The Power Meter Badge
Once upon a time, I believe in last forum, we began a discussion on badges we could earn, EN style. As a newbie to power, I've been thinking a lot about what I should be doing to become a power ninja. I'm liking the idea belts because some of these subjects are hard to tackle. Having an idea of where to start is definitely a good thing. 
Here's my rough draft of the power belt criteria. Thoughts? Edits?
Congratulations! You have a power meter! Now, what to do to turn it from a shiny cadence computer into a powerful tool of athlete knowledge?
Green Belt
1. Understand what the little yellow computer, or other variety of power meter actually does. Watch all three sessions of the power webinar. Repeat until you know your TSS from your IF and have a very good understanding of why you want to pay attention to those numbers so you don't bugger your next race.
2. Take the power meter out of the box. Attach it to your bike. (This may involve working on your mechanic's badge by removing and replacing your cassette. Figure out how to zero the torque and pair your head unit with your hub/crank. Do a test and get your power meter to give you accurate results.
3. Install WKO+ or software of choice on your computer. (This may be an involved process, especially if you need to dual-boot a Mac.) Successfully get data from head unit into the software program. Be able to successfully download data to WKO+ after each workout.
Brown Belt
1. Read the complete owner's maual to your power meter and set all the settings on it. Don't forget rolling power averages.
2. Acquire a copy of Training and Racing with a Power Meter and study it.
3. Successfully share your power data on the forums.
Black Belt
I'm still working on my brown belt. What should be here?
Comments
My Black Belt list would be pretty much all around WKO+:
- Analysis Race Rehersal
- Use and understand the PMC
- Use and understand the power distribution chart
- Create custom charts
- Multi-file/multi range analysis
- Quadrant Analysis (I'm still not sure how valuable this is or how to use it fully)
I would also add a full understanding of TSS/IF/NP/VI/ATL/CTL/TSB to Brown Belt
Matt,
I agree with your Brown Belt additions. The challenge I have when looking at the metrics for the PMC is determining when to stand down. When I look at my CTL for instance...I was deeper in the well for the same relative time as I am now. The difference in how I feel is dramatically different though. So, CTL, while interesting, doesn't appear to be a good predictor for me based upon my understanding of duration below Zero and depth below Zero.
As for Quadrant analysis...not sure it means much to triathletes as we grab a wattage and hold on to it for raceday without the VI issues that roadracers deal with. I just started reading an article on it by Coggans during lunch but my glucose levels were not in sync with my desires...so I took a nap.
V
I agree Beth - a great tool that takes a while to understand. My 2 cents are below.
I think a power meter does two key things for you, It tells you what you are doing NOW and it tracks what you HAVE DONE. The challenge is how to use the tool in the current moment and how to learn from what you have done. My view is the critical valve of power meter usage is in training pace setting and race execution.
Vince- I'm glad I'm not the only one who falls asleep to Coggan! I agree- I'm not sure the quadrant analysis chart is really much value for us. I attended one of the WKO webinars on it and still couldn't figure out how I could apply it to my training.
My adds:
Greenbelt: Ride 1 week with your PM and just collect the data and observe what the computer says as you do different stuff. Don't try to train to the watts- use whatever your old training protocol was and just observe how that manifests itself in the power meter results. (Best advice I ever received when I first got a PM)
Blackbelt (or is there another color above black?): Use the EN Racing with PM tool to determine your "EN gear Watts". That sounds like it's such a simple plug in the numbers and get the results thing to do- but those of us who have done it know there's a lot more thinking involved than just punching FTP=185 into a calculator.
This is awesome! Well, except for the part where I have to do more work on my brown belt.
Keep the suggestions coming and I'll work on putting everything in a Google doc this weekend.
No comment on quadrant analysis. I'm not that far in Coggan yet.
How about black belt for having a negative split run?
Dude, that's like a 3rd degree black belt!
All right, I've drafted the power meter badge in a google doc. Any edits? Further thoughts? Doc should be editable by everyone. -b
1. Read the complete owner's maual to your power meter and set all the settings on it. Don't forget rolling power averages.
Good thought, Nemo! Other suggestions/changes? And should we make a badge? Maybe something simple, like a "P" and a star?
bump
Beth