Time spent on trainer

[Kelly J.]

I'm pretty much a novice, although I did do an unofficial century last Fall. I want to try BRAN
(Bike Ride Across Nebraska) which is in early June. I have a bike trainer now & was reading in one
of the biking books that I found at the library that it's not neccesary to ride it for more than 45
minutes. In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things in the field as much as I
can, which is much longer than a 45 minute ride, so therefore I should be riding on the trainer for
longer periods. Right or wrong? I've went as long as 2:30 on the trainer, not including two 5 minute
breaks. How long do you ride yours, & how many times per week? I will start riding on similar
highways to what I'll encounter on BRAN as soon as it gets a bit warmer.

I also do strength training exercises, so I'm good there.

Thanks! Kelly http://members.cox.net/incredibleshrinkingwoman/

 

[Budman]

Trainer time should be quality not quantity. Use the time on the trainer for intervals or just easy
spins, 45 minutes sounds about right. Longer than that you will get bored and loose interest after a
few weeks. Also, this time of the year too much time on the trainer may make you peak early. There
are a number of cycling books out there that will give you more information about training. I'm only
speaking for myself but for the indoor season I usually ride my rollers (I have a CycleOps trainer
but the rollers are more fun) four days a week. Instead of time there is a set distance, usually 10
or 15 miles, depending on my schedule, this takes 35 to 45 minutes. The other three days a week run
outdoors weather permitting, or treadmill. On the bike days I also do some resistance training using
my Total Gym. Usually four or five circuits on the Total Gym after riding. It's enough to keep some
of the winter fat off and kick start the road training that starts on March 15. "Kelly J."
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I'm pretty much a novice, although I did do an unofficial century last
Fall.
> I want to try BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) which is in early June. I have a bike trainer now &
> was reading in one of the biking books that I found at the library that it's not neccesary to ride
> it for more than 45 minutes. In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things
in
> the field as much as I can, which is much longer than a 45 minute ride, so therefore I should be
> riding on the trainer for longer periods. Right or wrong? I've went as long as 2:30 on the
> trainer, not including two 5
minute
> breaks. How long do you ride yours, & how many times per week? I will
start
> riding on similar highways to what I'll encounter on BRAN as soon as it
gets
> a bit warmer.
>
> I also do strength training exercises, so I'm good there.
>
> Thanks! Kelly http://members.cox.net/incredibleshrinkingwoman/

 

[Bernie]

"Kelly J." wrote:

> I'm pretty much a novice, although I did do an unofficial century last Fall. I want to try BRAN
> (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) which is in early June. I have a bike trainer now & was reading in one
> of the biking books that I found at the library that it's not neccesary to ride it for more than
> 45 minutes. In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things in the field as much
> as I can, which is much longer than a 45 minute ride, so therefore I should be riding on the
> trainer for longer periods. Right or wrong? I've went as long as 2:30 on the trainer, not
> including two 5 minute breaks. How long do you ride yours, & how many times per week? I will start
> riding on similar highways to what I'll encounter on BRAN as soon as it gets a bit warmer.
>
> I also do strength training exercises, so I'm good there.
>
> Thanks! Kelly http://members.cox.net/incredibleshrinkingwoman/

Hi Kelly. Just visited your website. You have made yourself strong. It looks like you will be able
to ride your bike all day, with normal rest stops. We chatted here last year a little. Your attitude
and general fitness will bring you along. Keep up the winter training and I am betting the ride you
are going for will be a positiveand successful personal event. I'd say follow your instincts and
stay pumped, you will do fine. Your story is a source of inspiration for me! --->> legal disblaimer:
All my riding is commuting or recreational. I rarely do over 60 miles in a day. So take my opinion
for what it is worth. (three years ago I could not cycle 10 miles without stopping for a gentle
puke). Now I ride 100 - 150 miles a week, rain or shine, winter or summer. I still carry a little
beer belly, but it's not that important. Very best regards, Bernie

 

[Pbwalther]

> In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things in the field as much as I can,
> which is much longer than a 45 minute ride, so therefore I should be riding on the trainer for
> longer periods.

Well, maybe-maybe not.

