The Training Peaks "How to.." thread

scott dinhofer

Thinking I am probably not the only person stuck on how to setup/ use Training peaks.

My particular fist issue is that of setting up power & pace for bike & run.

seems like you have to pick a "method" if I am doing it right, also, can't seem to find a help file that is direct to this. They have tons of help topics, but no simple "beginner's guide to TP" that I would have hoped for... 

Braintrust?

scott dinhofer

ok, answering my own questions a little, but other posts would be good
this is a link that explains thresholds, CTL, ATL, ATL, etc
http://help.trainingpeaks.com/hc/en-us/articles/204071864-Threshold-411

Mark Maurer

Scott, you're right, the way you set the zones is to enter your threshold numbers and pick a method then the program calculates your zones. They will not be the same as the EN zones but it will calculate the IF based on your threshold numbers so it really doesn't matter that much. I ignore the zones in TP and just use the EN zones.

thekidduxc

+1 @ Mark. I don't use the zones from TP in any capacity. I don't review data spent in these zones either. I do use the data for my IF.

The individual file analysis for TP is superior to what GC offers. In addition TP has the PMC. Also, I find the reporting in TP to be better than GC.

Swanie

About the only thing I use TP for is the Performance Maintenance Chart to track TSB and CTL across all three disciplines. Occasionally Al T. will get wind of an excessive TSB and scold me in front of the rest of the class. Just make sure your run, bike and swim thresholds are kept up to date or the TSS numbers will be off. When I set my thresholds and then pick my method, they differ from EN's but you can delete some of the zones (like the zone 5a,5b, etc).

Tom Glynn

I don't really use the zones either. I do like the calendar as a great way to see weekly data. I like their dashboard for a high level view of what I am doing so I can do the mental check to make sure I'm really doing what I think I'm doing. Am I running 30 miles per week consistently or am I just remembering the good weeks. Same with swim yardage and time on swim/bike/run. I like the PMC stuff and track that over time. It's easy to edit and create intervals, adjust elevation for errors, delete pieces of the file if you forgot to turn the watch off etc. The search function is good too. I try to name workouts the same and list the route on particular runs so that I can benchmark myself on older runs simply by searching on the key word and bringing up every time I've done the same route.

I auto pull from Garmin Connect. I really don't like their reporting at all.

I have WKO 4.0 and will push the data there when I want more serious, in depth analysis, but use TP because it's easy.

Nemo Brauch

I have WKO (older version, they don't have 4.0 out yet for Windows) and use that for PMC. But it's an extra step to get the data back down from the cloud. TP would be more convenient, but I just can't bring myself to spend $20 a month for that convenience right now.

thekidduxc

@ Nemo - I do not believe they are going to publish the WKO version moving forward. They have migrated to a subscription based model. I recognise their was talk earlier of producing a WKO version for windows and Mac, but that talk was almost a year ago now.

Tom Glynn

@David, WKO 4.0 for Mac was released a while ago. It is not fee based. It was vaporwear for several years but now that it is out, I'm very impressed with it. They promised a Windows version pretty quickly after but think they have been bogged down with the new Windows 10 and trying to get the software to work with it.

William Jenks

Golden Cheetah has also become a viable standalone piece of software for triathletes. It's free and does have metrics for running an biking now.

Mark Maurer

@ Nemo, with the EN or USAT discount TP is just $95 a year.

Laura Becker

Posted By Steve Swanlund on 20 Jan 2016 12:14 PM


About the only thing I use TP for is the Performance Maintenance Chart to track TSB and CTL across all three disciplines. Occasionally Al T. will get wind of an excessive TSB and scold me in front of the rest of the class. Just make sure your run, bike and swim thresholds are kept up to date or the TSS numbers will be off. When I set my thresholds and then pick my method, they differ from EN's but you can delete some of the zones (like the zone 5a,5b, etc).

Hi! So what if you did not change your threshold and/or forgot to update it....do you know if there is a way to edit the workouts to reflect the correct FTP? My data started uploading into TP in December but I really wasn't using the site until now- and realized the FTP was WAY higher than my actual FTP- so a workout that said it was .70IF was really a .90IF and so on....any way to fix this---I'm trying to analyze my data over the past couple of months to check on some things.......THANKS!!!

Francis Picard

Laura, in the PMC settings, click on recalculate and a screen will open where you can enter the threshold values.

Randy Peene

I have a couple questions regarding Training Peaks that I hope folks can chime in on.

1) Run Threshold.  I'm looking for best practice for entering a run threshold and how everyone determines it. Best I could figure out was to take my 5k time trial and plug the numbers into attackpoint.org. I looked at the "equivalent" tab (not training tab) to estimate my 1hour pace. Attackpoint doesn't give me a 1hour pace so I "average" between 2 distances (ie: 10k and 15k).

2) In Training Peaks is there a way to show the FTP or threshold value for a given workout. In Golden Cheetah or Garmin Connect when you view a workout it shows the FTP at that moment in time (and what the TSS/IF/etc was calculated from).

Thanks.

Derrek Sanks

@Randy Peene, I use my 5k TT average pace and HR. Then I make my pace zones in TP match my EN zones.

Randy Peene

@Derrek Sanks - Thanks for the tip.
I thought I read somewhere that TP recommends your 60min pace. As much as I'd like to think I can hold my 5k pace that long it would probably be overstated. Maybe it's close enough?

Scott Alexander

Derrek Sanks said:

@Randy Peene, I use my 5k TT average pace and HR. Then I make my pace zones in TP match my EN zones.

I do the same for myself and my coached athletes.

Derrek Sanks

@Randy Peene - I think the 5K TT is a common test for T-Pace. I'd stick with the EN testing protocols/training zones since that's what the training plans are built on.

Randy Peene

@Derrek Sanks , @Scott Alexander - Thanks guys, I'll use the 5k TT in TP.

matt limbert

I just watched Coach Patrick's data 101 - Watch/Discuss/Learn. It was good timing - I was working on my own dashboard and data analysis within Training Peaks, Strava and Garmin Connect..... I set a goal earlier this year to get more out of my multiple training log sites. There was a lot of good stuff in there. If anyone wants some help customizing their dashboard in TP - I'm in for helping out. Respond to the post or send me a message.

Rob Tune

@matt limbert saw this post and want to take you up on your offer for TP dashboard help. Just started using and I know you're a wiz at this stuff. Can we connect?

matt limbert

@Rob Tune I'd be happy to. I'm available now and the rest of today if you want. Do any of these times work? If not let me know what does and we'll make it happen. https://calendly.com/new-member-phone-call/1

matt limbert

@Rob Tune

Thanks for the chat today. We can do it again once you have your dashboard built. In the meantime, check out these videos too:

Coach P

http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Courses/TrackingandUsingData101.aspx

or

WSM on data

http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Seminars/MethodsofAnalysis.aspx