Staying Sane on the Bike Trainer

My current training plan has me biking 3 times a week for 1.5 to 2.5 hours per session on my indoor trainer.  Indoor biking can be monotonous and tedious at times, so there are things I do to try and stay focused during the workout.

1. Sometimes I get so bored I just scream out loud.  AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!  It breaks up the monotony and gives me a little boost of energy.  :)
2. Watch TV, either a movie or multiple TV shows.  These have to be high energy and fast-paced in order to do much good.  Anything too ‘drama-like’ doesn’t work for me.
3. During commercial breaks or for one scene do some cycling drills.  Sometimes I stand up and pedal, or I practice different cadences like a hard gear with a low cadence, or an easier gear with a super-high cadence.   I usually like to make these drills hurt and I talk to myself to get through them.  For example, “It’s just one commercial, you can do this for one commercial, and then you can sit down”.
4. I also talk back to the TV.  If there is a question asked I will answer it out loud.  Or if somebody asks ‘how are you feeling’.  I will yell “GOOOOD!”  It’s amazing how well this works – the body behaves much better if the mind tells it that everything is great!
5. If the ride is more than 90 minutes I always have some type of snack to eat, and I always have something to drink no matter the length of the ride.  When eating something I take that time to slow down, sit up, stretch, and do some easier pedaling for a minute or two.  It’s a great way to provide some mental and physical breaks during the workout.
6. I know I have to do these workouts and the end result is that I will be in great shape for the outdoor biking season!  It’s the carrot dangling in front - kind of a pay now, play later type of thing meaning do the hard work now and reap the benefits when the outdoor season starts. 

Do you have any tips for getting through monotonous or tedious tasks?

Do you have any high energy, fast-paced movies you recommend? 
I watched “The Bridge on the River Kwai” last Saturday.   It’s an old movie (1950s I think).  Pat got it from the library and watched it the night before – normally this is not a movie I would watch but, I was desperate for something during this bike ride.  It was actually a really good movie.  It had great music and plenty of action to keep my mind focused during the bike ride.