Looking For EN Bike Training HACK Folks - Cool Beta Test with Trainer Road

John Stark

Hi All:



We are looking for 15 folks to take part in a bike training hack for the month of March.  We will follow somewhat in Coach Patrick's OS hack  (his update here: http://tinyurl.com/7bqyr3y) where there is a mix of FT and Vo2 work, and using new techonlogy to see if we can enhance the EN training program/mojo/goodness.  Here are the high-level details:

• We will be using EN-centric workouts from http://www.trainerroad.com/ as our training platform.? 
• We will be writing a couple of the workouts ourselves and uploading to Trainer Road based on the current Advanced IM Plan.  This will help coincide with most folks current training plan.? 
• We will be using videos from Sufferfest that will accompany each workout.? 
• We will tinker with Skype, Google+, etc. to do virtual group workouts.
• We need 15 participants:  10 who have power meters with ANT+ and 5 folks WITHOUT POWER but have a trainer and ANT+ (ex: the little USB stick that comes with the Garmin 310XT).  Or willing to spend ~$50 to get ANT+

Requirements for each participant:?

• Do a minimum of 2 of the 3 workouts each week (leaving room for a long ride outside on the weekend, if you want) for all of March.
• Must be able to post workout computer screen capture (TR graphs) into EN forum.  We can show you how.
• Willing to be beta tester on a user friendly product.  No geeky coding.  But probably downloading some software and videos and tinkering with some program settings.  We can help you.
• Must be "active" in the discussions.  No lurkers, please.
• Must give honest feedback before, during, and after of the hack.

We are still working out the details, but we are posting to see if there is much interest from the team first.

Let us know.

Thanks.

 

mgraffeo

John, I'd love to be involved. I'm guessing, however, that you wouldn't want me, because of my travel schedule in March (on the road for at least one if not two of the weeks). Keep me in mind if you need numbers.

Keith Wick

Hi John,

I'd like to be in on this. I don't at this present time have an ANT+ powermeter as I have the older 2.4 SL, however, I just ordered the upgrade from Wheelbuilder, so I'm assuming it will be here before March.

Let me know if I make the cut.

Thanks

John Stark

Keith - Love to have you wisdom in the group.  Thanks for letting us know.  Will keep ya posted.

Michael - Ya, we need some consistency across the board.  Will let ya know.

Who else?

grosso27

 Stark, put me on the short list.  I'm short course this year, so if the powers-that-be think this newfangled hack fits in w/ my short course balls to the wall approach, just let me know.  Bike fitness can use some boosting.  

-Ed

Brenda Ross

If you need a chica, I think I would be in for this. I believe I have all that is required. Only thing is that maybe I will not be able to ride outside in march. Ottawa is usually not warm enough to ride outside in march. Let me know.

John Stark

Ed and Brenda:  AWESOME!

Brenda, the more chica's the better.  And outside is OPTIONAL.  All 3 weekly ride on the trainer would be optimal.  The outside ride is for those who choose to do it.

 

jamison.gaddy

This is great and I'm excited about the future application for the team. I'll be in OS; however, if it works out that you need someone for OS bike beta just let me know. I've got some fresh legs and a pitcher of EN kool aid in the fridge.

jetskr

I'm interested in trying this out. I have a powertap and have been riding with the sufferfest videos already so it would be just a matter of adding a couple parts to the workout. How would this work with being in the January OS?

Al Truscott

Since I'm planning to do this hack anyway, I might as well offer myself. I'll be missing the first 4 days of the month on vacation, however (I hesitate to say where, but it rhymes with "Mona")

pgiesin

@John: You can add me to the list. You already know that I have the setup required.

~Pete

tuckerm

Very interesting, where ever did you guys come up with this idea? Ha!
I'm not so sure I feel like doing this again but I may depending on the workouts. Or I could moderate. Let me know.

John Stark

@Tucker - this was in process awhile back.  Nothing new.

@Peter - Glad to have you onboard.  Are you the Reconnaissance guy?  :-)

@Al - Good news.  Thanks for jumping in.

@Jeff - WOOHOO!

@Jamison - You may need to mod your OS a bit. 

Thanks everyone.

 

 

John Stark

Hi All:

With all the PM's and your adds below, it looks like this hack is a GO! 

Slight mod to format.  The IM Plans won't fit into this very well.  So we will be doing mostly OS type work.  2 x 1 hour trainer sessions during the week and 1 x 75' trainer session on the weekend with the option to go outside and ride on the weekend if you want/need to ride longer.  Still a minimum of 2 trainer rides though.

