Hey asd99,
asd99 sent me a private message mentioning I had missed this question. I apologize. I do try to answer everyone who is kind enough to ask a question. Sometimes I am away from the forum for a few hours and then just blank or forget where I left off. Sorry guys.
Anyway.
I owe my preperation on the Computrainer to Michael R. Rabe, Greg Isenhower, Calvin McMahon, SuperDave Koesel and MIke Aderhold as well as the other guys for comvering for me while I was on the trainer.
I hadn’t ridden a bike outside (in the U.S.) since last summer. Probably June.
I figured out what I though I had to do on the Computrainer and did it. I was doing a rotation of build-up rides culminating in 4.5+ hour rides. 4.5 hours on the Computrainer translates to about 5+ hours or more on the road. I had no problems on the bike in New Zealand nad may have been able to go 5 minutes faster, 10 If I had been smart enough to bring a disk wheel. Duy.
I did the longer rides about once every 6 days (remember my “Fallacy of 7 day weeks” thread?). I monitored my resting heart rate religiously. When it started to dip, implying my fitness was improving and I was recovered, I hit it again for 3.5-4.5 hours on the trainer.
The last Computrainer ride before IMNZ was an absolute, nut-bustin, log-shittin, snot-lockin full on epic dick chopper. Greg Isenhower didn’t ride for a week after that. He was destroyed. My resting heart rate was 79 the next morning, compared to the normal 42. It was full-on race simulation. Probably one of the toughest training rides I have ever done anywhere. Customers who came in the store during those four hours were just like, “Whoa, what the hell are those guys doing?” Between Greg and I there was a puddle of perspiration and bottle spillage on the floor six feet across. Epic.
Four days after that I can remember thinking, “I think I will have at least an OK race in NZ.” I did a 16 mile run outside then and didn’t even feel it.
It felt good. I was getting back into some kind of shape. It had been five years since I felt that. I can remember looking at my face in the mirror and thinking- There, there’s that guy again. I haven’t seen him for five years.
Awesome.
Some people say they can’t imagine riding a Computrainer indoors staring at the monitor for 4.5 hours. I can tell you, Greg and I did not look away from the numbers on the monitor for more than a couple seconds during that ride. We were trying to set a record on a given course and we were drafting off each other on the screen. It was like flying a big airplane low in bad weather at night on instruments. It wasn’t boring. It had my full attention. It was cool.
I didn’t use Powercranks but I will be using them again starting early next week. I guess the only reason I didn;t use them was becasue I have been doing some expereiments with shoes and pedals and I was trying out new bikes and positions to dial myself in for Ironman. I wanted to be in the configuration I would use for NZ.
I wish I had more time and could have used Powercranks. They have always helped my running a great deal. That is why I am going back to them.