D3 Multisport and BeginnerTriathlete.com have combined forces to bring a high quality training programs to athletes of all abilities, especially new and beginner triathletes. Beginner Triathlete is providing the training log and system for athletes to log their data while D3 Multisport is providing programs for all distances and abilities. For as little as $65 for six months you can download a program from Beginner Triathlete.com into your on-line training journal and then access the member forum and where the coaches from D3 Multisport, Inc. will be there to provide help and on-line training support. Here are some of the quotes from some of the athletes who utilized this service last season:
“Using the 16-Week Olympic training plan, and the unique-to-me information provided by Mike on the Training Support Forum, I was able to improve my sprint triathlon time by over 15 minutes, improving my run alone by over 7 minutes. I moved from the back of the back, to the middle of the pack over 3 months. Without the training plan, and especially the support of Mike, I would have been far less effective in my training, and I do not think I would have seen such vast improvement. Having these resources available to me has made my first season of triathlon a very successful one. I will be doing my first Olympic distance race in April, and, with Mike's help, I plan on being competitive and finishing strong.” – Jean Rennick
“I just completed my second season of triathlon. I competed in two Olympic distance races and went from finishing 18 of 24 in my age group to finishing 8 of 24 in my age group. I also cut 25 minutes off my finishing time. What made the difference between my performance in these two races was the training plan created by and the online training support on BT.com from Mike Ricci.
I had dramatic increases in my cycling fitness, my overall endurance and most importantly in my overall confidence level. I felt great going in to my second race there was no question in my mind I was going to PR in a big way. The Oly race plan he gave me worked beautifully. I posted my fastest avg bike speed for any race including Sprints and had plenty left for the 10k. I continuously passed people during the second 5k.
Following Mike's training plan and advice enabled me to increase my overall fitness, hone my technique and end my season on a positive note. I'll definitely be utilizing his expertise next year.” Mike Mullane
If you are interested in a training program for 2006, be it an offseason program or an Olympic Distance program, check out www.BeginnerTriathlete.com today!
Mag Trainer vs. Rollers
While there will always be hardcore advocates of each, both have
pros and cons. First, the Mag Trainer or Magnetic Trainer/Turbo
Trainer/Fluid Trainer, is harsh on tires. Tire wear increases as the
metal roller of the Mag pushes on the tire as resistance is added.
This can be costly, and even more costly if you use that same tire
outside and crash from a blowout. It is best to have one or two
older tires to use on any indoor trainer, and save your good tires for
outside riding.
There is a two-point axle connection Mag Trainer and a three point
connection trainer. The two-point axle connection has a left and
right bolt that is usually threaded, and is screwed towards the rear
wheel axle, where rounded cups at the end of the bolt hold the
wheel skewer/axle in place. The six o’clock or seven o’clock position
of the wheel is supported by a roller providing resistance. The
resistance is usually increased or decreased by a lever with wire
connecting it to the resistance unit. This lever can be attached to
your handlebars or by an indexed knob on the Mag/Turbo unit.
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The three point Mag Trainer is basically a two-point connection at
the rear wheel, plus another connection at the front axle. In the
three point, the front wheel is taken off the bike, and the fork
dropouts are locked into a support, locked by a skewer or bolt.
Both of these types of trainers can offer enormous stability during
sprinting or intervals, without you having to pay attention to riding
a straight line. This way, you can still get a workout
while watching television. Getting a two or three
point connection Mag Trainer depends on 1) how
portable you want the unit 2) how much stability you
desire 3) whether or not you mind taking your front
wheel on/off to ride it indoors 4) the cost (depending
on extra features of upgrade—such as getting a “fluid”
trainer instead of a mag or wattage output/mph
averages, etc.) 5) how much “assembly required” you
would like to put up with upon purchase.
Noise can also be a consideration. Fluid trainers (the
modern cousin of a Mag Trainer), is quieter and
significantly more expensive. I recall many midnight
sessions when I was younger, living at my parent’s
house. My family did not appreciate the noise level of
all-out sprints on my trainer at that time of the night.
So this could be a major factor in deciding which unit
you will buy, especially if you live in a condo or townhouse, or have
thin walls in your home.
Rollers, while more of an old school pure-bred cyclist’s favorite, can
be intimidating for a triathlete. It is nice to just grab onto a
doorway or chair, and ride your bike without having to lock any
axles in place or take wheels off. The roller method of training is
nice because it is the most realistic form or bike riding indoors
(aside from Colorado University’s bike treadmill). The bike moves
on rollers not much wider than 18 inches. This requires
concentration and balance, and it is obviously not as stable for
beginners. Sprints and intervals are quite difficult, as is riding in the
aero position. Rollers can be very expensive for a high quality set,
and your fate could mean riding your bike into a wall or couch if
your mind wanders from the task at hand. One option, is to buy a
front fork mount which acts much like the three-point Mag Trainer.
This mount stabilizes the front end of the bike and allows you to
wander in your mind, watch a movie or view cycling videos without
fear of crashing. While there are “extras” like wind-resistance fans
for rollers, I found that generally rollers seem to give overall less
resistance. I enjoy the realistic road feel of rollers over the Turbo
Trainer, but like the resistance of the Turbo Trainer.
CompuTrainers offer many bells and whistles of a Mag Trainer taken
to new heights, but the cost can steer many beginners away.
Personally, I find any trainers boring during the winter, and prefer
to bundle up and head outdoors, as the winters in Boulder allow
riding most weeks throughout the year. Also, I cannot warrant the
cost of the more expensive trainers, as I already have a Turbo
Trainer and rollers. So which one is best for you? It boils down to
the above mentioned questions only you can answer, and
ultimately, to what extent you will use it for as a tool to winter
cycling fitness.
Kevin Konczak is a USAT certified coach. He can be reached for personal coaching at
kevin@d3multisport.com.