Training with a Power Meter and the Data that is Important - A simplification by Sandra Yaworski

(*Normalized PowerTM (NP), Intesity FactorTM (IF), Training Stress ScoreTM (TSS) are trademark metrics of TrainingPeaks.)

This is a summary of an article by Andrew R. Coggan, Ph.D.

Why is a power meter so variable, or "jumpy" when training outside?

• Resistance changes because of elevation and wind
• It is very hard to keep power constant or in a zone during a training session outdoors

What data do you need to look?

• Normalized Power (NP)
• Intensity Factor (IF)
• Training Stress Score (TSS)

What does each of these mean and what do they tell you?

Normalized Power (NP) – it is an algorithm.  It has two pieces of information incorporated.  One has to do with how the body is impacted by intensity during duration of a work effort.  The other has to do with how physiological responses tend to follow a curved line rather than being linear.  Keeping track of normalized power quantifies the actual intensity of a workout session.  It is an estimate of the power the rider could have maintained for the same physiological "cost" if the output power was constant.

“normalized power during a hard ~1 hour long criterium or road race will often be similar to what a rider can average when pedaling continuously during flat 40k time trial - the normalized power from mass start races can therefore often be used to provide an initial estimate of a rider's threshold power” (Andrew R. Coggan, Ph.D.)

Intensity Factor (IF) - ratio of the normalized power to your threshold power.  This allows for comparison of workouts, and between riders.

Coggan uses these IF values for workouts:

• Less than 0.75 recovery rides
• 0.75-0.85 endurance-paced training rides
• 0.85-0.95 tempo rides, aerobic and anaerobic interval workouts (work and rest periods combined), longer (>2.5 h) road races
• 0.95-1.05 lactate threshold intervals (work period only), shorter (under 2.5 h) road races, circuit, criteriums, longer (eg 40 km) TTs
• 1.05-1.15 shorter (e.g., 15 km) TTs, track points race
• Greater than 1.15 prologue TT, track pursuit, track miss-and-out                                         

Coggan goes on to say that an IF of more than 1.05 for an hour duration race is usually an indication that the threshold power is higher than what is being used in the calculation; it eliminates the need for frequent formal testing.

Training Stress Score (TSS) – combines both the intensity and the duration of each training session.  It is a good predictor of glycogen utilized and whether a rest day(s) or easy day is required.  It is calculated as follows:

TSS=(sec x NP x IF)/(FTP x 3600) x100

Coggan suggests this as an approximate guide:

• Less than 150 - low (recovery generally complete by following day)
• 150-300 - medium (some residual fatigue may be present the next day, but gone by 2nd day)
• 300-450 - high (some residual fatigue may be present even after 2 days)
• Greater than 450 - very high (residual fatigue lasting several days likely)

If you are training with a power meter and have a mid to higher end bike computer, all these data points are available in the summary of your workout.

A knowledgeable coach will know how to use these data points to train their athletes appropriately.

I was asked a question on indoor training versus outdoor training and why it is common to experience higher perceived efforts working on an indoor trainer.  Here is a link to a great explanation:

http://highlandtraining.net/?page_id=848

Thanksgiving Weekend = Great Performances

Congratulations to the following athletes who competed this past weekend:

Rosemarie Gerspacher - finished 18th female at Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:47:25. Top Canadian female!

Jane McCurdy - finished Chicago Marathon in 3:35:01. Jane broke some bones in her hand two weeks ago, and we were not sure if she would even be able to run. Not the time she is capable of running but still solid. Watch for Jane in her next attempt as she will run around the 3 hour mark.

Ashley Turgeon - finished Chicago Marathon in a wicked time of 3:37:39. This is post Ironman Canada. We thought 3:40 to 3:45. She certainly smashed that!

Michael Parker - ran 3:05 at St George Marathon. Another PB by 8 minutes!

Laura Brescia - ran a 5 min PB at Victoria Marathon in a time of 3:39.

Goeff Hopfner - was second at the Granville Island Turkey Trot in Vancouver. He ran 33:50 for 10km, 8 seconds off of first.

Rhonda Jewett - was second female and third overall at Ambulance Chasers 5k.  She ran 19:39.

It was a proud coaching weekend for me!

General Strength with Patrick Wales-Dinan

Ryan Murrary's 2012 Ironman Canada Race Report

Prep:

-          Weight workouts were key this year. I now love dead lifts and squats. I don’t know how this relationship came to be, but I love them.

-          Carbo-loading works (Thanks Jeremy), but expect to get uber high strung and cranky during the carb-fasting phase. There seemed to be an extreme increase of stupid people in my life during those three days.

-          Find a “happy place” and trigger words to get you there (Thanks Karen) and use it during the race. Mine was Kyla when she gave birth to Ewan in our bedroom last year.

-          Accept there is no happy place during the carb-fasting phase.

Swim:

-          Don’t forget to apply sun block to the piece of skin on your back between the shorts and the top. I suspect my “tan” will still be there a year from now.