It all depends on what your goals are. Some people want to ride in fast packs and be able to keep up
when things get competititive. For them, high intensity training is more appropriate.

As a disclaimer, putting in some high intensity workouts is a good idea. Just keep them
pretty short.

But if you are interested in being able to ride long distances day after day comfortably, well more
time in the saddle is what you want to do.

One thing you need to do is have a training routine that you can do happily. If it gets to be a
chore or a torment, you probably are not going to keep it up (I would wonder about anyone who did).

 

[Harris]

Kelly J. <[email protected]> wrote:
> I want to try BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) which is in early June. I have a bike trainer now &
> was reading in one of the biking books that I found at the library that it's not neccesary to ride
> it for more than 45 minutes. In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things in

You're right. You get good at riding long distance by riding long distance. But your ride isn't
until June, so you have plenty of time to gradually build up your mileage.

How many miles/days is BRAN?

Personally, I can't stand riding a trainer more than about 45 minutes. I admire your tenacity to
ride 2 1/2 hours on yours! I use the trainer to get me through the winter without losing too
much fitness. This has been a very cold winter, but I expect to get on the road by early March
at the latest.

What you do on the trainer depends on what your goals are. If you're not racing, a good steady pace
that duplicates the effort you'd put out on the road is fine. Another benefit of the trainer is that
it may reveal bike fit problems that wouldn't be easily noticed on the road.

Good luck.

Art Harris

 

[Thomas Reynolds]

"Kelly J." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I'm pretty much a novice, although I did do an unofficial century last Fall. I want to try BRAN
> (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) which is in early June. I have a bike trainer now & was reading in one
> of the biking books that I found at the library that it's not neccesary to ride it for more than
> 45 minutes. In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things in the field as much
> as I can, which is much longer than a 45 minute ride, so therefore I should be riding on the
> trainer for longer periods. Right or wrong? I've went as long as 2:30 on the trainer, not
> including two 5 minute breaks. How long do you ride yours, & how many times per week? I will start
> riding on similar highways to what I'll encounter on BRAN as soon as it gets a bit warmer.
>
> I also do strength training exercises, so I'm good there.
>
> Thanks! Kelly http://members.cox.net/incredibleshrinkingwoman/

I visited your website and you have my family's prayers for your son.

I have been using a trainer for several years. I live in San Diego so weather is not an issue. I use
it because it provides a controlled environment. I compete in ultra-marathon events. After viewing
your website I think I have an idea of your bicycling ability and goals.

If you have a single goal of riding BRAN in June I would suggest that you limit your trainer riding
to 45-60 min. But you can put that time to effective use. Arnie Baker has a book called Smart
Cycling, available for $12.00 at Amazon, which has a 12 week trainer workout schedule, as well as
some theme workouts. The book caters to team racing, which neither you or I do, but after going
through some of the trainer workouts you will have enough knowledge to design your own effective
trainer schedule.

The workouts can be hard. This may help direct you enthusiasm away from long trainer rides in
January to shorter, more effective trainer rides while you wait for the weather to warm up.

Hope this helps, Tom

 

[Mike S.]

The thing you have to realize about trainer rides is that there are no hills (up OR down), no stop
lights, signs, or cars cutting you off, headwinds, tailwinds, or any outside stimuli that affect
your road riding. Since a trainer only works when you're pedaling, the actual time spent riding on
the road can be condensed on a trainer. Next time you're out on the road, check to see how much time
you spend not riding because of external factors. It'll surprise you.

Having said that, you don't need to spend as much time on a trainer to get the same workout as being
on the road.

Happy riding!

Mike "Kelly J." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm pretty much a novice, although I did do an unofficial century last
Fall.
> I want to try BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) which is in early June. I have a bike trainer now &
> was reading in one of the biking books that I found at the library that it's not neccesary to ride
> it for more than 45 minutes. In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things
in
> the field as much as I can, which is much longer than a 45 minute ride, so therefore I should be
> riding on the trainer for longer periods. Right or wrong? I've went as long as 2:30 on the
> trainer, not including two 5
minute
> breaks. How long do you ride yours, & how many times per week? I will
start
> riding on similar highways to what I'll encounter on BRAN as soon as it
gets
> a bit warmer.
>
> I also do strength training exercises, so I'm good there.
>
> Thanks! Kelly http://members.cox.net/incredibleshrinkingwoman/

 

[S. Anderson]

I'd also say that it's a good idea to ramp up to the ride time you expect for your century. It
doesn't have to be on the trainer, but you should get a 4hr ride in at some point just to replicate
the conditions of the ride and see how you do. I also do 45-60min on the trainer 4 times a week in
my aerobic HR zone and I'd feel pretty comfortable fitness-wise doing a 4hr ride, but I'd still want
to get one or two rides in beforehand up in that time range.

