Treadmill and Trainer Blues
How To sTay Focused and FigHT THe Boredom oF indoor Training
By Elaine Vescio
Throughout the winter, gradually increase
i
n many parts of the country, winter’s overall goals for the season and then list
limited daylight hours, frigid temperatures your winter training objectives to help meet
the difficulty of the workouts. By February,
and icy roads bring uncomfortable and those goals. Here is an example:
the first workout of the week could include
sometimes unsafe conditions for outdoor goal: Qualify for USAT Age Group
6 x 5 minutes in a big gear, while the other
training. Some triathletes suffer the Nationals at an Olympic distance event.
workout could include 2 x 20 minutes in a
treadmill and trainer blues when trapped winTer Training oBjecTives: By March
big gear.
indoors, while others welcome the shift 1, improve average watts during a 20-minute
Weekly workouts to prepare for the half
in training because they know that when time trial by 15 percent; complete a winter
marathon might include a long run and a
done correctly, indoor training can be fun half marathon in 85 minutes.
target pace run. Early winter, the long run
and even more effective than trying to train Next, plan a series of progressive
could be 50 minutes at a conversation pace,
outdoors year-round. workouts to help you reach your training
while the last long run prior to the half
This article covers four tried and true objectives. For cycling, you could schedule
marathon could be 100 minutes. Mentally
ways to fight the boredom of indoor training: two big gear cycling workouts each week –
break your long runs into shorter stages to
structure your winter training, register for a one with shorter intervals, the other with
make them more palatable on the treadmill.
late winter race, measure your progress and longer intervals. In December, one workout
For a 90-minute run, consider focusing on
use cool indoor training tools. could include 3 x 5 minutes in a big gear
cadence during the first 30 minutes, hills
sTrucTure your winTer Training with a cadence of 50-60 RPM and a 5 minute
during the second 30-minute segment, and a
Give meaning to your daily, weekly, and easy spin recovery between efforts, while
fartlek run (speed play) during the final 30.
monthly workouts by structuring your winter the other workout could include 2 x 12
The target pace run is easier to keep
training so that it helps you prepare for your minutes in a big gear with a cadence of 50-
fresh – just spend time near your target
upcoming race season. Begin by setting your 60 RPM and a 5 minute easy spin recovery.
Continued on pg. 58
usatriathlon.org USA TriAThlon 57
USATTriWinter10pgs50-90.indd 57 12/9/09 1:54:38 PM
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