Indoor Training - Thanks Kurt Kinetic & Garmin

This past weekend was completely rained out so the opportunity to get out on the open road to ride was squashed.  To stay motivated and focused, you may have to get creative with your bike training or fitness strategies.

Late last summer, after hours of research, reading reviews, side by side comparisons and the like, I decided that I could benefit from owning an indoor trainer to log in some miles when it was far too cold or I was too lazy to get on the road.  I chose the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine due to its sturdiness, design, and mainly because the resistance simulates the ride and feel of being on the road (not to mention that it is also 100% leak-proof).  This Road Machine came with the trainer, mat, riser, dvd, and cyclo-computer that provides you with loads of data, including power output for current watts, average watts and max watts.  It's a great piece of machinery to have in your arsenal when the weather turns south as it did in my case over the weekend.  

Owning a DVR, I was able to record and watch every stage of the Paris-Nice classic race and decided what better way to work out than to do a "virtual" ride with the pros ( I think I might have smoked a few of those guys as I fast forwarded through the commercials).  So Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I was racing in France and sleeping in my own bed in Texas...pretty cool huh? 

In addition to the Kurt Kinetic computer, I also own the Garmin Edge 500 cycling computer that provides far more data such as heart rate, elevation, programmable workouts, routes and saves all the data for download.  

The best ride (or one of the toughest) came Sunday night when the ride-along with the TV was no longer motivational.  I set up a workout on my Garmin Edge 500 that was taken from Bicycling Magazine or Chris Carmichael or Chris Carmichael doing a piece for Bicycling... either way, the program, drill, workout session or whatever you want to call it breaks down like so:  

1. Warm Up 10:00 min:sec None
2. Repeat 4 Times

   1. Interval 1:00 min:sec 100 to 140 rpm
   2. Recovery 2:00 min:sec 80 to 90 rpm
3. Recovery 5:00 min:sec 70 to 90 rpm
4. Repeat 12 Times

   EditDelete

   1. Interval 0:30 min:sec 100 to 140 rpm
   2. Recovery 0:30 min:sec 80 to 90 rpm
5. Cool Down 10:00 min:sec 70 to 90 rpm

The focus for this workout is to spin an easy gear and a high cadence designed to build fast legs.  If your struggling to turn the pedals over, you're in too hard a gear and need to back it down.  You should be able to feel that connection to the pedal as you spin, but not so much that your muscles are screaming.  If the cadence I have listed here is too easy, adjust accordingly.    

  

Here are my overall results of this Speed Interval Session taken from the Gamin Edge 500.  Note that the power (watts) in the details section were taken from the Kurt Kinetic computer and added in.    

Try it out and send me your feedback, I'd very much like to hear your thoughts/comments/suggestions on this workout or anything from my other posts.  

Until the next time

Keep your mind sharp, body fit and pedal hard

MB&B