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Staying Fit, Sane, and Safe in a World of Social Distancing

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By now I was supposed to be well into my transition from training indoors to training outside on long rides in preparation for riding in Dirty Kanza 200. In fact, I had a targeted this past weekend for my first outdoor century ride of the year. Instead, I spent more time spinning indoors and virtually “racing” the 2017 editions of Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo. Spoiler alert! I didn’t win.

Why I’m Not Training Outside Right Now

The weather is cold and windy here in Maine right now, but that’s not why I’m still training indoors. I have cold weather cycling clothing and I did get to ride outside a few times a few weeks ago. The reason I’m staying inside to train is because I can’t in good conscience go ride outside right now knowing that if I did have a significant accident that I’d be putting additional strain on an already strained hospital in my community. Italy, Spain, and France have placed temporary bans on recreational cycling for the same reason.

So while I would like to go ride outside. I’ll just keep spinning away indoors until we can resume “normal” life.

How I’m Training Indoors

For the most part I’m training indoors following a program from Training Peaks. As I mentioned a few months ago, I have a fairly unique ability to just put my head down and do whatever intervals are prescribed in the training plan. But even that has been tested lately.

What I’ve been doing lately is in addition to following my prescribed training plan I’m playing highlight reels and or full replays of some of the biggest cycling races in the world. YouTube is fantastic source for those videos. Last weekend I rode along with the 2017 editions of Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo. This evening I plan to “ride” the last 35km of the 2018 edition of Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

What Else?

Last week I published some tips about working in isolation or working remotely for extended periods of time. One of the tips was to get up and at least walk around for a little bit to reset your mind and break up the monotony of looking at a screen for hours on end. Doing that also helps you refocus on what you have to do that day versus what is a distraction coming in from an outside source like email that isn’t urgent or a social media interaction which is never urgent.

What are you doing?

What are you doing to stay healthy, fit, and sane while social distancing and working remotely? Leave a comment and share a tip.

My Experience With the Peloton Bike, the Peloton App, and Affordable Alternatives

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In this post I’m going to provide my completely amateur opinion on indoor cycling apps and bikes. I’m not a professional trainer and everything that follows is just the opinion of a 40-something guy who did a whole lot of bike riding last year.

Bike on an indoor stationary trainer.

This morning on Instagram I answered the following question from a follower about the Peloton app.

“I didn’t buy a Peloton but just got a Schwinn. Do you still recommend the Peloton subscription? Or there’s plenty of free rides? “

My short answer was that the Peloton app is good if you’re a person who needs or likes having someone coaching them through a workout. Otherwise, depending on the bike and trainer I’d look into a program like Zwift or Sufferfest.

Peloton vs. Peloton App

If you live in the U.S. you have probably seen the Peloton indoor bike advertised on television and online. Their ads all have perfect-looking people who get into even more perfect shape by riding the expensive Peloton bike. What a lot of people don’t know is that there is also a Peloton mobile app that you can use even if you don’t have one of the bikes.

The Peloton mobile app requires a subscription to the Peloton service at a minimum cost of $12.95/month (first 30 days are free). The app gives you access to all of the classes that Peloton offers. You just have to follow along on the stationary bike you’re riding or the treadmill that you’re running on. The app won’t track your power output, heart rate, or speed like you could if you were on a Peloton bike or treadmill. But you can sync your workout time to other apps like Strava or Garmin Connect.

One of the things that you might not know about the Peloton mobile app unless you tried it is that in addition to cycling and running workouts the app offers guided stretching routines, yoga sessions, and strength training workouts.

About the Peloton Bike

They’re very expensive compared to the rest of the indoor bike market. So I was skeptical of it when my partner bought one last July. She loves it and in December I finally tried it one day instead of riding my bike on a stationary trainer.

I’ve done 22 sessions on the Peloton bike in the last month. My favorite workouts are the ones that I’ve planned myself and executed while using the “scenic rides” in Peloton. Scenic Rides are simply street level views of interesting places around the world. The scenes move while you pedal.

