Ironman champions share their indoor training tips

While we’re getting close to the end of winter and a chance to enjoy more of our training time outside, most Canadian triathletes still have lots of indoor time ahead of them this year. We asked some of Wahoo’s pro partners for their “secret” tips for indoor training.

Get the fan pumping …

… to stay “cool as a cucumber,” says Great Britain’s Tim Don, who set an Ironman world-best time at Ironman Brazil in 2017 and was featured in the documentary “The Man with the Halo” that followed his comeback to racing after a near-fatal accident.

Research has shown that your effort level will be higher than comparable efforts outside because your body is working so hard to try and col down during indoor sessions. Hydration, of course, is critical, but make sure you are helping your body perform by using a fan to help cool your body down.

Heat adaptation

On the other side of that equation, Australia’s Sarah Crowley feels that indoor training can be a great way to prepare for an upcoming hot race.

“Sometimes I like to heat the room up to create a humid environment,” the multiple Ironman champ and ITU long course gold medalist says. “It makes the session challenging and can help adaptation if my next race is in the heat.”

Mix things up and stay entertained

“I don’t have any big secrets other than I would say to mix things up every day,” says popular Ironman champ Heather Jackson. “I’ve been riding my Kickr a lot recently (even though I’m in Arizona) and the key has been variety with my ‘entertainment.’ By that, I mean that one day I may do a SUF workout, one day may be a hard workout where it’s just head-down-time-to-grind but I’ve made a specific playlist that goes to the efforts I have, or maybe I just have a recovery spin and so I can put on a podcast or documentary and watch or listen to something while I spin the legs out. Use music, podcasts, movies or other forms of entertainment to avoid burnout or hating having to stay inside.

Find your own space

“I make sure that the indoor training space is a “Do Not Enter” zone,” says Olympian and top Ironman athlete Sarah True. “The downside of indoor training is that you’re easily accessible to pets and people. I make sure that nobody can come in during hard sessions so I can pant and grunt in peace.”

Related: 6 Tips to get the most out of indoor riding programs

Time conversions

So what would a 60 min ride on the trainer convert to as an outdoor session? According to Tim Don that hour on the trainer “is worth about 80min outside.”

Dial in your aero position

Sarah Crowley has a simple trick that helps her work on her head position: “I like to wear a cap backwards so I get feedback of my aero position from the visor on my neck,” she says.