Questions 101
PLEASE ADVISE..... When you do the bike test indoors, since you cannot coast on a computrainer, what do you do in the 2' between the intervals? do you stop or gently cycle?
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PLEASE ADVISE..... When you do the bike test indoors, since you cannot coast on a computrainer, what do you do in the 2' between the intervals? do you stop or gently cycle?
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Myrna, have you looked here for help ?
http://www.racermate.net/forum/index.php
I am not getting my answers from coaches and I know they have many member requests to deal with, but when you are new to something you expect a little more help. Perhaps it looks dumb and stupid asking questions that seem obvious to others, but it is frustrating to be all pumped up ready to start, yet not knowing how to and where to do things right. If anyone can guide me and answer my questions I will be very appreciative. I am really having a hard time using the site. Though it must make a lot of sense to you guys, for me as a beginner with very little time on hand, and the volume of info available, I find myself wasting a lot of time I don't have to begin with, navigating through, searching for answers I cannot readily find. I wish there was a site map to guide me, or a better visual handout for beginners to follow
1. Where am I supposed to enter the run splits which were recommended in the 1st week plan notes?
2. Do I have to account for or does the system account for the fact that I did the test on a treadmill?
3. What is the difference between the DT home page (in blue) and the members page (in Red ) I am putting out information here and there not even knowing where I should be and where I should not be. What does pro member mean? I am not a pro!
4. I have added an avatar which turned out to be stretched out, I changed it but the photo only shows in my profile and I keep seeing the old one on the data tool page. How do I fix that!
5. I placed 2 comments on the membor/mentor page, which I don't even know how to trace! They sort of disappeared. where can I find them?
6. Where is the best place to post my questions and get a quick reply from coaches?
7. Which forums are most read in order to optimize my chances for a reply? No one has commented yet on the CT post.
8. What do I do if I cannot fit in the Bike test this week? Should I just bike the time required?
Thank you
Hi Myrna-
Quick answer to a few of your questions:
Post here for daily training questions: http://endurancenation.us.dnnmax.com/Community/Forums/tabid/101/aff/24/aft/64/afv/topic/Default
If you can't do the bike test, no problem, just do the work and schedule the test when able.
I commented on y our CT post, if others have advice they usually will respond. Not all here use CT. Again I would post over in the CT forum as well.
To trace a particular thread and responses, you need to subscribe to the thread. This can be found @ ;the top/right when opening a thread.
All I have time for right now. Don't worry, lots of help here and no dumb questions.
Gina
Same as Gina! Will steal work time this morning and get back to you! Hang in there. It's overwhelming, we know.
Hope some of these answers help.
1. You want to click on the Training tab and go to the data tool to enter your total time & distance for the run to give you your vdot training paces. you don't actually have to enter the spllits, but we want to keep track of them to make sure your test was paced consistently. it wouldn't do you any good to base your paces off a run that looked like 6:00/mile (mile 1), 6:00/mile (mile 2), 9:00/mile (mile 3.2).
2. you don't have to account for the test being on a treadmill. it's ok, to go from a treadmill 5k to the road with your paces. however, some people find it quite hard to go from a road vdot test to the treadmill. this is more individual, but since you tested on the treadmill you should be all set.
3. ignore the pro member stuff. it's lingo from an old membership system. the data tool is linked into the older version of the website, so it's ok to go there to input your times, get your zones, etc. i'm not techie, so i can't give you the full details, but the sites are linked, they just look different.
4. no idea on this one- not techie- can't even post a picture.
5. this one depends on where you put those questions. if you posted them in a group, then click on community--groups---(then select your group). if it's in a forum post, then
6. the coaches don't monitor certain forums. i would suggest you place the questions in the forums---either general training discussion or power and pace. these are the most monitored by the coaches. also, remember that EN operates as a community group with coaches, not a traditional model where the coaches individually account for the members. it does take a little getting used to, but 99% of time, member guidance is pretty similar to what you'll get from the coaches. also, neither coach that i know of uses a CT, so they may not be of any help there.
7. see answer in #6
8. If you can't do the bike test, then substitute some form of an FTP workout. you could try the 2 x 20 (2') keeping track of your HR, so it gives you some pacing guide for your test. other versions of FTP work in the plans look like 2 x 10 (2')/ 3 x 10' (4')/ 2 x 12' (4')/ 2 x 15' (4') (pick one don't do all as one workout).