More deets coming as we finalize things next week.

Thanks everyone.

John

 

 

 

Al Truscott

This fit perfectly for me; I will be starting OS this Monday, and had planned on doing one FTP session, one VO2 session at least through April, and one weekend ride mixed per week. This hack sounds like it would be approximating that? FYI I use a PowerTap, do I need to get the Trainer Road stick as well?

Cary Blanco

I'm cool to help with this. I'm already on trainerroad if that helps.

pgiesin

@John: Ha, No spying! I just thought that I could bring the experience of Tri6Pack since we have been doing something similar to this for the past couple months. We are all just trying to help others have fun and get faster.

~Pete

John Withrow

John-- I'm in if you're still looking for people. I have ANT+ Powertap. I'll be doing them on a set of rollers though, not a stationary trainer, I'm assuming that is okay. Does it make sense to start getting familiar with trainerroad right away or just stay tuned and await further instruction?

John Stark

@Peter - Ya, just yanking your chain.  :-)  LOVE to have your insight.  Tuckers, not so much.  DOH! :-) Thanks a bunch.

@John, we should have much of this finalized Monday afternoon.  I will let you know then.  Thanks for helping out.

 

John

 

 

Cary Blanco

@Stark

No @Cary - where's the love?

John Stark

@Cary

There, ya have it!  :-)

 

 

Glad to have you along, brotha!

Cary Blanco

 @Stark

I feel it now 

Tom Glynn

Love to get a few more non power people involved. If you've got a trainer and a computer / laptop you're almost set. An ANT+ stick and an ANT+ speed/cadence sensor if you don't already have one. You can use TrainerRoad for your beginning and ending FT tests. It's a great way to try out power without putting up a lot of money.

If there is anyone thinking about it but not quite sure, I'm happy to help out with power or anything else.

tuckerm

That's how it is gonna be huh Stark?

John Withrow

I dusted off an old computer this weekend and did my first workout with TrainerRoad. After a whole day of nuking the harddrive and getting the actual computer to work, it took all of 5 minutes to get TrainerRoad loaded on it and another 30 seconds max to have it find all of my stuff (Powertap, HRM, Cadence/speed sensor). Pretty cool. Can't wait to get actual EN workouts on there, though. I had a hard time searching for users as I tried to stalk some of you guys to see which workouts you were using. If anyone cares, my "handle" on there is: withrow79

Question for you all... Do you run it through your TV or simply run it through your computer monitor and also have a tv in the background? I hooked it up through my 42" TV which was cool, but I didn't have any of the videos on there, so it was silent in my basement so I let the program run in the background and switched back to ESPN on the TV. I guess I need to think ahead with music or putting some videos on my computer. still need to work out the logistical kinks I guess.

Tom Glynn

 testing a link to my last ride:

the workout was "Revolver".  Lots of 1 minute off and 1 minute on.  The ride is here

Tom Glynn

Just a quick note to state that John and I are still progressing on this topic. We had a chance to have a conference call with the TrainerRoad creators. Both Nate and Reid are in the process of quitting their "real jobs" to focus on this endeavor. Lots of cool stuff coming down the road very shortly. Things like group racing and a lot of other ideas that will allow riders to collaborate and motivate each other.

We walked them trough our hack idea and they have agreed to comp the monthly fee for anyone from EN in our group. They will also have the ability to chime into this forum to answer questions and get our feedback.

More information coming.

John Stark

 @Tucker - A little Cali smack for ya, bro.  :-)  It's all good.

 

John Stark

 OK guys, I have created the hack Group here:  http://tinyurl.com/6p5vcsh

In order to keep the discussion focused, I have made it a private group and I have to approve folks.  So the following folks will get approval:

Cary Blanco

Keith Wick

Ed Gross

Brenda Ross

Jeff Linkus

Al Truscott

Peter Giesin

John Stark

Tom Gynn

John Withrow

Nate Pearson (Trainer Road Dude)

Reid Weber (Trainer Road Dude)

In the group I will have the link to get your free month at TR for those folks who aren't signed up yet.

We still need some non-power folks to join this hack.  Any takers out there?

Joseph Lombardi

 Hey John,

 

I'm a Non-Power guy...who has been using TrainerRoad for about 1 month now...let me kmow if I can help out.

John Stark

 Joseph:

Love to have ya join.  Go to the Hack Group and request access and I will add you.

John