Distraction Tools

I am a slave to my bike trainer. I ride it in the winter time, dawn, dusk, and even when I don’t want to. Currently, I am now riding it because I can’t guarantee that my two little guys are actually going to be sleeping when they are supposed to! Actually, I think that I have become a more mentally stronger athlete because of my sustained relationship with my stationary friend. It’s always there for me when it’s cold or rainy, light or dark, and I never have to worry about giving it a new place in the house. My trainer has a permanent place in “dad’s corner” of our basement.

In the summertime, it usually gets lonely (maybe not this summer!), but it’s ole reliable when Mother Nature isn’t so. I bet my trainer gets tired of always facing the same

direction, mainly due to the owner’s demand to be occupied while using it. I have heard stories about many cyclists who ride their trainer staring at a blank wall for hours and hours at a time. Not me…….I am always prepared to have something to “distract” me while getting some quality indoor miles.

This post will detail a few of them, a necessity to anyone who rides their trusty friend as much as I do.

What it Takes is one of my favorite distraction tools that I use on the trainer. I am not a fan of watching movies more than once, but I have to admit that I have seen this one many times. It is a movie about four pro triathletes and their journey to the 2005 Ironman World Championships. To me, it is absolutely fantastic to see how four athletes at the highest level live and how they approach a race that I will also be competing in.

Podcasts: I am a huge fan of podcasts for two reasons, #1 they are free, and #2 they focus on the sport of triathlon, which is very uncommon in mainstream media. My favorite podcast is called Ironman Talk. It comes from guys in New Zealand, and they focus specifically on the Iron distance races around the world. Great stuff indeed!!

So what ever the reason you are forced indoors, whether it be by torrential rain, bitter cold, two inconsistent sleeping children, or just need a quality session, check out these two motivating tools that will keep you sane on your indoor steed!! All for now.


SJI