The Wheels on the Bike Go Round and Round

Guys.  GUYS.  I get to try out running THIS WEEK.  Like, tomorrow!  I’m 100% excited and 100% terrified and 100% convinced it’s gonna be awful.

But it’s also going to be 100% exciting because I can finally, finally try running again.

Because while I love biking, it’s getting to be a bit much.  Don’t get me wrong, my bike and I are still BFFs, but after three straight days on the trainer, I’m a little bit saddle sore.  I know, I know, it’s only three days and lots of people do way more, but I got into triathlon because I like doing multiple things.  I get bored easily!  Also my treadmill is getting dusty, and I’m pretty sure this is the longest I’ve gone without running on it since I bought it over 6 years ago.

That said, I’ve really gotten into riding on Zwift.  I love the added challenge of the hills and valleys, and I absolutely love the scenery.  Seriously, how gorgeous is this?

Don’t judge my overall speed – it was a hilly route.

I have to admit, I also love the gamification of the workouts.  I can challenge myself up hills and through sprints.  I can earn virtual jerseys and other gear to “wear” during the ride.  I can cheer on my friends as they ride (and spy on them if I want).  I can see how many pieces of pizza I burned during my workout (spoiler alert: it’s never as much as you think).

I have never minded indoor training, as it’s often an excuse to catch up on tv shows I’ve missed, but after using Zwift for a few months, I see just how much I was holding back on my trainer rides.  It’s easy to push myself on the treadmill – I push the buttons and I have to run faster or I fall.  But the bike is entirely self powered, so if I take it easy, there’s nothing there to force me to speed up.  Having my Zwift screen in front of me is that reminder, especially when I’m cruising up a hill at a whopping 2 miles per hour.  Seriously, if I were actually riding, I would have fallen over.  (Of course, I tend to avoid hills with a 10% grade.)

So thank you, Zwift, for getting me through these past few months, but I think maybe we’ll be seeing each other just a bit less, now that the treadmill and I are allowed to get reacquainted.

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