-          Wetsuits tear. If they tear in the sleeve close enough to the cuff, you can roll them up and cover the hole. This worked, but led to significant swelling in the forearm that felt like I tore a ligament and freaked me out a lot during the bike.

-          Did you know, the size of swim goggles gets smaller and smaller the closer you get to the front row?

-          Swimming is boring enough, let alone when the only thing to stare at is into the abyss.  

-          Holding the interval time per 100m (or faster) you want to hit during the race, during every swim workout, worked for me. I was able to turn off my brain and let the fitness and technique take over. Nailed it.

T1:

-          Just let the wetsuit strippers do it. It’s easier that way.

-          This time, I carried my bike shoes with me while running in my socks to my bike. Do this always.

Bike:

-          Remember to adjust your speed magnet prior to the race start. I had to stop on Main St. and adjust the computer so it registered km/hr.

-          Check to see if the water bottle is still in the backseat water bottle holder. Mine fell out and I’m not sure when.

-          Use the tail wind to Osoyoos. I did, which gave me a good km/hr cushion leading into Richter’s Pass, the rollers, out-and-back and the climb up past Yellow Lake.

-          Don’t draft. It’s stupid. It’s really bad when you see three-four guys sitting up and coasting behind one guy. It was nice to see the Marshals were taking action.

-          Richter’s never knew what hit him.

-          Huge mental boost when I realized there was a tolerable head wind (if at all) on the rollers and out-and-back.

-          Got excited from back-boarding my water bottle into the water bottle drop box on the out-and-back. That was huge and one of the highlights of my race.

 

-          My family and friends followed me around the race course from start to finish. I imagine they looked like something out of a Robert Munsch book- travelling like some organized chaotic hurricane cloud of vehicles, people, cameras, pom-poms and Nova Scotia flags, bombing from one spot to the next. It was great seeing them so many times. 

-          My average speed came down significantly after all the climbing. In addition to the head wind leading back into Penticton, I accepted the best I was going to average was 35km/hr (I was shooting for 36km/hr).

-          This exercise in acceptance got me excited about the run. I was pumped to see how running circles around Prince’s island Park all year was going to translate into the marathon. Off the bike, I was well within the bike time range Sandra and I figured out.

Run:

-          Training like a runner to run a marathon was a great approach to this race. I came off the bike in 30-something position and flicked the switch to “you are now running a marathon, nothing else matters”.

-          Cadence, hips, arm position, foot strike.

-          I feel if there was a competition for aid station execution in terms of efficiency, most food and drink consumed, amount not spilled and speed, I would do REALLY well. Those aid stations were definitely my TV moments. I’m pretty sure I broke world records that day.

-          Chafe ALERT: Never, ever, ever (no matter how good it feels- and it feels SOOOOO good) pour ice down your running tights. EVER.

-          Cadence, hips, arm position, foot strike.

-          It was important for me to keep happy and have a positive mental approach through this race. I have never high-fived so many people during a race. It was awesome.

-          It must become law that every running race includes belly dancers ON THE RACE COURSE.

-          My half marathon time was solid with no feelings of letting up. I was also in the second age-group position and still catching some male pros.

 

-          Cadence, hips, arm position, foot strike.

-          Seeing Sandra coming back into town was awesome. I can’t say enough about her approach to coaching and training athletes. It works.

-          Hardest part of the run: the hill from Skaha Park to Main Street.

 

Finish and post race:

-          Coming into the last two miles was amazing. I’ve never felt so good during a race.

-          Ten months of focus and support from Kyla for what I was doing became overwhelming when I crossed the finish line. I’ve never been emotional during races and always thought it was a bit odd, but this one got to me. I get it now. It’s not about the race. It’s about the process and effort to get there.

-          Worst, most painful hot shower ever (see above point about pouring ice in shorts).

Ashley Turgeon's 2012 Ironman Canada Race Report

In general, a good gauge of your fitness is the degree of awkwardness of your tan lines.  I had some pretty weird tan lines going into Ironman Canada 2012.

I had a really great sleep the night before the race and woke up at 4am race morning ready to go. I had breakfast and relaxed and drank coffee and headed down to the site around 5:30. I bid farewell to my friends before body marking so I could focus on my own preparations.  Despite having an hour and a half to get ready I still seemed to be rushing to get my wetsuit on but I made it into the water with a few minutes to spare. As I am not the strongest swimmer, I seeded myself a few back on the far right side of the beach. Annnd we are off….

I was swimming really relaxed and staying in the draft for the first few hundred meters. Eventually everyone spread out a bit more and I was swimming on my own. I felt the chop in the water pick up a bit and my goggles were starting to fog so I was having a hard time swimming straight and starting to get annoyed. I was probably also being a bit lazy with sighting. The first turn was relatively smooth for me and I zigged and zagged along to the second turn buoy. I decided to rinse out my foggy goggles. This helped me sight a lot better.

The water was pretty fast on the way back thanks to the current. My arms felt fine but my swim cap was starting to give me a headache and I was feeling a bit nauseous so I was anxious to get out of the water. Finally I was at shore – I came out of the water in 1:33:19. This was a few minutes slower than expected but it is still an ironman swim PB for me. I was slow and relaxed through T1 to let my stomach settle. 

