Many athletes opting for safer, smarter indoor training

THE debate about smart training has been raging for some time now – it was already raging when I participated in my first triathlon in 2014.

Before we go any further it is important to reiterate that it is not the intention of this column to dispense any coaching or training advice because I am neither qualified nor able to do so.

This platform is about stimulating discussion and engagement on all things triathlon.

Anyway, back to smart training. Those of us who follow a number of professional triathletes will know about Lionel Sanders, the beast from Canada. This fellow is the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Champion and is known for his unconventional training methods.

We have seen videos of his training studio with fans and heaters on full blast. Lionel has become synonymous with indoor training as a go-to weapon.

Recently, Sanders took out former Ironman World Champion Sebastian Kienle at the Challenge Championship Samorin in Slovakia for the second time in two years.

If you were Sebastian, you’d have to be asking yourself, “what do I have to do to beat this guy?”

Not so long ago, our Nelson Mandela Bay athlete ambassador for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship campaign, Jodie Cunnama, became a convert to indoor training. We know how beastly Jodie rides her bike to the top step.

This champion remains unbeaten at the Ironman 70.3 South Africa event in East London. For someone like Jodie to come out and praise what to me seemed like an accidental discovery – or one made out of inconvenience – is amazing.

Jodie recently became a mom and that brought new challenges for her, which she described at a recent talk.

Juggling mommy duties and training requires some creativity, and indoor training became the perfect intervention for her, opening up new avenues along the way.

Those who race the Port Elizabeth Ironman event will know that for the most part on the bike we are chasing Europeans. They are so fast it is unbelievable that they are in the middle of their winter.

How do they prepare for a summer event in South Africa? Indoor training seems to be the answer.

I can run the treadmill for two hours but to try and do that on a bike trainer takes huge motivation and stimulation.

The environment plays a huge role and the tools count too. So in preparation for this column, I hopped onto my trainer at 5am and lasted only 35 minutes.

Why? I suppose it is the lack of visual stimulation in my clogged-up garage. Well, not for long. Cold, lonely winter rides on sometimes unsafe roads may become a thing of the past for Port Elizabeth cyclists.

A new indoor cycling studio in Main Road, Walmer, is opening to the public soon.

I am told this space will have the latest smart indoor trainers hooked up on large screens where cyclists can join others around the world for power rides or races.

All one has to do is to bring one’s own bike and plug in. This studio, aptly named Cycology and owned by well-known Bay cyclist David Hamer, is sure to get this debate going on for longer.

If names like Whahoo, SufferFest and Cycle-Ops ring a bell with you, then we’re on the same page.

I’m keen to give this training approach a chance this winter. Maybe there is a Sanders in me!