-hope this helps. as you get used to the sight, you get better at finding things, negotiating things and learning what you don't want to read. keep your head up, we're here for you.
-keith
Hang in there Myrna! It's a lot to take in all at once, but we'll get you up to speed, don't worry! Like many things, it takes a little up front investment to learn your way around, but it will be worth it in the end. You'll be a pro in no time!
First- be sure you check out the "Train Map". It was designed to be the "how to navigate through EN" map and should be really helpful for you. You get to it by going to the Resources tab up top and then selecting "Train Map". From there, pic a station and start learning.
Let me see if I can answer some of your questions:
1. Where am I supposed to enter the run splits which were recommended in the 1st week plan notes? Nemo: It sounds like you are looking for a training log? A place to enter each workout's results? If so, there isn't a training log as part of EN. However, you might be talking about your first vDot test? If that is the case, then you need to go to the Data Tool to enter your results. There is a video in the Train Map which will show you how to use the Data Tool- you can find it here: http://www.endurancenation.us/members/train/ENData1.php
2. Do I have to account for or does the system account for the fact that I did the test on a treadmill? Nemo: No- the vDot test doesn't care if you did your test on a treadmill, track, open roads, or trails. It's just time & distance.
3. What is the difference between the DT home page (in blue) and the members page (in Red ) I am putting out information here and there not even knowing where I should be and where I should not be. What does pro member mean? I am not a pro! Nemo: What you are seeing (I think) is all part of this transition EN has been going through from our prior platform (EN 3.0) to the new platform (EN 4.0). Some of the resources and tools are still on the older platform. Don't worry about it- in the end, it's all one Hause! As for Pro- don't worry about that either- none of us (that I know of) are Pro's!! It's just a designation that I think the guys use as the default which is kinda a throw back to different membership tiers we used to have waaaaaaay back in the old days.
4. I have added an avatar which turned out to be stretched out, I changed it but the photo only shows in my profile and I keep seeing the old one on the data tool page. How do I fix that! Nemo: Hmmmmm, I have no idea! That would be a good question to put in the "Admin" forum for the web gurus to answer for us.
5. I placed 2 comments on the membor/mentor page, which I don't even know how to trace! They sort of disappeared. where can I find them? Nemo: Pretty sure Gina has you covered on this one. You can "subscribe" to a thread so you get emails when any updates are posted. As a side note- when you first get into the Forums, you'll see a button up top called "new thread". This will show you all the threads that have been updated since you last read them. It would be WAAAAAY to overwhelming for you to read all those threads right now- but that New Thread button can be a lifesaver for keeping in touch with what is going on around here. I suggest you do the following:
Select "New Thread". Then when the results come up, just click that button on the bottom "Mark All Read" so you can sorta start from scratch. Once y ou have that done, it will be easier to keep up. Here's the process I use (and I'm sure others do different things as well": Enter the forum and select "New Thread". I review those threads that I know will be of interest to me- and I might review others as well, but for the most part I tend to skip over threads like "IMSG Week 3 Swim Thread" because I'm not training for IMSG and I just don't have enough time to read every thread there ever was!! Once I've read what I want to, the list will now only contain the stuff that I don't really care about and I'll hit "Mark All Read". That way then next time I come into EN I get a new updated list
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6. Where is the best place to post my questions and get a quick reply from coaches? The two threads the coaches closely monitor are the following: The Macro Thread -- Get the Coaches' Advice on Season Planning, Big Picture Stuff and The "I need training/scheduling feedback from the Coaches about THIS WEEK" Thread The titles to those pretty much tell you what kind of Q's should go in there. If you have other types of questions of a more general nature (like your Computrainer Question), then put those in the Forum that seems to be the best fit and let the members of the Hause help you. Frankly, there's a lot of Q's like those that where the members can offer better help than the coaches!
7. Which forums are most read in order to optimize my chances for a reply? No one has commented yet on the CT post. Nemo: Give folks a chance! I'm pretty sure you already have some responses and a few questions in that thread already. Remember- most folks read the Forum once or twice a day- and they probably follow a process similar to what I described above. I don't think any one particular forum is getting read more than others (except the Woman's Forum of course
8. What do I do if I cannot fit in the Bike test this week? Should I just bike the time required? Nemo: This would be a great question for that "I need feedback about THIS week" thread. But Gina's right, just do the workouts that are on the schedule and test when you get the CT stuff worked out- don't sweat it! You can do Saturday's Bike workout as a substitute for the test.
