Time flies when you’re on Tempus Fugit.
The birth of Zwift … and why so many triathletes are addicted to it
Entertain yourself
Background noise can be your friend. Although not everyone likes to watch films or shows while riding as it’s hard to hear the dialogue, you could try watching some pro tri races, or some of your favourite pro’s YouTube videos. Planning a long indoor session during live coverage of an event can make the time go by quickly.
Change your kit
If you’re riding for several hours, your tri- or cycling shorts and top can get pretty soaked. If you are feeling a little soggy, it always feels nice to put on some fresh gear. Having a clean jersey and shorts (or even an extra trisuit) beside your trainer can be a good move if you want to feel nice and dry after your first hour of riding.
Snacks and hydration
Depending on how long you ride, you can get pretty dehydrated fast. It’s easy to drink 750-1,000 ml/hour when riding inside. If you’re riding for several hours, you’ll also want to fuel accordingly. Make sure you have your bottles filled up, some snacks nearby, and some extra bottles waiting to be swapped. Or simply jump off the bike midway and get some more drinks.
Try not to stare at your head unit/clock/computer
Just like the clock on the wall in high school, staring at it does not make class end sooner. Although you’ll want to check on your progress/watts/heart rate and other data, try not to stare at the time too much. You may find yourself demoralized waiting for those seconds to tick by. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
A version of this story originally appeared on the Canadian Cycling Magazine website.