Cheers,

Scott..
--
Scott Anderson

"BudMan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Trainer time should be quality not quantity. Use the time on the trainer for intervals or just
> easy spins, 45 minutes sounds about right. Longer than that you will get bored and loose interest
> after a few weeks. Also, this time of the year too much time on the trainer may make you peak
early.
> There are a number of cycling books out there that will give you more information about training.
> I'm only speaking for myself but for the
indoor
> season I usually ride my rollers (I have a CycleOps trainer but the
rollers
> are more fun) four days a week. Instead of time there is a set distance, usually 10 or 15 miles,
> depending on my schedule, this takes 35 to 45 minutes. The other three days a week run outdoors
> weather permitting, or treadmill. On the bike days I also do some resistance training using my
> Total Gym. Usually four or five circuits on the Total Gym after riding. It's enough to keep some
> of the winter fat off and kick start the road training that starts on March 15.

 

[Sparhawk]

On 20 Jan 2003 14:29:42 GMT, [email protected] (Pbwalther) wrote:

>> In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things in the field as much as I can,
>> which is much longer than a 45 minute ride, so therefore I should be riding on the trainer for
>> longer periods.
>
>Well, maybe-maybe not.
>
>It all depends on what your goals are. Some people want to ride in fast packs and be able to keep
>up when things get competititive. For them, high intensity training is more appropriate.
>
>As a disclaimer, putting in some high intensity workouts is a good idea. Just keep them
>pretty short.
>
>But if you are interested in being able to ride long distances day after day comfortably, well more
>time in the saddle is what you want to do.
>
>One thing you need to do is have a training routine that you can do happily. If it gets to be a
>chore or a torment, you probably are not going to keep it up (I would wonder about anyone who did).
>
What would you wonder? Would you wonder how through hard work and determination that they were able
to suceed where you were not able to?

Some people ride hard and train hard, they like to do it that way, if you don't and you want to ride
like a little fat boy than be our guest!

Sparhawk

 

[Kelly J.]

"BudMan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Trainer time should be quality not quantity. Use the time on the trainer for intervals or just
> easy spins, 45 minutes sounds about right. Longer than that you will get bored and loose interest
> after a few weeks. Also, this time of the year too much time on the trainer may make you peak
early.
> There are a number of cycling books out there that will give you more information about training.
> I'm only speaking for myself but for the
indoor
> season I usually ride my rollers (I have a CycleOps trainer but the
rollers
> are more fun) four days a week. Instead of time there is a set distance, usually 10 or 15 miles,
> depending on my schedule, this takes 35 to 45 minutes. The other three days a week run outdoors
> weather permitting, or treadmill. On the bike days I also do some resistance training using my
> Total Gym. Usually four or five circuits on the Total Gym after riding. It's enough to keep some
> of the winter fat off and kick start the road training that starts on March 15.

Hi Budman,

The one comment that you made that I'd like to understand more about is the "peak early". I did
get a few books from the library which include: Serious Cycling by Edmund Burke & Complete Book of
Road Cycling Skills by Ed Pavelka. The latter is where I read about the 45 minute time frame. I
know I need to include interval training. I (and my body?) seem to like the endurance aspect more
so than the sprints or speed, but I would never say that I would never be a faster rider. I keep
pushing. Thanks!

Kelly

 

[Kelly J.]

