So true.

I'm going to have all this cool shit on my bike and stock wheels. lol

Quick question. Wahoo website is offering a free cadence sensor with the kickr but they have a 2-3 wait because they are out of stock. I can get the kickr by Wednesday through the apple store. Is the cadence sensor necessary?

You don't need it. I got the same one with my Kickr and, frankly, it only works 75-80% of the time. It just seems to have bluetooth issues. You only need it if you plan on focussing on cadence as part of your training. Otherwise, watts, HR etc. will all be displayed and recorded.

You'll love the Kickr and Trainerroad. Every workout just feels like you're squeezing the exact training impact out of it you oughta. Happy training!

Great, thanks!! I also just remembered I am keeping the P2M I ordered which has cadence, but you're right, I probably won't ever pay much attention to it.

This fun toy is one of the triathlon expenditures that is actually WORTH the money.

---

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

Any chance the plans on TR also specify when to run and swim or is it all just biking?

I recently purchased the fluid 2 cycleops trainer. I have a ant heart rate monitor and speed/cadence sensor. But I don't have a power meter. I know that I can still use trainer road but how effective will my training be with trainer road?

I got it for 999 shipped for free from New York to California. Place was called Sunrise Cyclery. They always have a 10% of everything coupon code.

Nate:

Love TrainerRoad, but have a question about training plans. Hope you can answer, although I realize this is not a full service training service. :) Asked you something about this earlier, but wanted to follow up.

So, I have done traditional base mid volume II, then traditional base high volume II. Then did Advanced build I, and got as far as the seven week FTP eight minute test. From when I began I improved my W/K from 2.75 to 3.53 in just three and a half months. Very pleased with the progress.

Question is, I have been doing this pretty much without a break. Not so young anymore at 48. Lately don't seem to have the strength I did couple of weeks ago. Have not been sleeping well at all. And, seems to take a little longer to recover.

Any chance of overtraining? Not sure it is that, because don't seem to have any of the other symptoms other than insomnia. Was thinking of stopping the Advanced build and going back to one of the base build programs for four weeks, then picking up the Advanced build again. Would that set back my FTP? Does it even make any sense?

Thanks for any help, again recognizing this is not a full coaching service (but it is a hell of a lot cheaper and seems to be giving really great results)!

I am not Nate, but I am older and perhaps because of that, a little wiser. I find as we age, it feels like we are going where no one has gone before! Mainly we just don't want to hear from others who confirm that we are getting older.

I find that I can only do about 3-4 days of hard training (most TR workouts are what I would consider hard training) then I need to take two (2) days off. The question you can only answer, do you want to do quality workouts, or quantity workouts? I find that after a two day rest, I am able to do a great workout, where I physically, mentally and emotionally feel great. Without the rest, I feel like I have to workout (rather than I get to workout) and the entire workout is a drag and I just endure it rather than enjoy it. My cycle is 3-4 days workout, 1-2 days rest, and continue. A lot depends upon intensity and time, ie. TSS.

So my experience, if you want to have a great workout, take a day off or two, maybe even three. We can go as fast and as long but we just can not recover like we did when we were 22!

Stay with the advanced build, but take more rest, do not follow the daily schedule, but follow the sequence with some rest days every now and then.

Don't forget: Drink more beer!

Yes, for sure. I don't think it would be diagnosed as overtraining right now but it sounds like you're overreaching.

For older riders we often recommend a week off between plans. So taking a week off now should probably be beneficial.

You could also switch to sweet spot base I. That's significantly reduces the intensity but should still have an affect on your FTP. I wouldn't go back to traditional base training.

So many take a week off and sleep a bunch, then go to sweet spot base I for four weeks and see how you're feeling.

Good luck.

---

CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

That's the setup I run:

KICKR paired to Trainer Road

and

P2M paired to Garmin Edge

Great way to compare the two against one another....after calibration I have found them to usually be within just a couple of watts with each other.

Anyone know the answer to this?

Nate and Panama, thanks very much for the replies. Nate: I looked at the Sweet Spot and think I am going to try that, then go back to the build.

I do! :)

It's just biking right now.

---

CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

Thanks Nate.

For those that are doing the HIM plan, curious as to what sort of structure you are following for running and biking ?

Here's another question. I'm now on my third week of a 12 week training plan for a half marathon on June 28th. I have also signed up for Prairieman which is a local half distance 70.3 tri which is Sept 7th.

My question is, since I'm in the midst of the half marathon plan, how would you approach training for the 70.3?  This plan calls for crosstraining on Sundays so I have been riding my mtb and plan on riding the new tri bike starting next week after it gets fitted for these days. 
Should I also incorporate another ride during the week to get a little more bike fitness? Or just stick with the running plan for now with the Sunday "crosstraining ride" until after the half marathon. 
Once the half marathon is over I'll have 10 wks and 1 day until the 70.3. At that point should I just jump into the TR HIM program at whatever week lines up? 

Basically just wondering if it was you, would you incorporate more biking into your half marathon plan leading up to your 70.3 plan or would you stick with that and start up after the race? Or do something completely different.


Btw Nate, waiting on my fit session and my kickr to be delivered and then I'm signing up for TR.

Just placed my order with them. The 10% off coupon didn't apply to certain items including the kickr though. I ordered anyway to get the rewards points. Thanks for the heads up.

Is there a way to try out trainer road for free? Like a sample course or something? It seems like I need an account to even see if my equiptment works.

There's a 30 day refund period. So you can sign up and try for 30 days and get a refund if you don't like it or if your equipment doesn't work. If you don't like it and you've gone outside the 30 days just e-mail us at support@trainerroad.com.

We've never refused a refund as far as I'm aware of. If you're concerned, you can always e-mail me directly and I'll refund you directly. Our website will refund you automatically though under your account information page.

---

CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

I signed up for Trainer Road and used it a for a few rides. I have a cyclops mag trainer with a cadence/speed sensor and used a ANT+ garmin stick to my laptop. I was able to record virtual power for a few of my rides, then all of the sudden I would get no virtual power read. I tried changing the settings on TR in respect to what trainer I was using, and my cadence/speed would record on my garmin 910xt watch.

I got frustated so I canceled my membership, but I would like to get it working again but not unless I am sure I can get the virtual power to repsond.

Any ideas on why the Virtual power would not work?

The most common issue is a misplaced speed magnet on your rear wheel. Sometimes Garmin users think they are getting speed from their GSC 10 when actually they are getting it from their GPS. If you had your speed/cadence sensor hooked up to TR and we got cadence but not speed then it's either a magnet issue or a reed switch issue on the speed sensor.

If you didn't get either reading from the device then that means the device didn't pair correctly, but that's usually easy to figure out.

If you got both speed and cadence readings but no VirtualPower readings then it's usually because someone didn't turn on VP, but it looks like you did.

My money is on the speed magnet, which again it's most often the cause of the problem when it comes to VP readings.

If you sign up and it still doesn't work drop a line to us at support@trainerroad.com and we'll figure out the issue. You can ask for me directly if you'd like to work together on it.

---

CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

If the issue is the magnet, do you recommend replacing it?

Today was my first day of using trainer road and it was nothing short of frustrating. I am using a bluetooth cadence/speed sensor with my macbook. Set up was super easy and i was on my way. After about 5 minutes the sensor wasn't being picked up anymore. I tried to pair it again but it wouldn't do anything. I restarted trainer road then paired it again... it worked, but i lost my place in my workout. This process happened every 3-5 minutes, over and over.

Does anyone have a fix for this? If this is what I am in for then my relationship with trainer road is going to be short lived.