I hope this helps!!!
How encouraging and supportive you all are, and what a great tool this whole forum concept is. Wao! Just what I need
I am tied up with work today, I can't wait to go carefully over all the replies this evening, I have already figured out some stuff myself though I am sure to find great helpful hints and possible solutions to what I am still trying to decipher . MERCI BEAUCOUP...
1. I have already entered the data, but there was no place to enter the splits. Keith thanks for explaining now I understand why.
2 + 3 Ok Cool! 2 thing less to worry about
4. I’ll ask coach P
5. I placed that on the welcome page under where my photo was, this was not a thread I needed to subscribe to. The other forums I have subscribed to already and I get my emails. Thanks for the tip about how to select what to read.
6 + 7. Now I know thanks to you and to coach R who emailed on that.
8. I will do as Keith suggested for this week’s workouts. and will use the "I need feedback about THIS week" thread as Nemo suggested in the future
I will hang in there, there is a lot to learn and it is time consuming and overwhelming for someone who does not have much time, but I guess there is no other way around it , it takes a little upront investment as Nemo said.
Thanks again...
H Myrna,
I'm a newbie myself... so i can understand some of your frustration and feeling of being overwhelmed by all of the info that's on the web..... I've used the various threads for coach's advice (this week and season big picture) with some success - granted, I've come to learn that the coaches usually only look/answer once a week, over the weekends. Once they posted answers but my Q got missed so I re-posted (fortunately it was season big picture and not the I need advice for this week thread).
When I need a quicker response, I use my OS group thread (I'm in Jan) and my fellow OS'ers (including Nemo) have been fabulous at offering me advice, suggestions, mentoring, etc. I'm sure I ask a lot of dumb questions but they don't make me feel silly. In fact, I've been really thankful and appreciative of the very thoughtful and thorough answers I've gotten. I've also joined a women's only thread that gets a lot of action/quick responses to questions, both gender-specific and general training alike. I'd say these 2 outlets have made me feel very well supported and you may have some luck there.
I don't suscribe to every thread/forum because they get so much action my email inbox gets flooded, but I try to log on every day or two and read through starting from where I left off... to keep up with everyone and to learn from their comments and questions as much as looking for answers to my own.
Oh, and when I have time, I peruse the wiki topics and have found some really great stuff. I've also looked at the forum table of contents for other threads... good luck!
I am a total Newbie to EN and am very intrigued and interested in the training methods. I am trying to decide if I should go with the Nov OS plan, but so much information here to take in!
I do not own a heart rate monitor or power meter, and I'm sure purchasing an HRM wouldn't be too hard. I want to do some more research on the powermeter though, but not sure where to start... This may have been covered in other threads, so please point me to them if so.
My questions are mainly:
- does any powermeter go onto any type of bike?
- seems on Ebay powermeters are often sold with wheels? Why?
- I saw the thread of one of the coaches where you can buy powermeters through him, wondering if besides those brands mentioned (powertap and quarq if I remember correctly) people like any other powermeter brands?
Not sure if I'll be ready to put in the expense (seems like it will be half to full the price of what my bike cost me!), but more information to make the decision will likely help
Thanks in advance!
@Astrid:
- does any powermeter go onto any type of bike?
Yes... but there may be more parts to buy depending on which version of which power meter you buy. Sorry if that's cryptic, but for example, a Quarq powermeter built for a SRAM drivetrain may not (probably won't) work on your bike if you have Campy components. So, you might have to buy a part of or a whole new drivetrain. But, generally, you CAN make any power meter fit any bike. It's just a question of how much you may have to spend to do it. If you buy the right version, it may be as easy as swapping out cranks or a wheel.
- seems on Ebay powermeters are often sold with wheels? Why?
Probably because those are PowerTap hubs, which are designed to be built into the wheel.
- I saw the thread of one of the coaches where you can buy powermeters through him, wondering if besides those brands mentioned (powertap and quarq if I remember correctly) people like any other powermeter brands?
SRM is the "gold standard" but costs twice as much as a Quarq, which costs more than the PowerTap. Polar is not worth buying IMO because it's finicky, not particularly accurate and hard to set up. Metrigear/Garmin is still not available. iBike tends to be a bit finicky as well, but is not too bad if you can get it properly configured.
Hope this helps.