Swim/Bike/Run (To Nowhere)

In 2013 the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships came to Milwaukee and attracted a record number of participants: more than 4,000 athletes, representing all 50 states. The event will return this year, August 9-10. If you want to be ready for the bike portion, then the good people at RacerMate have what you need:

Just add the aroma of brewer’s yeast and dead alewives for a fully immersive experience!

“Ride past the Milwaukee Art Museum designed by renown (sic) architect Santiago Calatrava, along the shores of Lake Michigan on a short out and back. When you pass transition again you are directed onto the Hoan Bridge—not accessible (normally) to bike traffic. After a ride out to the city of Cudahy you’ll turn around for a ride back to the Hoan Bridge and back into transition.

“This popular ride can only be ridden on race day—or on CompuTrainer.”

Wow. Sandwich an indoor ride between a swim in the endless pool and a run on the treadmill and you’ll never have to leave the house! People do seem to want to ride across the Hoan Bridge for some reason, but once you’ve actually been to Cudahy, staying home will seem like the more attractive option.

But seriously: the CompuTrainer is a great product. I have used it on a few occasions and would have one of my own if not for the expense. There are three different options starting at about $1,600. Because of the cost, many users rent time at CompuTrainer-equipped shops rather than investing in the hardware themselves. A typical CompuTrainer studio will have between 4 and 16 stations, allowing riders to compete against each other and even to simulate the aerodynamic benefits of pack riding. Friends from Belgianwerkx and Team Extreme recently competed for charity at an indoor time trial hosted by Crank Daddy’s.

Spring still hasn’t quite sprung across Wisconsin, but it will soon and indoor trainers will collect dust for a while. But wouldn’t it be great to have a CompuTrainer racing league next winter?