I’ve also taken a handful of complete structured workouts on the Peloton bike. I haven’t enjoyed them as much as other people do. That’s probably because I generally prefer silence to someone trying to encourage or coach me through a workout. Most of the instructors I’ve tried to follow are a bit too “rah rah” or overly enthusiastic for my taste. But if you’re the type of person who likes that style, then the Peloton structured workouts are for you.

Affordable Alternatives to the Peloton Bike

Prior to the arrival of the Peloton bike our house, I did lots and lots of workouts on one of my older road bikes that was hooked up to an inexpensive Travel Trac stationary trainer. I use it for at least half of my workouts. To the right of my bike I have an old Chromebook on a small table. From the Chromebook I play YouTube videos. Usually, I follow along to a Global Cycling Network training video (I’m partial to the ones led by Matt Stephens and Dan Lloyd). The Wahoo Elmnt computer that I use on all of my bikes displays my cadence, time, and speed throughout the ride.

I tried using Zwift with my current stationary bike set-up. I was able to make it work through a series of steps that seemed more complicated than necessary. Since I didn’t have a smart trainer that automatically adjusts resistance I had to manually adjust resistance by shifting up or down. Doing that took away some of the perceived benefits of using Zwift. But the real reason that I didn’t stick with it was that I prefer to look at real landscapes and people than Second Life-like scenes and people. The bottom line was that at $14.99/month I didn’t think it was worth it to me without a smart trainer.

A friend of mine gave me a promotional code to try Sufferfest so I gave it a try. Like Zwift, Sufferfest works best if you have a smart trainer. Since I don’t have a smart trainer I had to hook up my bike computer to my Windows 10 laptop through a Bluetooth dongle (worth noting that I couldn’t get it work at all on my Chromebook). Again, this was cumbersome and glitchy. I did a few workouts with Sufferfest then went back to old method of non-smart trainer and YouTube videos.

Admittedly, my attempts at using Zwift and Sufferfest were limited because of the equipment that I have. That said, both companies do advertise that you can use their services without a smart trainer. The reality is that you really do need a smart trainer to get the full benefits of Zwift or Sufferfest.

Bottom Line

My partner, Jess, tells me that I’m unique in that I like to suffer in silence on the bike and that I can stick to a workout plan without someone coaching me through it. That’s probably why I enjoy Peloton’s scenic rides and why I like riding my stationary trainer with or without YouTube on. If that doesn’t sound like you, then the Peloton app might be what you need to keep yourself motivated throughout a workout.

Great Deals on Two Great Fitness Watches – And How to Use Them

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To cut to the chase: the Garmin Instinct, the fitness watch I wear, is on sale on Amazon at $100 off list price right now. And the Garmin Vivoactive 3, the fitness watch my partner wears, is on sale on Amazon $130 off list price right now.

Garmin Instinct vs. Garmin Vivoactive 3

Both of these watches perform the same basic functions of monitoring your heart rate, steps, activity levels, workout times, and tracking of your walking, running, or bike riding routes. Both watches can be used for navigation. And both watches will let you see phone notifications, if you want that (I find it annoying to get phone notifications on my watch so I’ve disabled them). The real differences in these watches is found in the form factor.

Garmin advertises the Instinct as a “rugged outdoor watch.” To that end the watch doesn’t have the slick appearance of a smart watch and doesn’t have a touch screen. All changes to the watch are made by using the five buttons on the sides of the watch. They’re not the most intuitive controls so you’ll find yourself clicking a lot at first.

The lack of a color screen or touch screen on the Garmin Instinct probably contributes to the long battery life. I only have to charge mine every two or three weeks. The other advantage to using buttons instead of a touchscreen is that you can actually control the watch when your hands are sweaty. One other feature I find handy in the fall is that it displays sunrise and sunset times

The Garmin Vivoactive 3 has a more modern smartwatch look compared to the Instinct. The Vivoactive 3 uses a touchscreen for nearly all input except power on/off. The watch’s touchscreen can be customized with different colors and display styles.

