running zwift simultaneously with trainerroad is incredibly helpful during sessions 1.5 hours or longer.
cycling related podcasts and YouTube channels. Paired with the trainerroad workouts, listening to the guys on the TR podcast has made me feel like I have a coach, just for a lot less money. There are a few other channels that listen to as well that have helped me expand my cycling knowledge.
Other entertainment apps. The various movie/TV show apps are great for zoning out while in the trainer of you arenāt doing anything too hard. Personally, once Iām into sweet spot, I canāt focus on and follow a movie/show. Steaming music is something that I usually opt for once Iām into sweet spot.
Moreover, the longer sessions are just something you need to get used to.
My cat is normally hiding away from what he has decided are obviously noisy death machines (that the fans are). This tactic has kept him alive so far, so maybe heās right and I should avoid them tooā¦
In reality it takes time to get adjusted to the trainer. I really is a mind set. Past few years I have been doing 3 hour rides on it Saturday and Sunday throughout the winter when I cannot get outside.
I find that intervals help break up the time. If its an easier endurance ride I put on a movie/tv show/music. Zwift group rides/races are cool too. Need to have powerful fans on the entire time. Some people donāt put on a fan or a strong enough fan and then complain they canāt manage. Well as soon as they get some airflow theyāre fine.
Build up to it, and realize that you are getting stronger. You do not have to stop for car, lights, stop signs, etc.
Iāve been at the point the last several years where I like the trainer more. Have a bike that sits on the trainer, pump the front tire (maybe Santa will bring me a kickr climb so I wonāt have to do that anymore), turn on the tv/music and go. I get a 60 minute workout done in 60 minutes, 90 in 90, etc. With two large dogs and a job has me gone basically the entire time there is day light trainer is the way I can get things done.
I routinely do 60-90 minute workouts and they donāt get to me mentally, but they sure bother my backside. Standing for a bit during ārestā intervals helps a lot. Disaster involved several standing sessions and thankfully a couple nature breaks to give the bum a rest.
If the monotony or the the mental aspect of the trainer is an obstacle I find watching races or AACC episodes on YT to be helpful. For anything over 90 minutes Iāll watch a movie or something.
I find the need for an objective, or goal, which motivates me to plan and complete the appropriate structured training. Without an objective that I really want I wonāt do the work. Tricks, suggestions to HTFU, etc typically donāt work unless one commits to achieving a certain level of fitness and has a time bound bogey to target.
Many of us here have trained and raced for years if not decades. Motivation goes up and goes down. I find myself taking longer macrocycles as I get older. Some years Iām riding and focusing on foundation, skills, strength (I prefer foundation to base but may be a semantic comment). Other years I have a specific race goal or personal PR goal. For those years the goal is extremely motivating.
To be concrete, in goal years I am absolutely maniacal about completing my structured training plan and tapers. I can do plans like TR SSBMV I + II + Sustained Build = no problem indoors in dead of winter. 2+ hours on rollers = no problem. 3-4 hours at 25 deg F on the gravel bike in February = no problem. Following a strict diet = no problem
Take away a highly motivating goal that I really want and Iām looking to get off the rollers at about 60 minutes and its a stretch to go 90 and I might drink that beer too :-]
TL;DR - Find what motivates you to achieve and those trainer sessions become a lot more focused and interesting and will not require mental tricks to complete.
Iāve tried reading and watching videos, and Iāll probably continue to try that for long easy stuff. For most of the TrainerRoad work, I personally have been finding Zwift + music to be the most comfortable.
I think workout structure has a big impact, too. The long aerobic rides are boring, but even intervals with simple structure (like Galena) are much harder compared to workouts that have more complex structure. I donāt know if anyoneās gotten bored doing Spanish Needle. I also like the workouts that have a lot of relatively short drills, since it gives you text to read and things to do.
I did Disaster (-1) and I think because of the variety, it was mentally way easier than the 3:20 it takes. Honestly, I think it was mentally easier than 1:00 aerobic. No one section is particularly long (around 30 minutes, except for the Threshold intervals), and the longest you hold the same power is 7.5 minutes (10 for full Disaster). Plus, we had a nice and distracting group chat.
Right now, during Baxter, I am trying to solve some problems from āCode of Adventā. I am working on a solution with pen and paper.
Everything above zone 2 I combine with TV shows, movies, YouTube and music. I actually like to watch someone complete a story driven videogame I am interested in but wouldnāt play by myself due to time constraints.
I run TR on a Mac. Using two simple pieces of construction paper, I cover the upper-left corner of the screen where the watts are displayed (I leave a little bit of the colored bar visible, so I know that Iām at the correct power), and on the upper-right corner, I cover the HR entirely.
I have found, in my specific case, when I donāt know the numeric value of the power ā even though I see the blue bars, the FTP line, etc. I still perform better. Itās a mental thing.
Additionally, I used to āquitā when I saw my HR get too high. By covering it up, I discover I work harder and feel better.
Frankly, thereās plenty of time to look at the data after each training session. Looking at it mid-ride, only makes it worse (for me). Loud, dangerously loud and music in my earbuds and Iām all set without the need for any other distractions up to 90 minutes.
Same here, podcasts, youtube, netflix, Zwift. And on endurance rides I try to learn french now. But best tipp I can give you to handle 1.5h rides: run a 2h endurance session a day before on the Trainer. the 90min will fly by
I struggled with anything 60+ minutes but i then began the IM Plan which had a 2-4 hour ride every weekend. I couldnāt bring myself to them so I broke them down into 1 hour sections, every 60mins I got off had a toilet break or refilled a bottle then jumped back on. After a few rides I found i didnāt need the break and could just plod on for the full duration no issues.
Used to struggle with this too, but now like others have said 90 minutes feels like the norm.
I like a lot of variety when it comes to distractions on the trainer. Iāve got two screens each connected to an Apple TV in front of me. I change the content on those screens from workout to workout depending on the kind of workout Iām doing and whatever Iām in the mood for.
I always run TR on an iPad and then do any combination of the following.
Zwift on the main screen, pandora or you tube on the other screen. Iāll also watch skiing/CX/MTB races on the side screen. Gotta be something I can passively follow along with though.