> Hi Kelly. Just visited your website. You have made yourself strong. It looks like
you
> will be able to ride your bike all day, with normal rest stops. We
chatted here
> last year a little. Your attitude and general fitness will bring you
along.
> Keep up the winter training and I am betting the ride you are going for
will be
> a positiveand successful personal event. I'd say follow your instincts and stay pumped, you will
> do fine. Your
story is
> a source of inspiration for me! --->> legal disblaimer: All my riding is commuting or
> recreational. I
rarely do
> over 60 miles in a day. So take my opinion for what it is worth. (three
years
> ago I could not cycle 10 miles without stopping for a gentle puke). Now I
ride
> 100 - 150 miles a week, rain or shine, winter or summer. I still carry a
little
> beer belly, but it's not that important. Very best regards, Bernie
>

Hi Bernie,

Yes, I remember talking to you last year. How are ya? I'm really missing "real" riding, but am so
glad that hubby got me the trainer for Christmas, which is what I wanted most. He now says he knows
he won't be able to keep up with me anymore, which is kind of a cool statement since I was the
clumsy, unathletic girl in our family growing up, and he was a high school football hunk...lol! I
can relate to the beginnings of your riding too, as when I first started, I could barely go a mile
without breathing hard! I've never puked on a ride, but I did bonk once & had to be rescued by my
husband. I'm really very excited about the possibility of my being able to accomplish this feat. I'm
feeling quite good about it.

Kelly

 

[Kelly J.]

"Pbwalther" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate things in
> > the field as much as I can, which is much longer than a 45 minute ride,
so
> >therefore I should be riding on the trainer for longer periods.
>
> Well, maybe-maybe not.
>
> It all depends on what your goals are. Some people want to ride in fast
packs
> and be able to keep up when things get competititive. For them, high
intensity
> training is more appropriate.
>
> As a disclaimer, putting in some high intensity workouts is a good idea.
Just
> keep them pretty short.

Do you ride hard for several minutes, then at a typical pace for 5 or 10?

>
> But if you are interested in being able to ride long distances day after
day
> comfortably, well more time in the saddle is what you want to do.

My primary goal at this point is for distance & being able to conquer the hills. Speed will come, I
would think.

>
> One thing you need to do is have a training routine that you can do
happily.
> If it gets to be a chore or a torment, you probably are not going to keep
it up
> (I would wonder about anyone who did).

Yep...any exercise that you dislike doesn't go on for very long.

Thanks, Kelly

 

[Kelly J.]

"Harris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Kelly J. <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I want to try BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) which is in early June. I have a bike trainer now
> > & was reading in one of the biking books that I found at the library that it's not neccesary to
> > ride it for more than 45 minutes. In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate
> > things
in
>
> You're right. You get good at riding long distance by riding long distance. But your ride isn't
> until June, so you have plenty of time to gradually build up your mileage.

I'm just excited & impatient at this point!

>
> How many miles/days is BRAN?

It starts on June 8th & goes through the 14th. The exact mileage has not yet been posted. I think
those are typically about 450+ mile rides.

> Personally, I can't stand riding a trainer more than about 45 minutes. I admire your tenacity to
> ride 2 1/2 hours on yours! I use the trainer to get me through the winter without losing too
> much fitness. This has been a very cold winter, but I expect to get on the road by early March
> at the latest.

If nothing else, I'm burning more calories to keep my weight loss going & my general level of
fitness up.

> What you do on the trainer depends on what your goals are. If you're not racing, a good steady
> pace that duplicates the effort you'd put out on the road is fine. Another benefit of the trainer
> is that it may reveal bike fit problems that wouldn't be easily noticed on the road.

No racing at this point. Maybe someday. I have a hybrid bike anyway, and cannot afford a different
one for quite some time. Thank you! Kelly

>
> Good luck.
>
> Art Harris

 

[Kelly J.]

"Thomas Reynolds" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I visited your website and you have my family's prayers for your son.
>

Thank you, Tom. How kind of you.

> I have been using a trainer for several years. I live in San Diego so weather is not an issue. I
> use it because it provides a controlled environment. I compete in ultra-marathon events. After
> viewing your website I think I have an idea of your bicycling ability and goals.
>
> If you have a single goal of riding BRAN in June I would suggest that you limit your trainer
> riding to 45-60 min.