What really distinguishes the Vivoactive 3 from the Instinct is it’s app compatibility. The Vivoactive 3 supports of the use Garmin Pay (Garmin’s contactless payment system) and Connect IQ which lets the watch integrate many of the favorite apps you use on your phone.

How to Use a Fitness Watch

According to my Garmin Instinct and Strava I have recorded 280 workouts this year (5.95 a week). Until late June I was going along just fine using the watch to record time and distance of my rides, runs, and some skiing activities. I’d occasionally glance at the heart rate data, but I didn’t pay too much attention to it. That changed after I rode 202 miles in a day with Fast Freddie Rodriguez.

Me and Freddie at the end of a 202 mile bike ride.

What I learned from Freddie was that heart rate-based training is much more effective in the long-run than training based on perceived effort. Training in zones 2 and 3 of heart rate is more effective for fat-burning and building endurance than spending lots of time in heart rate zones 4 and 5.

Heart rate zones 2 and 3 roughly equate to 60-80% of maximum heart rate for your age and current fitness level. A very basic guideline for max heart rate is 220 minus your age, in my case that’s 179 (yes, I’m 41). Of course, there are lots of variables to determining your heart rate zones. If you’re a cyclist, GCN has a good video about to do that. If you’re a runner, GTN has a video for you.

What I’ve learned and experienced since my conversation with Freddie back in late June is that by spending more time training in zones 2 and 3 I’ve lost more weight and actually improved my times on the days that I do go hard. The weight loss is a result of longer rides in zones 2 and 3 burning more fat as opposed to just burning off the “top layer” of carbs which is what happens when putting out hard efforts in zones 4 and 5.

This summer had conversations with other competitive endurance athletes including my brother (sub 3 hour marathoner) and a friend who was one of the top 50 female finishers at the New York Marathon about my conversation with Freddie. Both confirmed that yes, more time in lower heart rate zones is a very effective training method. Why it took me 40 years to learn that, I don’t know.

The point of this is if you get a fitness watch like a Garmin Instinct, Vivoactive, or any other model, pay attention to your heart rate as much or more than your time, distance, and perceived effort.

Disclaimer: I’m not a scientist, dietitian, or professional trainer. I’m just a middle aged guy trying to stay fit enough not to get dropped on every climb on my local bike scene so take the above with a grain of salt. Consult a physician or certified fitness professional before embarking on any new fitness regimes.

My Completely Amateur Guide to Training for and Completing a 200 Mile Bike Ride

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If you have been following this blog for the last week or you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you probably know that last week I completed a single-day double century bike ride. In other words, 202 miles in one day (11 hours, 25 minutes on the bike). Since then I’ve had a handful of people ask me about my training and equipment for the ride. Here’s an overview of my training and equipment. Consider this a completely amateur guide to training for a 200 mile bike ride.

Training on the Bike

Theoretically, my training for the ride started back in January when I committed to getting myself back into shape. I was carrying 25-30 pounds more than I wanted to and I was running out of clothes that fit. So I started riding on my indoor training bike for 20-30 minutes per day four or five times a week. But I didn’t have a 200 mile bike ride in my thoughts, I was purely trying to lose weight and feel better.

By late February I was feeling stronger and started to lengthen my workouts on my indoor trainer. And by March I was back into most of my favorite jeans and suits. It was in late March or early April that my friend Angela Harvey, co-owner of the Green Machine Bike Shop, mentioned Dennis and Freddie’s Excellent Adventure to me. I was feeling good and needed a big goal so I decided to do it.

The weather here in Maine was miserable throughout April so most of my days were spent on the indoor trainer with a few days spent outside. By this point I had ramped-up the intensity and length of my indoor sessions with a focus shifting toward improving my functional threshold power. The Global Cycling Network has lots of great workouts that I followed on my indoor trainer.

Finally, by May the weather was nice enough to ride outside on a consistent basis. It was in May that I started to really increase the length of my training sessions. I did six or seven 40-50 mile rides, a couple in the 50-70 mile range, and a couple in the 70-90 mile range. I repeated that schedule in June.

