"How To" Secrets of Training with Heart Rate, Power, and Nutrition
Monday, February 22, 2010 at 9:04PM This is a video showing how to use software to train for endurance events. Watch closely and you can see the magic mix of nutrition, effort level, and time all at work.
Summary: My energy levels fade after about two hours. You can see where I supplement calories and energy levels come back up.
The Good: You can see how workouts in a controlled environment allow for great analysis of what you need to go long. I'm fueling every 15 minutes and staying at an even effort level that I can sustain for a long time.
The Bad: Even though my fuel intake was precise, I never bothered to see how many calories it was before I even started. Post analysis showed it to be 200 calories per hour. Bumping it up to 300 calories per hour mid-ride allowed for me to get back to performing at a nice level.
Other Notes: Heart rate is a great reflector of how you're doing. If you can't sustain a given HR, you're either bonking or dehydrated. If your speed (indoors) or power (indoors or out) falls off and at the same HR or both of those fade, you're in trouble.
How to Use This Data: This type of software exists so you can analyze what went right or wrong during a workout so you can fix it on the next one. For me, I'm using this dataset to ride the next ride at 300 calories per hour the whole time and see if that slump goes away. The effort level was in my Zone 2, which tells me I should be able to sustain this for 112 miles (an Ironman bike distance). A little later in the season, I will extend this ride to 5 hours and then run afterwards to ensure that the fueling pattern is sustainable for a full Ironman. In the meantime, I'll also start adding electrolyte sources into the fuel for cramp reduction in hotter conditions. It's also important to notice how I am able to calculate exactly how many calories were involved. Many athletes train long and have no idea what's happening and then can't replicate great training results during a race. The longer the event, the more important it is to remove any guessing.
Reader Comments (7)
DAMN!!! did you just say 4 hours on rollers???? after an hour on the rollers I am about to shoot myself...the monotony would kill you. that is mental endurance. anything over 90 minutes must be outside for me. props just for staying there for that long. good vid.
Nice overview and highlight of "training tech". I use a HRM while tyraining but admittedly haven't been uploading all the files. The post has inspired me to upload my data and take a better look at it. Thanks.
Drew - 4 hours can be intense. I found the super short break every 15 minutes to fuel was nice and also I watched two stages of the Tour de Suisse on cycling.tv. It was not that bad! No sunburn, 70 degrees, and a light breeze (fan) the whole time. :)
Shaman - The software graphs can pinpoint exactly where your current fueling plan will crack... as long as you know all the inputs. Measure everything going in and you will be able to replicate and improve the next time.
Best post of the year! Loved it brett, keep it up
Good info... Im understanding things more and more.
Hi Brett - I am a new listener/reader of zentriathlon.com and am loving it. Thanks so much for sharing your interesting and innovative ideas on the triathlon life! I have been really interested to hear you talk of encouraging our bodies to burn fats rather than sugars for fuel. It was nice to get an insight into your on bike diet of olive oil, spirulina and agave nectar. I understand that nutrition can be a very personal matter but was wondering if you mix all this together and do you take it while riding outdoors as well? My main question though is what happens come race day (say for an ironman) - do you resort to energy gels and sweet sports drinks and the like or do you stick with your natural fueling options? Hope I have not bombarded you with questions! Thanks again.
What software is this?