Training & Nutrition - Race training on the road...

Hello all,

Just got done looking at the CAT 5 thread and this question kept coming up in my mind...

Other than finding hills for intervals, how do you spend your time on the road in comparison to the trainer? Do you use it for nice base miles? How about building speed for crits, etc? How fast do you usually take it on the road?

Thanks

Other than finding hills for intervals, how do you spend your time on the road in comparison to the trainer? Do you use it for nice base miles? How about building speed for crits, etc? How fast do you usually take it on the road?

Thanks

On road training should be used for all the above. Given a choice between road miles and trainer miles - well their is no choice :D

So then here comes the big question, is time on the trainer as good as time on the road (At least for endurance stuff)? I love riding on the road but there is only 24 hours in a day and I do not have many of daylight right now for riding outside.

time on the trainer can actually be better for maintaining a steady heartrate(depending on where you ride). there aren't any stop signs, cars, lights or dogs to deal with, so you can go a little more non-stop, but like i said, not always the case. if you wanna go for an endurance workout, the trainer sucks, couldn't imagine spending 2+ hours on one.i find that i don't push myself as hard on the trainer, so a heart rate monitor or some workout videos(or ideally both) would be nice and give a little structure to your workout. but the trainer is much more boring, and doesn't work on any bike handling skills whatsoever. i would pick road miles, but you can defidently get a comprable workout from a trainer, if you can stand it

I can work on a trainer for 90 minutes or so with my heart rate monitor and listening to music. I am always concentrating on heart rate or maintaining a smooth cadence on the trainer. around me there is not may places where you can go for more that 2 miles or so without stoping. I enjoy the group rides I do 3 times a week for my road miles but I have a very hard time keeping my heart rate where it needs to be on those kinds of rides.

I get most of my handling skills on these group rides, but I find I get a better endurance workout on the trainer in the zones (i.e. E2, zone 2). For intervals I like hitting the local hills where there is plenty of space to do these short burst excersizes. It is funny but the trainer is actually harder than the road where I can maintain 22 - 25 MPH suprisingly easy compared to a trainer.

My main schedule has me scheduled for the trainer all the time for E2, E1, S1, S2, etc which I try and do 6 days a week with one day off or E1. I try and get out on the road those days in addition to the trainer or in place depending on my schedule. I guess it depends on what you can stand doing...

I can work on a trainer for 90 minutes or so with my heart rate monitor and listening to music. I am always concentrating on heart rate or maintaining a smooth cadence on the trainer. around me there is not may places where you can go for more that 2 miles or so without stoping. I enjoy the group rides I do 3 times a week for my road miles but I have a very hard time keeping my heart rate where it needs to be on those kinds of rides.

I get most of my handling skills on these group rides, but I find I get a better endurance workout on the trainer in the zones (i.e. E2, zone 2). For intervals I like hitting the local hills where there is plenty of space to do these short burst excersizes. It is funny but the trainer is actually harder than the road where I can maintain 22 - 25 MPH suprisingly easy compared to a trainer.

My main schedule has me scheduled for the trainer all the time for E2, E1, S1, S2, etc which I try and do 6 days a week with one day off or E1. I try and get out on the road those days in addition to the trainer or in place depending on my schedule. I guess it depends on what you can stand doing...

Hmmm. Sounds like I'm not the only Friel junkie... :p ;)

Cole