I'm a new PM user -- words of wisdom?

staceyc123

Hi gang--

After following the EN plans last year with HR, I have made the plunge and am now an owner of a PM.

I just purchased the power webinar to start with. I also wanted to reach out to the team for any additional help. (Not sure if this info is elsewhere.).

I assume the webinar will get me up and running. But if you have any tidbits that would be beneficial to send along I would greatly appreciate them!

Also, what software does everyone use? I have the srm software, but should I purchase a different product to better analyze?

Thanks for all the help!
Stacey

Nemo Brauch

Best advice I got as a power newbie was to just ride my bike with the PM and record/observe the output on the computer and review the data. Don't judge anything, just give yourself a week or two to observe the different numbers and what happens when you do certain things. Read the manual that came with your Power Meter, learn what buttons to push to do certain things, review the Power Webinar, participate in the current Training & Racing with Power Seminars. After about a week or two of doing all of this you'll be ready to take your first FTP test. Take your time to do some up front learning/adjusting and you'll be happy you did!

Second best advice I got was to ask questions!

I don't know anything about the SRM software, but pretty much everyone here uses WKO+ to analyze the data.

Linda Patch

What Nemo said. Think of the reading and studying and listening like taking a class. It really kind of is. Stick with it. Be thorough. Don't skim Go deep. Read, learn and absorb all you can. On the bike, think of yourself as the living labratory as Nemo described. Observe, record, get the hang of it.

When you do an FT test remember...it takes up to 3 tests and even a few more to dial it in. You'll likely feel like you "blew" the first test. We all did. Don't worry. Just do the subsequent workouts by the numbers you get, and retest as scheduled.

Also, when you're riding, the watts jump all over the place. You can't keep them perfectly steady. That often freaks people out. Once you analyse them after the ride, you're looking for your average and normalized power. It takes time to know how to hit your target numbers consistently. But you get the hang of it pretty quick.

It's a decision you'll not regret.

Finally, ask away. LOTS a knowledge here.

 

 

 

Leigh Boyle

when I made the jump, I still used my HR monitor/strap for the first few weeks so that I had some familiar data to compare notes. I did my intervals like I would for the HR and then loaded up the power data to see how they coincided. That way I had an idea of where I was when I did my first test.

enjoy the learning process!! It's a whole other side to training and will teach you a LOT about how you ride.

Michele Cellai

Read, read, read in all of the threads. My 1st EN race season I was HR, but I read everything in the forum (3.0) about the PM training. What really helped was when the guys would post their numbers and others would analyze. It took me a while to understand what I was looking at, but by the time I bought my PM (1st OS with EN and 2nd race season) I felt like I was very fmiliar with all of the numbers. Everyone was showing the WKO+ version. So when I saw my own, it made sense. I still did everything Linda, Nemo, and Leigh already suggested, but reading a WSM analysis of another's data was very helpful.

Don't geek out that your numbers "aren't as good". We all start somewhere. Just don't compare yourself to others, it is destructive.

gilliatt

 Stacey-

Just the fact that you are buying the webinars, interacting, wanting to learn, asking questions etc.  puts you miles ahead of most new PM users (read: non EN folks). 

I loaded the webinars up in my ipod and listened to them when I commuted.  Otherwise the others have pretty much covered it.  You are about to start riding in high def.!  

Cheers

charris

Great advice above.  I thought the Power Webinar was great - along similar lines, I'd also suggest buying "The Triathlete's Guide to Training With Power" from here:

http://www.physfarm.com/store/

 

Twenty bucks very well spent.  His other book (Scientific Training For Triathletes) is really good as well and very much in line with the EN philosophy, imho.

Gordon Cherwoniak

I did not have the luxury to spend the time getting to indepth before my first FTP test.  I purchased the power webinar and went through it all before I had any software or even my PT wheel.  If I would have had wko+ and some data to look at it would have been even better but not necessay.  I just went back over the information for things that I had missed.

My powertap came in week 1 of the November OS while I was travelling for work.  My first workout was the FPT test.  For me I used my HR and had a decent test.  So as Leigh mentioned use your HR and perceived exertion for a few rides to get a feeling for the efforts. 

I had a very good idea of my Max HR and that is why the test was okay.  If I would have not been such a gear head at the end of the first interval I would have done better.  I felt my HR was a little to low and decided I could push 20 more watts for the final 3 minutes of the first 20' interval.  I dropped off 12 watts in the second interval because of this. 

Gordon

Al Truscott

Posted By Gordon Cherwoniak on 14 Dec 2009 07:57 PM

 If I would have not been such a gear head at the end of the first interval I would have done better.  I felt my HR was a little to low and decided I could push 20 more watts for the final 3 minutes of the first 20' interval.  I dropped off 12 watts in the second interval because of this. 

Gordon

 

I'm also new to the testing protocol, but not new to hard work on the trainer or time trialing. The above experience demonstrates that the time to push to the max is at the END of a workout set. Learning how to do that in workouts is one of the key values of doing them, as it teaches us how to dose the effort during a race. It's better to err on the side of easier, rather than harder for the first 3-4 minutes of a test like this, just like our race execution protocol has us going easier in the first 20-25% of the bike and run segments than our goal effort level/power/speed.

Linda Patch

What Al and Gordon say is so true. It applies to the weekly intervals too, esp. when you start getting up to the longer ones like 2x12, 2x15 and beyond. I've been reading in the OS about implosions during the weekly intervals. Do it once, it's a learning curve. Do it twice, shame on me. If one doesn't learn how to meter out the effort and be successful nearly 100% of the time in training, then one is not drinking the koolaid. A PM really helps with that a lot--if you pay attention and do it right. Lecture over.

 

staceyc123

Thanks for all of the great advice. I was looking at the book by Dr. Skiba--so maybe I will ask for it for Christmas.

Great idea on loading the podcasts on my mp3. I spend hours in the car everyday--this is perfect!!

Thanks again!

Coach Rich

Also, to repeat what others have said but in a different way:

Over the years we've seen a direct relationship between member participation in the forums and team (asking questions, sharing accountability, etc) and performances on race day. People who show up to learn, participate, share information, pay attention to the vets, etc simple go faster, for any number of reasons, than the people who just pay their membership fee but don't participate.

This is especially true for members training and racing with power. I hightly doubt there is another triathlon power forum as knowledgeable and helpful as ours here...but you gotta pay attention, ask, questions and learn. Power just requires a significant grey-matter investment to get the most out of it.

Tom Glynn

The other good book is called Training and Racing with a Power Meter by Coggan.

http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1931382794

Training Peaks website has a Power 411 article which is good too.

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/power411.aspx

tom