Post-Workout Analysis
If I'm following RnP's plans, have tested accurately and do the workouts as prescribed, what's left to analyze when I'm done? I download the power meter and run data to WKO+, verify I hit the right zones and times, upload everything to Training Peaks (so I can look at it at work!) - and then what? What post-workout analysis do you (all) do? Minimum (simple) effort and maximum ROI would be the goal.
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bob,
this is a loaded question...prepare for the ultra-geeks to flood you with a ton of info!!!
actually, i can't wait to see the examples myself. i am a wanna be geek.
my method is very macro and retrospective: i follow the OS bike and runs; make sure i push honestly each time; see how hard i can train until i cannot reach the assigned paces of the OS day after day; and when i find myself getting to the edge (determined by how i feel--> i can hit the paces, but probably couldn't do another week like this), then i go back and see what numbers correlated with this level of effort and adjust accordingly.
example: i can ride a weekly TSS of 490, over three rides, and still hammer all my runs in the OS at even a little higher than the assigned paces. the weekly rTSS, i just started tracking, so i don't have any example for you there.
anyway, i am sure you'll get a bunch of great options.
GH
Bob. I've been keeping track of my workouts since I started tri in 1999, and have been using WKO+ for several years. I've gotta say, there are really only two major ways I review the data:
1. From year-to-year, to compare where I'm at, say in this year's OS week 10 to last year's week 10, or race rehearsal performace 6 weeks before an IM year to year or race to race.
2. I'm a fan of the Performance Management Chart (PMC). Again, this provides a long-term view, and assessment demands patience to get enough data for it to be meaningful - months are needed, really at least a full A-Race training cycle.
Otherwise, I just look at things to remind myself how much (or little) work I'm doing, or to reassure myself if I'm feeling a bit over cooked, by being able to see how much work I'm doing - "Yeah, I DO need a rest day, I guess!" I don't obsess about individual numbers within a given workout, as long as I'm within range of the prescribed targets for the day.
To me, performance in a race is what I care most about, not the details of an individual workout. Like you say, as long as I'm showing up every day and hitting the targets, I don't need any more depth in my data. It (the info) is mostly entertainment to me.