SBR "U" (Page 76)

going back and picking up stuff I was missing while reading/responding on my phone - Ben, here is where DC Rainmaker describes the different ways Garmin devices determine caloric burn (interestingly enough he calls it "Cookie Allocation Metrics!): http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/11/how-calorie-measurement-works-on-garmin.html It is an older post that has not been updated (except in the comments) and Garmin does not support the New Leaf protocol anymore as they have gone out of business. The 800 that I use for cycling can use both the FirstBeat algorithm (1st version) or power to calculate calorie burn. Somewhat frustratingly it uses FirstBeat as the default if you are wearing a HRM, and only uses power if you are not. The 810 and 1000 both default to the pwoermeter if it is present, no matter whether you are wearing a HRM or not. That is not a big concern to me, as Training Peaks ignores the HR info recorded if there is power data included and does its own calculation, which as you state is just a simple math conversion of power to calories. I actually like this method better as it only includes the added effort above your BMR. HR calculations don't separate that out (although DC Rainmaker describes his trick how to do so, but not sure how well that works). Since we are probably talking about a swing of a couple hundred calories it is not a big deal on short stuff, but could be on really long days.

My running computer (Garmin 620) uses the FirstBeat 2nd generation algorithm. it "learns" you over a few weeks and continues to adjust itself over time as you use it. Just to check it I have used it on rides along with my 800 and it actually seems to track really nicely (within a couple of percent) from what is reported by training peaks via the power data from the 800. So I assume it is doing a fairly good job when running as well. Having lab-tested my BMR I can use this data, with my workout data, and my caloric intake to move the needle on the scale in very, very predictable ways. FWIW for me 3000 calories is one pound.

*Edit - oops, forgot to include link.

Oh, yeah - right! and if I set my Garmin to ignore zeros I should be able to increase my Ftp by 30~40 watts as well - ha-ha!

Seriously, I really could use some advice here. For a little guy I do seem to do better than most in being able to ride a relatively low VI on a lumpy course No special talent, just very good at watching power and capping effort on the ups, along with much-practiced use of the elevation look-ahead feature on the garmin 800. 

The TT is actually the bike leg in the Chattanooga Waterfront Oly Triathlon - I switched to a relay since I have only just got back to swimming and I am still not running. I am trying to get some recon, but for now I am not even sure I can warn up before hand - I know they will not let us take our bikes out of transition and they have told me there is no location to set up a trainer. Hotel is right across the street from transition, so if nothing else I will take my roadie and trainer and warm up there. I have rode the course once during the race, so am somewhat familiar.

Oh, they absolutely all can be used, as we all do. I guess in some way I am just making an argument to really use HR and Power together (anytime you guys talk about using pace as a proxy for effort I think "D*mn, it must be flat where they live! [I do use pace exclusively in the pool and on the track though]) I just like using HR and power bracketed against each other as they are giving you good insight based on the variables they are incorporating. for instance: since the variables of angular force and speed (measured in RPM) are used to calculate power, on an ergometer you can also look at HR data to find the most efficient cadence to produce the most power on longer efforts, just as a simple example.

Chris - missed this too. You are spot-on, we are in the part of the summer where the humidity get fairly low (for here) after the dew rises. It was probably around 65%. Riding in the morning is cooler, but then the humidity (like this morning) is well over 90%. So you kinda have to pick your poison. I honestly like the hotter, lower humidity. In a couple of weeks we won't really have a choice - it will just be hot and humid all day long, kinda like what you are used to in Florida.

It definitely was a hot day, but I actually think what made it so nice day regardless was that it was the first day of the summer that I could just get out on my own schedule and by myself without any pressing work hanging over my head, honestly. It could have been a billion degrees and still nice in that regard. I like those days.

I don't know if it was a bad day so much, or if it has to do with the fact that most of my training at threshold efforts is done on the trainer.  I air condition my house to 78F when I'm riding and have a couple big fans blowing on me....factoring in humidity, the "feels like" temp was probably bordering on 100F.

The previous Saturday, I did a 1:45 ride on the trainer with a normalized power of 161W -- there was a fair amount of threshold work in that ride, but also some VO2 and a bit of sprinting, so it's probably exaggerated, but I would have expected to be able to hold at least that much for an hour.  I did a decent amount of threshold work in the build, but like I said, it was on the trainer.  When I did threshold work outside, it did feel tough to hold for even 10 minutes, but I attributed that to not tapering, having done other hard efforts, and not having the race day excitement/adrenalin. 

That said, when I did this race last year, my training was structured similarly (threshold efforts on the trainer), and the weather was similar as well.  I honestly think it's a confidence thing....that, and having written off the race in the week leading up to it.

