Keeping Track of The Workouts
Let me first apologize for what (to me) feels like a silly question. I'm a newbie to EN - trying to work through all the data on this site. One of the things that has struck me is the number of different "activities" or sets within each workout. Do activity A&B for 15 minutes at such and such pace. Then do activity C for 40 minutes and finish with activity D for 20 minutes in such and such zone.
I'm wondering what the easiest way to keep track of all this stuff is while your actually working out? I have a hard enough time keep track of my kids birthdays and my anniversary!!
Anyone have any simple tips or strategies?
Appreciate it.- David
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Welcome to EN - not a silly question - I asked a very similar question back in November, soon after I joined.
Answers ranged from "I don't" to "I keep a log and hand-draw performance-management-charts and training-stress-balance charts".
Actually, nobody is maintaining training stress balance charts by hand; I keep a basic log using the free capability at TrainingPeaks (http://home.trainingpeaks.com/)
I highly recommend starting there.
The stuff my Garmin captures I upload automatically (power for my rides, pace for my runs, HR all around...)
The stuff my Garmin doesn't capture I enter at the high-level - swim yds and total time but not individual workout details.
Takes me a few minutes a day and I can see the things I need to see:
- Hours training, miles run, miles in my shoes, miles on my tires...
I am going to upgrade to paid at TrainingPeaks in November or January because I think there's a lot of value in the additional power charts and performance management charts they provide, but as a general rule, I start to collect the data after I know how I'm going to use the data to managed to my training.
I think your question may have been more about the workout. As in keeping track of what you need to do while you do it? For swims, I write it down on paper and then stick that in a ziplock baggie. The baggie then sits on the deck right by the water's edge and I look at it from set to set.
If you are doing a lot of workouts inside, you can use paper to keep track or, the best is a dry erase board mounted on the wall of your pain cave. This works great for workout notes and little bits of motivation.
For outside, I ride course more then do workouts. Meaning, the workouts generally have a goal (FTP, Long Ride, ABP, whatever). I have routes tailored to each goal. Same with running unless it's mile repeats, then I am very specific.
Sorry - misread the question - TrainingPeaks isn't going to help you while you're working out.
Yes - for the swim, like Dino, I bring a notepad in a baggie.
For everything else, the workouts tend to follow a pattern.
Running - it's either 3x1m or 2x1.5m or some variant, or it's out at MP back at HMP... and I know my paces by now.
Biking - it's one of an FTP workout (95%), a VO2 workout (120%) or an ABP workout (85%)
Once you get the pattern, it's easy.
I also do not have such a great memory, so when biking or running outside, I actually write notes on my forearm with a sharpie. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but it works for me and don't have to fumble for paper when I can barely catch my breath on an interval run.
Run - program it into my Garmin 310 via Garmin Training Center (so far I have found the Garmin Connect interface to be too difficult...). The pace targets work ok on the310...too sensitive on the 910
Bike - same as run. Program it into my Garmin and then respond to the beeps accordingly.
^^^ x2
The programming takes a little bit the first time, but since teh workouts are very similar, I can alter them quite easily. I have the Warm up as a separate workout on the Garmin since that is always the same. Then after the warm up I select the next workout and go.