I was really excited once I got onto the bike and my power was a bit high as I rode through town. I tried to relax and ride easy after I saw my parents on Skaha Lake. I was passing lots of people even at a really relaxed wattage – that is the beauty of being a slow swimmer.  Before I knew it I was at turnoff to climb McLean Creek. I held my wattage steady going up the hill - lots of people blew past me but I stayed controlled through this section.  I felt really strong riding from OK Falls to Oliver and Osoyoos. I focused on getting in as many calories as I could. I was looking forward to the mini bottle of Red Bull that I was going to have at the base of Richters! 

I rode steady up Richters and enjoyed the crowd support at each of the three plateaus and before I knew it was time to descend! I made it through the rollers and then it was time for my least favorite part of the course – the out and back.  As I was coming up to this section I was trying to psych myself up and I gave myself permission to get out of aero as much as I wanted and I tried to focus on how awesome it was going to be to drink the red bull in my special needs bag.

When I finished the “back” part of the out and back I started to focus on looking forward to the crowds at Yellow Lake. The crowd support up Yellow Lake is amazing – it is hard not to feel like a rock star! It was so motivating to have friends (and strangers) cheering for me. At the top I was amazed by how fresh I felt and was glad to know basically all the hard work is done on the bike. I descended into town and tried to keep my cadence up and my power low to get my running legs ready. I looked down at my bike computer and saw my bike split was 6:29. I was extremely happy with this. I ran straight to my T2 bag, grabbed a volunteer I knew to spray me down with sunblock and got my shoes on. 

I charged off on the run. I have never felt that fresh running off the bike…let alone after having as strong of a ride as I just had.  I saw lots of friends cheering as I ran through town and this motivated me a lot more. The pro and top age group men were coming up for their finish as I was heading out. As I was nearing Skaha Lake I saw the second place age group male…..and then I realized it was Ryan Murray!! I was extremely excited for him to be having such a solid race! Minutes later I saw Sandra and Kristie on their bikes and this just added to my excitement. I told them how strong I was feeling and how happy I was with my bike. The miles were flying by heading to OK Falls – the out and back nature of the run course is great because you see friends ahead of you heading back to town.

When I hit the hills around Skaha Bluffs my pace dropped from 9-9:30 miles to about 11:30-12 miles - the hills are challenging and my toes were starting to blister…and I was starting to get tired. I ran down the final hill into OK Falls really strong - I was motivated by the can of Rockstar and candy in my special needs bag. I clocked 2:09 for my half marathon split.  The miles weren’t flying by quite as fast on the way back but I was still running continuously. I was really struggling when I was running up the false flat between end of Skaha Lake and the Cherry Lane mall.

At mile marker 25 I saw Sandra and Kristie - I handed off my visor to Sandra so it didn’t ruin my finisher picture. She told me to run the last 1.2 miles hard and she would see me at the finish.  I alternated between focusing on running strong and concentrating on my good finish photo. The crowd support along Lakeshore drive brought me in for a 4:32 marathon.  I crossed the line (smiling for my finish picture) in 12:42:39 – roughly 65 minutes faster than my time in 2011. 

I am so happy with the day I had at Ironman Canada. It was a completely amazing experience. I would like to extend a HUGE thank you to Sandra for keeping me motivated through a summer of hard work, for knowing when to push me and when to let me ease off and for generally putting me on a path to success! In the last few months I have become a little fitter, a little stronger and LOT mentally tougher.

In the weeks leading up to IMC I said it was going to be my last ironman ever….but by 10pm on Sunday night I revised that statement to be my last ironman for a few years. I had such a wonderful day and it really reminded me what I love about the sport.

Michael Parker at Dino Dash 10km

Michael ran the Dino Dash 10km today.  On Thursday night, Michael and I talked about his race plan.   I felt he could run a high 38 min or low 39 min for 10km.  I told Michael to start off at 3:55 per km and if he felt good at the 7 km mark to pick it up a bit.

Here is Michael's account of his race today:

 

Started out trying to take it easy, didn't want to run much faster than my goal pace.

As usual, as time went on, felt stronger.  Had some doubts about half way through. But all my training really helped this time.  Mentally, I knew I could push through and still have enough energy to last until the end.  Last 3 km felt strong, and pushed hard last km.

The splits:

1       03:58

2       03:55

3       03:56

4       03:55

5       03:58

6       03:56

7       03:55

8       03:57

9       03:54

10     03:48

Final time was 39:13.  Michael came 11th overall.  2nd in his age group (45 years -49 years)

This is a personal best for 10km!  Previous personal best was 41:20 which he did in spring of 2012 at St Patrick's day run.  That is a 2 min and 7 seconds improvement since Mar 17, 2012. 

Michael has had a life goal to do a sub 40 min 10km. 

Michael will be running St. George Marathon on October 6.

A little background on Michael since starting with me back in June 2010.

September 2010, Michael ran a marathon in 3:46. 
April 2011, he ran a marathon in 3:19. 
May 2012, he ran a marathon in 3:13:50.