Kind of depends: do you want to practice pacing or just go easy-mode (erg) for the physiological benefits? I guess if you put it into slope mode you could dial in pacing via RPE.

For me, personally, I prefer to just go easy-mode when I'm indoors and practice my pacing when I ride outside.

Simulated course with low-moderate elevation changes and being mindful to remain within designated effort range(s).

I find that riding a fixed wattage is WAY more boring than riding a course. I'd far rather ride a 3 hour simulated course, with elevation changes than a fixed course. I like the Penticton IMC course as well and I frequently ride that as I find it far more entertaining than riding either a fixed cause or simulated course (likely because, unlike real life, with the Penticton course, I get to pass people).

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BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.

For your endurance ride of over 90 minutes, I'd suggest going into course mode (do you have real course video). As the gear changes will keep you focused/engaged. For the shorter work sessions, I'd go with a flat course or go ERG mode to have 0 distractions/excuses/variations for your benchmarks.

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http://www.fitspeek.com the Fraser Valley's fitness, wellness, and endurance sports podcast

Nuke the long endurance ride on the CT...waste of time....add a 50-75 min ride instead with intervals or FTP work. Much better bang for the time than sitting on a trainer noodling around. Just recently I went from the short trainer routine to an outdoor ride of almost 5.5 hours with zero problems (I don't have access to outdoor riding in the winter and took the opportunity of being down south to ride outdoors). Long rides outdoor can serve a purpose (if the race is long enough)....and even then most are still a waste of time doing them weekly. Most of the adaptations can be made going much shorter and harder.

90 minutes is all I can handle on the trainer. I sure get to watch lots of movies.

Many have stated rides over 4 hours outside are a waste of time also. :)

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

If I'm stuck on the turbo trainer for a long base ride then I'm a fan of this:

4 hour session in total
First hour at 65% FTP (except first 5-10 mins as warm up)
Second hour at 70%
Third at 75%
Fourth at 80%

How do you break up your 90min rides? What intensity do you ride, %FTP? Do you get anything like 2x20 or 5/10 min threshold work?

I find 90 min at a constant effort to be well beyond my limit.

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I agree with doing the hard, short stuff. However, a CT course ride can be more beneficial than most outside rides if you set goals (rpm, avg watts, avg speed) to maintain. The goals combined with no stops and forced downhill pedaling will make it more than worthwhile. Motivation is the primal force in either scenario.

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Dean Wilson
http://www.anaerobiczone.com
Bicycle Protection Indoors & Out

My long ride is usually 90 minutes, high zone 2. Maybe 2 hours as the season gets closer but I don't see myself doing much more than that indoors. I don't have any real course videos. Just the simulated courses that come with the racermate software. I don't find them very realistic, especially the hilly ones. The timberman course has a few spots where the grade jumps to 12% for a few seconds that I find very distracting.

I usually watch movies during long rides so boredom is not a major issue. When I ride wattage all I have to think about is keeping my cadence up. On a simulated course I sometimes find my average wattage is below my goal if I am not paying attention.

3 days a week, just 90 minutes of 193 watts.

3 days a week 90 minutes with a 15 minute 160 to 300 watt warmup. Then 4X10 217 watts with 5 minute 190 watt spin.

1 day a week the martis/blockway route with lots of real steep climbs. 1 hour.

After all of these I either run on the treadmill for 10 minutes at 6:30 pace or 90 minutes on my cross country hilly course with LSD pace.

I cannot hold % of FTP. I have a bad knee so just not possible which is one reason I am so poor on the bike.

For me I cannot, or not willing to go into the pain cave for training. The only time I am willing to give it my all is during races.
I just seem to have a training mode which is low key, and then a race mode which lets me perform.


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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep