Is it actually possible..............

[Flybye]

Oh, I am SO SO SICK of being locked inside my house!!!!! Let me out of the box to play in the sun! I would give anything to suck a bug down my throat!!

It is a balmy 19 degrees and we have a wind chill warning in effect - they are suspecting -10 with winds. AARRRRGGGGHHHH~

So, as I am bored, I wonder, is it actually possible to do ALL of your training for a century on a trainer in the house?

Has anyone actually done this??

Wow, I have WAY too much time on my hands!!!

What have your winter contemplations been??

[VeloVT]

How are the roads???

It ***is possible*** to ride outside in those temps if the roads aren't too sloppy/icy.

Layers!!! Something to cover your face!!! Maybe dorky ski goggles, if you will be riding for a while but will have to stop at lights occasionally... (sunglasses can get really foggy at stoplights below 20f, and if it's really cold the condensation freezes, so you can't see without pushing them down your nose for half a mile or so. Lovely.).

But it's so pretty out on cold sunny days. The light has a different quality, the air is invigorating (if you're dressed warmly enough) and it's generally a little quieter out.

However, I sympathize. While it's also fine to run in these temps if dressed adequately, I really miss my summer running shoes (6 oz vs 10 oz), but they have zero traction in the snow. I'm faster in the summer. Really. What I wouldn't give to be able to throw on a bra, shorts and shoes instead of agonizing over exactly which 3 layers today's temps require.

[Mr. Bloom]

So, as I am bored, I wonder, is it actually possible to do ALL of your training for a century on a trainer in the house?

I hope is warms up enough that you don't have to figure out if it's possible...

[Flybye]

Oh, I wish!!!

Our roads are STRAIGHT ice. There are a few roads here and there that have two tire ruts with a middle island of ice, but even those roads have ice here and there. Our poor friend just got a Harley in November and the road conditions are killing him, too.

I suppose I could go to the mall and ride my bike with the walkers Now that would make for a fun morning I might even make the papers

I have ran once outside a few times. I ***might**** just give it a try at the end of the week.

Sigh......................

[Flybye]

I hope is warms up enough that you don't have to figure out if it's possible...

Sniff, March at the earliest. Why do I live here???????????

[KnottedYet]

have you checked out the "Ice Bike" thread at www.bikejournal.com ?

Lots of good ideas there.

[smilingcat]

yes you can train on the trainer. But you have to be willing to sit and spin for 2 to 3 hours at a time. you can take breaks too if you want. just like a regular ride. And you need to vary your cadence as if going up a hill, vary your output... If done right, I think you can get in better physical conditioning but at a cost of your bike handling skills. Oh and your tush may not be toughened enough for the real ride.

At least you can stay really fit when the weather gets nice with no ice on the road.

Smilingcat

[NoNo]

While there's no ice on the roads (well, maybe in a few spots), there's loads of sand which I hate riding on. And, as has been mentioned, it's really a pain to figure out just how many layers you need to put on and then actually do it. I've been doing a lot of cross-training since November, but like you, I eagerly await being able to just hop on the bike and go.

[Thorn]

Egads Flye, you have worse weather than I!!! Oh, wait, I just checked the forcast for this weekend....uh....are you sending it my way? 7F with strong winds. Another Coach Troy weekend.

This has not been a good winter for riding around here without studded tires. The side roads have stayed snow covered and the snow banks were high enough that short of wearing clothing covered with little blinking lights you didn't feel safe. Then, when the mid-winter melt came and the weather got "warm" (40F) it rained and rained and rained. Blah.

Like you, I'm riding the trainer trying to keep the distance strength up. Intervals to keep things interesting. I must apologize because after the melt, I did manage to get out a few times. Mid 20F, but the roads and paths were clear enough. The hardest part is the eyes, but I picked up some over-the-glasses safety glasses (dork, dork) that really help and don't fog up.

Hang in there...spring is coming. Keep the trainer spinning and keep looking for a day you can sneak out. The ice will go away and the temp will be warm enough and it *will* come before March. Have faith!

But, the best thing about spring is that when you hit the roads, you'll be able to do a long ride without discomfort. The trainer is a sad and distance second for training, but it does work.

[tulip]

Oh, I wish!!!

Our roads are STRAIGHT ice. There are a few roads here and there that have two tire ruts with a middle island of ice, but even those roads have ice here and there. Our poor friend just got a Harley in November and the road conditions are killing him, too.

I suppose I could go to the mall and ride my bike with the walkers Now that would make for a fun morning I might even make the papers

I have ran once outside a few times. I ***might**** just give it a try at the end of the week.

