Julie Dibens (UK) Pro Triathlete
Me & my CompuTrainer

Anyone who lives where the weather is often inclement and cold will know how hard it can be to build, or maintain a certain level of bike fitness.  With the short days and long nights during the winter months this is especially so.  Many cyclists and triathletes use indoor turbo trainers during these winter months, but often struggle to get the work they need to done.

For the past 5 years now I have been fortunate enough to have access to a Computrainer.  I have used it religiously during those winter months, and this year I was so convinced by its benefits that I have continued to use it throughout the year.  Combining regular Computrainer sessions, alongside my outdoor sessions has really pushed my cycling on to another level.  I think I have always been known within the triathlon community as a strong cyclist, but it has only been this year that I have started to get the results.  Computrainer has helped me on my way to setting bike course records at both the UK and St Croix 70.3 races, and also posting the fastest bike splits by over 2 mins at the first two races in the prestigious LifeTime Fitness series in the US. 

Below I have outlined a couple of sessions that I try to include regularly into my training program.

70.3 Focus session

·         Will be between 2 hrs to 2hrs 30 in duration
 

·         After a short 10-15min warm up for both me and the Computrainer, I will then set the Computrainer at somewhere between 220-250 watts.  Sometimes I will mix it up, but at least once every 6 weeks I like to see how long I can hold it.  Boring as hell.....but it gives me the confidence that I can do it.
 

·         An example of how I might break it up would be:

o        30mins at 220 watts

o        20mins at 230 watts

o        10mins at 240 watts

o        20mins at 220 watts

o        30mins at 230 watts

Notice how even though I break it up, it is still pretty continuous with no real recovery

Olympic distance non-drafting focus

·         This session will be between 1hr15 and 1hr 30mins in duration.

·         Again after a short warm up (10mins)  and some short 30sec on 30 sec off efforts at about 330/200 I then try to do an between 40mins and 1hrs worth of work at my race pace intensity.  I will break it up into blocks with small recovery blocks between.
 

·         An example of this type of session would be:

o        20mins at 280-290 watts/ 10 min spin recovery

o        2x10mins at 290-300 watts/ 5mins spin recovery

o        2x5mins at 300-320 watts/ 3mins spin recovery

I find that both sessions can hurt like hell, but are both really specific to what I need.  They can also give me the confidence that I’m getting the work I need, to be ready for my races.  I know that if I can hold 240 watts for 2hrs, and do the 2^nd session above, that I will be hard to stay with come race day!  Now I just need to learn how to run like the wind off of the bike and world domination will be mine.