PEDAL WITHOUT PERIL - the benefits of long indoor rides

Lots of people dread long indoor rides. They can seem boring, they are hot and

sweaty, there is no cafe stop - the list of downsides is long. Yet they can be one of

the most valuable tools in an endurance athlete's training arsenal. Spending

extended time riding on indoor platforms can deliver huge aerobic benefits,

improve durability and build the mental resilience needed for long events. With a bit

of flexibility and creativity, long indoor rides can also be sociable and rewarding!

For the 1% of you who are happy to ride in ERG mode for three hours, crack on. But

for the rest of us, the monotony and discomfort are often what put us off long

indoor rides. So, what can we do to change the narrative in our own minds?

Get your set up right

It goes without saying that you need to be comfortable and engaged. In my

experience, this involves:

1) a smart, direct drive turbo trainer

2) an online training

platform (Zwift, Rouvy, TrainerRoad)

3) a strong fan

4) music

5) food and drink.

There are other things you can do to enhance the experience, but these are IMHO a

baseline. Some will say you don't need all of this, but I think this is the sweetspot of

cost and experience.

Ride like you are outdoors...but indoors

Look at what you are trying to achieve. You wouldn't feel like you'd failed the

session if you didn't hit your exact numbers outside, so don't be a slave to the

numbers indoors. You don't need to use ERG mode all the time.

I have found real success in using long Zwift races, group rides or pace partners to

do workouts by having the workout running on my Garmin headset but without

having the workout (and ERG mode) running on Zwift. The aim is not to be a human

ERG but, instead, to hit the average power number for each section of the workout.

This has two key advantages over ERG mode - 1) it is more realistic and builds your

understanding of pacing and power control, 2) you can flex the power output for

each section to not get dropped in the race or group ride you are in. You can also

switch between a workout and a group ride/race/pace partners with this method.Try doing the workout warm up and then switching to a Zwift race (or two) when the

intensity pitches up.

Comfort is King

You (probably) wouldn't ride outdoors for three hours without stopping, so why

insist on doing so indoors? Comfort is crucial indoors. Long rides mean sweat, so

change your shorts every two hours to avoid discomfort and skin issues. Feel no

guilt about jumping off for two minutes to refill a bottle or have a pee. These small

details make a big difference over time.

Find someone on the same Wavelength

Don't ignore the community side of indoor riding. With comms apps like Discord,

you can join friends on indoor group rides and races and chat your way to the finish.

Even doing that for the first five minutes of a ride means you are exponentially more

likely to actually start the ride - and we all know taking that first pedal stroke is the

hardest part.

Push button in Emergency

With any endurance training, there will be dark moments. So plan for the worst.

Have THAT playlist where songs 1-5 are all absolute bangers. Keep a supply of high

value snacks to hand as rewards for completing tough sections of a workout. Watch

that episode of the Traitors you missed in the week. I have even drafted strongly

worded emails whilst on the bike to distract from the pain. Do whatever it takes, but

knowing what might take your mind off the struggle is important.

Best of Both

Finally, consider a hybrid approach: start indoors and finish outdoors. In winter, this

is especially useful if starting early means riding in the dark. You'll get the best of

both worlds - structure and safety inside, freedom and freshness outside - while still

banking the long ride that drives real fitness gains.

Long rides are about time in the saddle, not perfection. Let the effort develop and

respond to how your body feels. And when it gets tough, remember: Head Down,

Mood Up!