My formal biking goals for this year include BRAN & also doing a single day 128 mile ride, which
will be riding the entire length, back & forth, of the Wabash Trace trail in Iowa. Informal
goals include increasing my overall speed & time doing longer rides. My century last year took
me 8:52 minutes!

>But you can put that time to effective use. Arnie Baker has a book called Smart Cycling, available
>for $12.00 at Amazon, which has a 12 week trainer workout schedule, as well as some theme workouts.
>The book caters to team racing, which neither you or I do, but after going through some of the
>trainer workouts you will have enough knowledge to design your own effective trainer schedule.

That sounds like a good idea...I like the cheap price, too.

> The workouts can be hard. This may help direct you enthusiasm away from long trainer rides in
> January to shorter, more effective trainer rides while you wait for the weather to warm up.
>
> Hope this helps, Tom

Thank you, Tom.

 

[Kelly J.]

"S. Anderson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'd also say that it's a good idea to ramp up to the ride time you expect for your century. It
> doesn't have to be on the trainer, but you should
get
> a 4hr ride in at some point just to replicate the conditions of the ride
and
> see how you do. I also do 45-60min on the trainer 4 times a week in my aerobic HR zone and I'd
> feel pretty comfortable fitness-wise doing a 4hr ride, but I'd still want to get one or two rides
> in beforehand up in that time range.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Scott..
> --
> Scott Anderson

Heck, Scott, 4 hours! That will be wonderful to get in a long 4 hour ride. Last year, my century
took me 8:52! I'm hoping, and feeling confident that it will not take me near as long this year. It
will be interesting to see how much faster I'll be able to average when Spring finally arrives.

Kelly

 

[Bernie]

--------------BB0D7007D14E81822CC027A5 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

"Kelly J." wrote:

> > Hi Kelly. Just visited your website. You have made yourself strong. It looks like
> you
> > will be able to ride your bike all day, with normal rest stops. We
> chatted here
> > last year a little. Your attitude and general fitness will bring you
> along.
> > Keep up the winter training and I am betting the ride you are going for
> will be
> > a positiveand successful personal event. I'd say follow your instincts and stay pumped, you will
> > do fine. Your
> story is
> > a source of inspiration for me! --->> legal disblaimer: All my riding is commuting or
> > recreational. I
> rarely do
> > over 60 miles in a day. So take my opinion for what it is worth. (three
> years
> > ago I could not cycle 10 miles without stopping for a gentle puke). Now I
> ride
> > 100 - 150 miles a week, rain or shine, winter or summer. I still carry a
> little
> > beer belly, but it's not that important. Very best regards, Bernie
> >
>
> Hi Bernie,
>
> Yes, I remember talking to you last year. How are ya? I'm really missing "real" riding, but am so
> glad that hubby got me the trainer for Christmas, which is what I wanted most. He now says he
> knows he won't be able to keep up with me anymore, which is kind of a cool statement since I was
> the clumsy, unathletic girl in our family growing up, and he was a high school football
> hunk...lol! I can relate to the beginnings of your riding too, as when I first started, I could
> barely go a mile without breathing hard! I've never puked on a ride, but I did bonk once & had to
> be rescued by my husband. I'm really very excited about the possibility of my being able to
> accomplish this feat. I'm feeling quite good about it.
>
> Kelly

I'm well. Thanks for asking! I had cataract surgery in early December and with that and the
holidays took a month off. Spent some time rebuilding my 15 year old mountain bike too. It is
an old friend that I have ridden into better health more than once! Am doing about 15 miles a
day now on my commute, taking the long way home mainly just because I can, riding rain or shine
as usual. I have the advantage of living on the wet, green strip of the western edge of the
North American continent where folks ride all year. That's the "leading edge" of our continent!

The great thing for me this year was getting vision back in my right eye. It is a miracle. I see
truly vibrant colours. My brain is flooded with light. (and it is not irritating!). I have night
vision again! My eyesight is not perfect, but that can and will be corrected. I feel great. In a
nutshell, vision is the blessing that is turning my crank just now. I continue to feel blessed.