I don't know, it's disappointing....but I'll move on and hopefully get stronger at some point again.

Nice was not a weather related thing then. I am hoping to get one of those on Friday.

Oh I use HR all the time too. It's very rare I'll not have it, often that'll mean somethings broken! I see HR more like an output even though it's not quite an output like the others (it's in the middle of the process, so not really either). And what goes into that (and the others) is a bit different so you can take different meaning from each of them. Some of the information overlaps. Some of it is different.

As far as flat goes, Lauren Fleshman can demonstrate this better. How do you use pace as a proxy that effectively with stuff like this all over the place? I swing all over the gear range and adjust pace by several minutes a mile multiple times within the same mile. HR has been very valuable for this. I do like math, but figuring out the slope of every part of every hill would be nuts!

I'm guessing there is some getting used to the climate conditions again. I you're not used to working in the heat & humidity, then it will be harder to do. I run into that too. I also ran into some issues with balance & support muscles as the trainer holds you upright. My body learned to be very efficient on the trainer. This year has been different as I've been on a rock 'n roll. Outdoor riding has been notably easier than expected in this regard. I actually feel less from that outdoors now, though still have the climate to deal with.

Another thing is being used to the roads. I have a lot of bumps to deal with around here, road width cracks. Need to mentally keep the focus up and keep riding through them. Also need to work on keeping my head in position better as it's easy to cheat on that with the trainer.

I got USAT's "your sooooooo close but not quite good enough to qualify for USAT Nationals" email yesterday.  You get it again this year, Chris?  Hah, I remember when you posted about it last year!

Anyone racing or training this weekend?  I sent my power meter back to Quarq the other day, so I'm going to try my first ride without power....I think I might be a basket case!  That, or maybe I'll love it since I won't be stressing about my measly power or be disappointed when I can't hold something I think I should be able to.

I was supposed to do a 20k TT last night but couldn't make it for a couple of reasons.  We both had the day off today so we decided to go do it on our own this morning for fun.  It turned out to be a bit of a good news/bad news attempt.  The bad news is that my power sucks on the new setup on my P3.  I was 23 watts lower (272) than when I did this TT last year.  Some of that was a loss of motivation when I was struggling at the half way mark and I checked out mentally a bit (a lot).  It's very different muscles that start screaming at me on that bike vs my road bike so maybe I just need more time on the bike to get them used to it.

The good news part of it is that I was 0.9 km/hr faster on 23 less watts.  I can't do a direct time comparison since it appears I turned around about 100-150 meters too soon.  So at least the new position appears to be faster aerodynamically.  Tough to do a direct comparison since the wind was also different.

LOL, not this year, cuz I wasn't even close!

I did sign up last minute for a flat Oly on Sunday.  I've lost quite a few steps so it's not going to b a PR or anything, just trying to see if I can race myself into shape 

In fashion news, I was inspired by Arend in SF a couple weeks ago and my wife bought me a pair of the lululemon pants that he was wearing.  Thankfully they're not see thru 

Were said pants (originally) made/designed for males or females?  

Haven't heard anything about the 70.3 (other than reading a couple race reports on here), but I have a friend racing the 140.6 later this year.  The 70.3 is high on my list of races to do....probably won't be 2016, though, as work will be extremely busy, so I don't expect to be able to race until late in the year (if at all).  If you do it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

Fun race today.  Wasnt expecting a great time, and my legs weren't feeling so good early on.  But I stayed patient and my legs magically came around at 6500' feet.  Chased down a bunch of friends that last hour or so and really put myself into the hurt locker to get one last guy just before the finish.  My race didn't go nearly to my sophisticated plan but I was able to adjust really well on the fly.  Still about 7 minutes slower than last year but still had a great time.  Strava

Chris, funny you should ask - I am in Chattanooga right now about to head down to transition to do the bike portion of a relay in the Olympic race they put on here at the same venue. We were talking last night with friends and teammates about maybe steering the season out with the 70.3 here and then finishing up the season with savegeman. This is GREAT town and super venue. While I did not race the 70.3 I have lots of friends and teammates that did and they loved it.

Nice going Jason! Even though it didn't go quite to plan, did you find that amount of preparation to be of benefit? Giving you a better idea of expectations than you've had before?

Unfortunately, all the answers were yes-except for the last one. My last thought was "crap, thats a nice looking bike I'm going to hit. Went over and landed squarely on my left side. 3 broken ribs, broken clavicle, and a pneumothorax requiring a chest tube. Been a very painful day to say the least, and will be in hospital until at least Tuesday because eof the chest tube.

And pardon my french but holy f@$ing cr@p this hurts like hell......

Edited by ChrisM 2015-06-28 7:08 PM

Ouch man! Hope you get through this well.