When I talk to people about triathlon and in particular cycling almost everyone says........”oh I hate the turbo I’m not doing that, I like riding outside in the countryside”
Well, that’s fine in its place, but for many time compromised triathletes (after all we train for 3 sports, not 1) the turbo trainer is your friend.
I’ll explain why I think its an underutilised tool in the Triathletes arsenal.
Riding outside is great fun, on the whole, you're getting your Vitamin D fix, loads of fresh air, you’re in the countryside after all, oh and there are the cafe stops!
That may be all well and good but if you’re focused on improving your power and speed on the bike then the turbo comes into its elements. There’s no stopping for pesky traffic lights or at a junction. You can really focus on an interval session as you are not having to look out for potholes in the road or other traffic users. Indeed there are no cars or lorries intent on killing you. You are at one with the bike pushing those big gears getting your work done. Improving all the time.
You also need to consider the time it takes to get all your cycling gear on. If it's wet you need all the appropriate gear on which takes ages. You also need to pump up your tyres make sure your bike is roadworthy. By the time you have finished at least 20mins have gone and you haven’t ventured out yet. When you come back in wet through freezing cold, you then need to clean your bike and make sure everything is still in good working order.
Contrast this to having your turbo and bike set up in your garage or spare bedroom:
You can hop on your bike anytime and get started.
You are warm and dry.
You can crank the music up & go for it or you can catch up with a box set, whatever takes your fancy.
If your kids are out at cubs or brownies or if your baby is having a nap you can get on the turbo and do your session before they come home or wake up. Maximising your all-important family time.
It's about making the most of the time you have available; a good 40mins set on the turbo is worth well over an hour on the road.
As a busy wife, mum and business owner I know what I prefer.
Let me know your thoughts
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