Best regards, Bernie

--------------BB0D7007D14E81822CC027A5 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html>
<p>"Kelly J." wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE>> Hi Kelly. <br>> Just visited your website. You
have made yourself strong. It looks like <br>you <br>> will be able to ride your bike all
day, with normal rest stops. We <br>chatted here <br>> last year a little. Your
attitude and general fitness will bring you <br>along. <br>> Keep up the winter training and I am
betting the ride you are going for <br>will be <br>> a positiveand successful personal
event. <br>> I'd say follow your instincts and stay pumped, you will do fine. Your
<br>story is <br>> a source of inspiration for me! <br>> --->> legal disblaimer: All my riding is
commuting or recreational. I <br>rarely do <br>> over 60 miles in a day. So take my
opinion for what it is worth. (three <br>years <br>> ago I could not cycle 10 miles without
stopping for a gentle puke). Now I <br>ride <br>> 100 - 150 miles a week, rain or shine,
winter or summer. I still carry a <br>little <br>> beer belly, but it's not that important.
<br>> Very best regards, Bernie <br>>
<q>Hi Bernie,
<r>Yes, I remember talking to you last year. How are ya? I'm really missing <br>"real"
riding, but am so glad that hubby got me the trainer for Christmas, <br>which is what I wanted
most. He now says he knows he won't be able to keep <br>up with me anymore, which is kind of a
cool statement since I was the <br>clumsy, unathletic girl in our family growing up, and he was
a high school <br>football hunk...lol! I can relate to the beginnings of your riding too,
as <br>when I first started, I could barely go a mile without breathing hard! I've <br>never
puked on a ride, but I did bonk once & had to be rescued by my <br>husband. I'm really very
excited about the possibility of my being able to <br>accomplish this feat. I'm feeling quite
good about it.
<s>Kelly</blockquote> I'm well. Thanks for asking! I had
cataract surgery in early December and with that and the holidays took a month off. Spent
some time rebuilding my 15 year old mountain bike too. It is an old friend that I have
ridden into better health more than once! Am doing about 15 miles a day now on my commute,
taking the long way home mainly just because I can, riding rain or shine as usual. I have
the advantage of living on the wet, green strip of the western edge of the North American
continent where folks ride all year. That's the "leading edge" of our continent!
<t> The great thing for me this year was getting vision back in my right
eye. It is a miracle. I see truly vibrant colours. My brain is flooded with
light. (and it is not irritating!). I have night vision again! My eyesight is not
perfect, but that can and will be corrected. I feel great. In a nutshell, vision is
the blessing that is turning my crank just now. I continue to feel blessed.
<u>Best regards, Bernie</html>

--------------BB0D7007D14E81822CC027A5--

 

[Kelly J.]

"Mike S." <mikeshaw@coxDOTnet> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> The thing you have to realize about trainer rides is that there are no
hills
> (up OR down), no stop lights, signs, or cars cutting you off, headwinds, tailwinds, or any outside
> stimuli that affect your road riding. Since a trainer only works when you're pedaling, the actual
> time spent riding on the road can be condensed on a trainer. Next time you're out on the road,
> check to see how much time you spend not riding because of external factors. It'll surprise you.
>
> Having said that, you don't need to spend as much time on a trainer to get the same workout as
> being on the road.

That makes perfect sense! Yeh, I know I coast more than I should. I notice the biker types pedal
constantly. I've been trying to work on that. Wind is always a big factor here, too. It's rarely a
calm day. Thanks.

>
> Happy riding!
>
> Mike "Kelly J." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I'm pretty much a novice, although I did do an unofficial century last
> Fall.
> > I want to try BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) which is in early June. I have a bike trainer now
> > & was reading in one of the biking books that I found at the library that it's not neccesary to
> > ride it for more than 45 minutes. In my newbie mind, I'm thinking that I need to replicate
> > things
> in
> > the field as much as I can, which is much longer than a 45 minute ride,
so
> > therefore I should be riding on the trainer for longer periods. Right or wrong? I've went as
> > long as 2:30 on the trainer, not including two 5
> minute
> > breaks. How long do you ride yours, & how many times per week? I will
> start
> > riding on similar highways to what I'll encounter on BRAN as soon as it
> gets
> > a bit warmer.
> >
> > I also do strength training exercises, so I'm good there.
> >
> > Thanks! Kelly http://members.cox.net/incredibleshrinkingwoman/
> >
>

