Final Race Rehearsal. Indoor 6hour Ride or a Real Good Ole Fashioned Outdoor Ride?
Hey all,
I will be doing my last race rehearsal on Saturday in preparation for IM Lou. I am conflicted as to whether it would be better for me to ride outdoors or blast away on the trainer. I've done the last few weekends indoors and don't really like it but it is a lot safer than road riding and saves me precious training time.
Anyone have thoughts as to what would be best from a training standpoint?
Thanks!!
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My opinion is to do it outside. Doing many/most of your workouts throughout the yr on the trainer are definitely a safe and targeted alternative to riding outdoors, and certainly build TSS (often times much more efficient at building TSS and mental fortitude than riding outside)... However, the RR isn't just about how your legs will react, there's something to being outdoors with some wind and road surface changes and being aero, and actually stabilizing your bike. Not to mention wearing your aero helmet and kit and practicing your nutrition, etc. You can simulate "some" of these indoors and can certainly get the TSS in your legs indoors, but those other things are also important to practice for your Ironman. If you are a power athlete, NP outside is often different to NP on a trainer, so riding outside for your RR will also help you dial in your race day efforts.
Note: If this was your 10th IM and you have done hundreds of long rides outside and already have your nutrition and pacing dialed in, then I may tell you to ride your last RR indoors if say a Hurricane was coming through that weekend.
@David Glenn I'd also vote for outside unless the risks are really high. John pretty much covered the reasons.
David, I've done both...having raced in IMAZ and living in Michigan. I have a kickr on the ready in the basement, but I am layering up and heading out in 45' to do my RR for LOU at a local metro park. I did 5 hours last weekend in similar conditions (low 50's to low 60's all dang day) but today I won't have any tri friends there, the park will likely be empty due to it being a weekday and I'll ride at least an hour longer. Not super fun, as I'm a social chica and really prefer to suffer with friends lol. But, come race day I'll know I did what I needed to to be the best prepared for the day.
I look forward to meeting you at some point in Lou!
@John Withrow, @Gordon Cherwoniak: Thanks for the input! I kinda knew the answer but needed some additional pushing. What you say makes total and complete sense. On a side note John its been fun and inspiring following your training and racing. Thanks for posting for us 'kinda' new guys! This will be IM#2 and it feels like I've been training for this thing forever. Good luck in Kona!
@Trish Marshall: Thank you! Hope your RR went well. Will be fun to compare notes in Lou. I'm originally a Michigan boy so looking forward to meeting you too!