GETTING NOWHERE ON MY BIKE

One of the nice things about living in Los Angeles is that it's pretty easy to ride year round. You might have to throw on some extra layers for warmth, but you don't have to worry about following a snow plow to get your ride in. And if there is a rare rainy Saturday, you can usually wait 24 hours and go out on a sunny Sunday.

Unfortunately I'm training for an Ironman triathlon this year, and am on a pretty strict schedule. I can't simply push a ride back a day, because I may already have a long run scheduled. And we've been having some bad weather lately. I've tried to make up some workouts by using the stationery bike in my condo workout room, but it literally faces a blank wall and my iPod can only keep my mind occupied for so long. I can only go about 30 minuted before I start going crazy. And let's face it: a stationery bike is no substitute for your real ride.

A friend of mine let me borrow her Bike Trainer so I could put in some extra indoor miles. I was skeptical, but I gave it a try. I set it up in living room, turned on the TV and started pedaling. I was surprised how quickly I worked up a pretty good sweat. Originally I planned on doing 30 minutes just to see what it was like, but I extended it to the full hour. I'm hooked. I'd still much rather be outside on the road, but until we start getting more daylight hours I'll be doing regular workouts on the trainer.

(One odd thing I miss though: since I never stop pedaling, I don't get to hear that unique clicking sound of the Flash-Point wheels. I'll be back on the road soon enough.)