 

[Stu]

l say leave the bike alone that way you know how much you have improved, not how much money you
spent there does come a time to upgrade, but it is nice to be able to compare times and if you
change bikes it means less just my 2cents worth have a great time l the ride what ecer you do

 

[Kelly J.]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

"Bernie" <[email protected]> wrote in message = news:[email protected]...
=20
"Kelly J." wrote:=20

> Hi Kelly.=20 Just visited your website. You have made yourself strong. It =
looks like=20
you=20
> will be able to ride your bike all day, with normal rest stops. =
We=20 chatted here=20
> last year a little. Your attitude and general fitness will bring =
you=20 along.=20
> Keep up the winter training and I am betting the ride you are =
going for=20 will be=20
> a positiveand successful personal event.=20 I'd say follow your instincts and stay pumped, you
> will do fine. =
Your=20 story is=20
> a source of inspiration for me!=20 --->> legal disblaimer: All my riding is commuting or =
recreational. I=20
rarely do=20
> over 60 miles in a day. So take my opinion for what it is worth. =
(three=20 years=20
> ago I could not cycle 10 miles without stopping for a gentle =
puke). Now I=20
ride=20
> 100 - 150 miles a week, rain or shine, winter or summer. I still =
carry a=20 little=20
> beer belly, but it's not that important.=20 Very best regards, Bernie=20
>=20
Hi Bernie,=20

Yes, I remember talking to you last year. How are ya? I'm really = missing=20 "real" riding, but
am so glad that hubby got me the trainer for = Christmas,=20 which is what I wanted most. He now
says he knows he won't be able = to keep=20 up with me anymore, which is kind of a cool
statement since I was = the=20 clumsy, unathletic girl in our family growing up, and he was a
high = school=20 football hunk...lol! I can relate to the beginnings of your riding = too, as=20
when I first started, I could barely go a mile without breathing = hard! I've=20 never puked on
a ride, but I did bonk once & had to be rescued by my =

husband. I'm really very excited about the possibility of my being = able to=20 accomplish this
feat. I'm feeling quite good about it.=20

Kelly

I'm well. Thanks for asking! I had cataract surgery in early = December and with that and the
holidays took a month off. Spent some = time rebuilding my 15 year old mountain bike too. It
is an old friend = that I have ridden into better health more than once! Am doing about 15 =
miles a day now on my commute, taking the long way home mainly just = because I can, riding
rain or shine as usual. I have the advantage of = living on the wet, green strip of the
western edge of the North American = continent where folks ride all year. That's the "leading
edge" of our = continent!=20 The great thing for me this year was getting vision back in my =
right eye. It is a miracle. I see truly vibrant colours. My brain is = flooded with light.
(and it is not irritating!). I have night vision = again! My eyesight is not perfect, but
that can and will be corrected. = I feel great. In a nutshell, vision is the blessing that is
turning my = crank just now. I continue to feel blessed.=20

Best regards, Bernie=20

I would love to be able to ride to work, but this city is just not = built for biking....too
hilly, & too many loonies on the road. Lucky = you! The restoration of your vision is truly a
blessing. How wonderful! = You probably see better than me now. Happy biking!

Kelly

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META
http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <META content=3D"MSHTML
6.00.2722.900" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20 style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px;
MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>"Bernie" <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A>> wrote in =
message=20 <A=20
=
href=3D"news:[email protected]">news:[email protected]= a</A>...</DIV> =20

