What's the benefit of training inside?
You've probably had the thought, "The weather begins to shift in March/April... my first race isn't until June. I can just wait and do all my riding outside when the weather is nicer!"
And yes, you are right. Two months is enough time to get mostly ready on the bike for a race (provided it's not an Ironman!).
So why put yourself through the torture of the trainer? Well, there's a lot of reasons, but I'd like to focus on two...
First, you can't deny the advantages of having a solid base level of fitness (or butt fitness). Many triathletes just jump straight into training, but in our house we have a term: Training to train.
If you want to get the most out of your training, you have to be ready to do the work, which means doing some work beforehand. To get the most out of your spring training it's important to use the winter to prepare your body for what's to come.
That doesn't mean having a full on strict training program, but one to two easy rides a week can make a huge difference in how that first hard workout feels come April.
Secondly, you can't beat the specificity and lack of variables. No traffic, stop signs or lights, no dogs. Time on the trainer can be more valuable than time on the road.
You can truly focus on the workout you are completing without all the distractions that come with riding on the road. You also can't binge that Netflix show during easy road rides! ;-)
Those are some of our favorite advantages. What advantages do you see from training inside?
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