Sigh......................

Ah, but if you had studded tires on your winter bike (a must in your climate), you could be out not only getting a few miles, but also working the upper body and having a blast! Winter is young, get yourself some studded tires and a beater winter bike and go have fun!

[Pedal Wench]

I can get out a bit more often than you, but I'm training for a 24-hour event on the trainer too. Many 2-3 hour workouts at night, in the basement. Yuck. But, I mix up the workouts - different length/types of intervals, cadence work, easy spin, one-leg drills, and the time does go by.

[indysteel]

Flybye, when's your century?

[Flybye]

have you checked out the "Ice Bike" thread at www.bikejournal.com ?

Ah, but if you had studded tires on your winter bike (a must in your climate), you could be out not only getting a few miles, but also working the upper body and having a blast! Winter is young, get yourself some studded tires and a beater winter bike and go have fun!

I have **thought** about studded tires...... my neighbors will really think I have lost it, but I will check that out.............. I haven't been on the Ice Bike thread, but you have my curiosity peaked, I will check that out later today!

But you have to be willing to sit and spin for 2 to 3 hours at a time.

Bring it on!! I believe the playoffs are on Sunday - 8 hours of football and bike bliss

I eagerly await being able to just hop on the bike and go.

If we wait, it will come!!

Egads Flye, you have worse weather than I!!! Oh, wait, I just checked the forcast for this weekend....uh....are you sending it my way? 7F with strong winds. Another Coach Troy weekend.

The hardest part is the eyes, but I picked up some over-the-glasses safety glasses (dork, dork) that really help and don't fog up.

Hang in there...spring is coming. Keep the trainer spinning and keep looking for a day you can sneak out. The ice will go away and the temp will be warm enough and it *will* come before March. Have faith!

But, the best thing about spring is that when you hit the roads, you'll be able to do a long ride without discomfort. The trainer is a sad and distance second for training, but it does work.

I promise to keep the misery to myself, I won't send the weather your way.

How do you like coach Troy?

I had to laugh about the glasses!! Perhaps some "post cataract surgery shades" for the road??

Flybye, when's your century?

It is the first part of June. I should be able to train for it just fine, I was just thinking if it was actually possible to do all of one's training indoors, most of mine will be, but not all!!

[Thorn]

Post cataract glasses? Hmmm....yep, pretty much, except that they are clear. What can I say, once I'm moving I forget how dorky I look. But, at least I now have a better way to describe them

For me, Evil Coach Troy is good. I can't just sit and watch television. I tried movies, educational, even taped so I could fast foward commercials, but I just lose it. My best success for long duration on the trainer has been ECT (or LCD Boy). And, I can't explain why--it should be just as boring as television, shouldn't it?

Last year we were doing Aero V once a week (a little over 2 hours) and managed to hit the roads in spring at 40 miles without a hitch [Note: we're slow...so that is a 3 hour ride for us].

This year, we added the Hard Core 100 (the century dvd), but we break it into pieces. For any easier 2.5 hours we do the first half; for a harder 3 hours we do the second half. I suppose I could just do the same aerobic intervals without LCD Boy shouting at me, but I'm inherently lazy and if no one is shouting at me, I tend not to do it.

We're taking a trip to Tucson in March and one day is a metric in length. I fully believe that I'll be able to ride it without a problem. OK, maybe that is optimistic, but historically, we've done spring trips with less trainer work and managed about 90K rides by the end of the week.

I want to do a century in June as well. Time and weather will tell if it is possible. I'm holding out belief that it can be done, but, then, I'll be cheating with a week in Tucson. Sorry...

[spokewench]

I know how you feel. It is really icy here and has been forever. We are a bit warmer than you today. Probably will get around 38 high today. Right now it is 29 feels like 22. Tomorrow it is supposed to be high 28, 20-30 mph winds (YAHOO).

I trained 90% of my training on a trainer and in spin class one year for the Arizona mountain bike series. The races always start in January since we do have warm weather down south so us snowbound people have to train indoors alot or travel a lot (which I could never do). The really weird thing was that I actually won my first race of that year racing against people who should have been in prime fitness (it is southern arizona's good training time of the year in the winter.)

So, it can be done, but IT WILL DRIVE YOU CRAZY! For the long slow miles, I would take breaks and watch movies. Otherwise, the rest of the time, I spent listening to really motivating music and doing lots of different kinds of intervals to spice the trainer work up. The spinning classes (2 hours) once a week really helped since there were other people there and it helps to keep you on the bike.

spoke