Making Time for Long Training Rides

At least half of my long rides were done on the weekends while my daughters were napping or were in the car with their mother, Jess. Many times Jess would drive them to an activity and I would meet them all there. She was quite supportive of my training in this way because as any parent will tell you, wrangling two toddlers into car seats then driving them for an hour alone is not always fun.

No Beer!

If you know me, you know I enjoy a good beer. A friend of mine in my weekly group ride works for a brewery and supplies us with beer after the rides. But I knew that if I was going to be in top form for a double century that I would have to quit beer for a while. So I didn’t drink any beer in the month of June until the end of the double century ride. Jess supported me by doing the same.

Celebrating finishing the ride and finishing a month without beer.

The Day of the Double Century!

The weather forecast called for sun and temperatures in the 80’s on the day of the ride. To be prepared, a couple of days beforehand I forced myself to hydrate relentlessly.

“Eat before you’re hungry, drink before you’re thirsty.”

Matt Burke

That was the advice given to me by a friend who has completed some equally ambitious bike rides. Throughout the day I forced myself to drink water at least every 20 minutes and to eat something at least every 30 minutes. I recently discovered a new kind of peanut butter-filled Clif Bar. These are so much easier to chew and taste much better than normal Clif Bars. I went through five of them in the first hundred miles.

In addition to my new favorite Clif Bars I ate pretzels (for the salt), peanuts, a ham and cheese sandwich from Subway, Hostess Donuts, and drank a big can of Coke! I also snacked on some margarita flavored Clif Shot Bloks (not my favorite flavor, but I was all out of the orange ones).

In short, the day of a 200 mile bike ride is not the day to worry about eating too much.

The Clothes and Equipment

Let’s start with the question everyone has asked since the ride,

How’s your butt feel?”

Everyone who asks about the ride.

My butt felt great thanks to two things. Those things were wearing high-quality bib shorts and using Chamois Butt’r. I wore high-quality bib shorts from Le Col. These are the most comfortable bib shorts I’ve worn. For shorter training rides I usually wear these bib shorts from Pearl Izumi, but the fabric they use on the chamois padding isn’t quite as comfortable as the Le Col chamois for a long ride.

Socks

I own a ridiculous amount of socks. There’s nothing like the feeling of putting on a nice pair of socks. For the ride I wore one of my favorite pairs of Sock Guy socks.

Shoes

The shoes that I wear for cycling are Mavic Cosmic Pro Cycling Shoes. These are light, stiff, and highly adjustable thanks to double BOA lacing. The stiff carbon sole on these shoes makes pedaling more efficient because the sole doesn’t flex much. Less sole flexing means more of the pedaling energy goes into the bike and not into a flexing shoe.

Helmet

Yesterday I wrote a long piece about the importance of wearing a properly fitting helmet so I won’t repeat it here. Read and watch the videos here about selecting and wearing a helmet.

Computer

On my bike I have a Wahoo Elemnt computer. I have it set to display my cadence, speed, power (watts), distance, and time. It also has a feature that lets me load a route into it and it will alert me when to turn. There are many more features to it but those were the only features that I used during my ride.

The battery lasted all the way to the end with 2% to spare!

The Bike!

I rode a 2019 Felt FR3 Disc that I got from my friends John and Angela Harvey at Green Machine Bike Shop (shop local). I can’t say enough about this bike. Disc brakes are a total game-changer on road bikes. Regardless of the conditions the bike will stop with disc brakes. Other than replacing the standard Victoria Rubino Pro tires (that I don’t recommend) with Continental Grand Prix 4000 tires, my bike is completely stock. That said, if I happen to find an extra $1500 I am tempted to get a set of Zipp 302 wheels. (I’d love 303s, but I’ve got kids who need to eat).

Get Up and Do Something

Training for any physical endeavor takes time and dedication. There were plenty of days that I didn’t feel like getting on my indoor trainer. On those days I just had to force myself to do it. Overcoming those little, “I don’t want to” moments was the hardest part of the training. I’m not a gifted athlete, I’m just an average-looking 40 year old dad. Anyone can do a ride like I did by getting over the “I don’t want to” moments of training.