CompuTrainer Interactive Videos

Kevin Mackinnon reviews CompuTrainer's innovative new software

So you've qualified for Kona. Wouldn't it be nice to check out the racecourse say, once a week for the six months leading up to the race? No, we're not talking about moving to Kona - although that would be a nice treat - now you can do just that without leaving your own home. Ditto for checking out the Ford Ironman Arizona or Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene course, too.

Thanks to CompuTrainer's new Interactive Bike Course Videos you can get an unbelievably realistic riding experience. Add to that the ability to monitor your heart rate, watts and pedaling efficiency and you will have no excuses once it comes to race day.

The new interactive software goes much further than providing an entertaining way to spend your time on the trainer. Some of the world’s best triathletes use a CompuTrainer at least once a week, year round, because of the training and monitoring benefits it provides. Lisa Bentley even carries her CompuTrainer over to Hawaii in October so she can maintain her regular workouts right up to the Ford Ironman World Championship.

A few years ago I had one of the athletes I coach ride the Richter Pass program once a month as she prepared for Ironman Canada. Each month we had a look at her watts, cadence and heart rate so we could evaluate what sort of gearing she should be using for the climb. By the time she made it to Penticton, she was completely comfortable with her approach to what could have been a challenging climb.

The Interactive Course Videos take that preparation to an entirely new level. Now you’ll actually have visual cues to enhance your training experience and preparation.

The set up of the program is simple. You put the Course Video DVD into your computer and simply follow the instructions. The courses are quite big (three gigabytes or more) so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got lots of hard drive space available before you start. The first time you load and use the video, you’ll be asked to register. As long as your computer is connected to the internet, this is a breeze. It’s a bit more complicated if you aren’t on-line, but the detailed instructions will get you through the process.

If your computer is desperate for hard drive space and you want to ride a different video, you can easily uninstall the video and load another.

Once you’re riding, you’ll be amazed at the experience. The load and resistance you feel relates precisely to what you’re seeing on the screen. Filming was done on race day to give the authentic experience of the race including spectators, aid stations, and cyclists. While you’re riding you can keep track of lots of training information, including watts, heart rate, cadence and, possibly of most importance, your pedaling efficiency. Another excellent feature is that you can save a performance and gauge yourself against it in the future.

RacerMate (the manufacturer of CompuTrainer and an Ironman Sponsor) spent 2007 filming 15 Ironman and Ironman 70.3 bike courses. The videos were then combined with CompuTrainer software to precisely synchronize the film speed with rider speed.

New course DVD’s are expected to be delivered at a rate of one or two new DVDs per month. The price of one course DVD is $99.95 plus postage, while a package of two costs $159.95.

To order a video, go to http://www.computrainer.com/rm_inc/sales/realcoursevideo_order.html.