<DIW>"Kelly J." wrote:=20 <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=3D"CITE">> Hi Kelly. <BR>> Just visited your=20
website. You have made yourself strong. It looks like = <BR>you=20 <BR>> will
be able to ride your bike all day, with normal rest=20 stops. We <BR>chatted here
<BR>> last year a little. = Your=20 attitude and general fitness will bring you
<BR>along. <BR>> Keep = up the=20 winter training and I am betting the ride you are going
for <BR>will = be=20 <BR>> a positiveand successful personal event. <BR>> I'd =
say=20 follow your instincts and stay pumped, you will do fine. Your=20 <BR>story is
<BR>> a source of inspiration for me! <BR>> = --->>=20 legal disblaimer: All my
riding is commuting or recreational. = I=20 <BR>rarely do <BR>> over 60 miles in a
day. So take my = opinion for=20 what it is worth. (three <BR>years <BR>> ago
I could not = cycle 10=20 miles without stopping for a gentle puke). Now I <BR>ride =
<BR>> 100=20
- 150 miles a week, rain or shine, winter or summer. I still = carry a=20 <BR>little
<BR>> beer belly, but it's not that important. = <BR>> Very=20 best regards,
Bernie <BR>>=20
<P>Hi Bernie,=20
<Q>Yes, I remember talking to you last year. How are ya? I'm = really=20 missing
<BR>"real" riding, but am so glad that hubby got me the = trainer for=20 Christmas,
<BR>which is what I wanted most. He now says he knows he = won't be=20 able to keep <BR>up
with me anymore, which is kind of a cool = statement since=20 I was the <BR>clumsy,
unathletic girl in our family growing up, and = he was a=20 high school <BR>football
hunk...lol! I can relate to the = beginnings of=20 your riding too, as <BR>when I
first started, I could barely go a = mile=20 without breathing hard! I've <BR>never puked on
a ride, but I did = bonk once=20 & had to be rescued by my <BR>husband. I'm really very
excited = about the=20 possibility of my being able to <BR>accomplish this feat. I'm =
feeling quite=20 good about it.=20
<R>Kelly</P></BLOCKQUOTE> I'm well. = Thanks for=20 asking!
I had cataract surgery in early December and with that = and the=20 holidays took a month
off. Spent some time rebuilding my 15 year = old=20 mountain bike too. It is an
old friend that I have ridden into = better=20 health more than once! Am doing about 15
miles a day now on my = commute,=20 taking the long way home mainly just because I can,
riding rain or = shine as=20 usual. I have the advantage of living on the wet, green
strip of = the=20 western edge of the North American continent where folks ride all =
year. =20 That's the "leading edge" of our continent!=20
<S> The great thing for me this year was getting = vision back=20 in my right
eye. It is a miracle. I see truly vibrant=20 colours. My brain is flooded
with light. (and it is not=20 irritating!). I have night vision again! My
eyesight is = not=20 perfect, but that can and will be corrected. I feel great. =
In a=20 nutshell, vision is the blessing that is turning my crank just = now. I=20
continue to feel blessed.=20
<T>Best regards, Bernie=20
<U>
<V><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I would love to be able to ride to = work, but this=20 city is
just not built for biking....too hilly, & too many loonies = on the=20 road. Lucky
you! The restoration of your vision is truly a =

blessing. How wonderful! You probably see better than me = now. =20 Happy
biking!</FONT>
<W><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>
<X><FONT face=3DArial = size=3D2>Kelly</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0130_01C2C18C.4321DC70--

 

[Budman]

Kelly, Not meaning to be a bike snob (really). But, you could shave some time off your century if
you went with a lighter bike. I noticed on your website (nice job) that you were riding one of those
'comfort bikes'. While they are great for around town spins and great to get someone into cycling
and upgrade should be considered. I'm not saying go out and spend a fortune on a road bike. Just go
down to your LBS and see what they recommend. Something with a lighter frame and wheels will make a
world of difference in your quest for PR's. "Kelly J." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "S. Anderson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I'd also say that it's a good idea to ramp up to the ride time you
expect
> > for your century. It doesn't have to be on the trainer, but you should
> get
> > a 4hr ride in at some point just to replicate the conditions of the ride
> and
> > see how you do. I also do 45-60min on the trainer 4 times a week in my aerobic HR zone and I'd
> > feel pretty comfortable fitness-wise doing a 4hr ride, but I'd still want to get one or two
> > rides in beforehand up in
that
> > time range.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Scott..
> > --
> > Scott Anderson
>
>
> Heck, Scott, 4 hours! That will be wonderful to get in a long 4 hour ride. Last year, my century
> took me 8:52! I'm hoping, and feeling confident that it will not take me near as long this year.
> It will be interesting to see how much faster I'll be able to average when Spring finally arrives.
>
> Kelly