Introduction To Training And Racing With Power

Introduction to Training and Racing with PowerChris Sweet & Stan Watkins
Racing With Power!
What are the advantages?
Are there disadvantages?

Power to the People
Training and racing with power meters

Limitations of training with HR and RPE
HR is variable. Dependent on many factors such as rest, recovery, sickness and hydration.
HR lag can be problematic when a person is targeting a specific repeated effort (IE; intervals). This can throw off the precision sometimes needed in training.
RPE – rated perceived exertion. Is still used today as a training tool. The challenge is for the athlete to make the “mental connection” between actual effort and how hard it feels.

Training With Power
Two words – “precision & feedback”.
Knowing what your “real time” power is allows you to be precise in your workouts.
All important for training the athlete when doing interval work such as endurance, threshold, VO2 max.
Data is recorded for analysis. Using software programs (TP / WKO / SRM / Power Agent) to analize the results and give the athlete critical feedback.
Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx3qzgv7Akw&feature=related

What is a KJ - Kcal
The kilojoule (kJ) is equal to one thousand joules.
Kilojoules and calories explainedWe eat food to fuel our bodies for energy, growth and repair. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are broken down by the digestive system into their simplest components: simple sugars, amino acids and fatty acids. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel, although proteins and fats can also be converted into energy. Food energy is measured in kilojoules (kJ). The common term for this used to be ‘Calorie’, but ‘kilojoule’ is the term now accepted internationally. This unit of measurement allows us to talk about how much energy a food contains and how much energy is burned up during exercise.Energy valueA kilojoule is a unit of measure of energy, in the same way that kilometres measure distance. Food energy can also be measured in terms of the nutritional or ‘large’ Calorie. One Calorie (Cal) has the same energy value as 4.186 kilojoules (kJ). This should not be confused with the ‘small’ or gram calorie, which is used by scientists to measure the amount of energy required to heat water. There are 1,000 (small) calories in one (large) Calorie, which is why it is also sometimes known as a ‘kilocalorie’. The terms ‘calorie’ and ‘Calorie’ are often used interchangeably, which can be confusing.4.184 kilojoules = 4,184 joules = 1 Calorie = 1 kilocalorie = 1,000 calories

Measuring energy burn
Cyclist are only 20-25% efficient on the bike.
4.1 kj’s x .25 = 1 KJ = approx. 1 Cal
Use kj burn rates to measure overall how hard the workout / race.
Use kj’s to track periodazation.

Power Files - RR

Power Files- Crit

Racing With Power!
What are the advantages?
Are there disadvantages?

Racing with Power
There are a few differences between cyclists and triathletes when it comes to racing with power. What are the commonalities?
Better pacing- helps counter adrenaline mistakes
Matchbook analogy
Weather independent (doesn’t matter if the day is perfect or a hurricane)
Post-race analysis is invaluable. Can help identify your limiters (Force, Endurance, or Technique)

Racing with Power
Advantages for Triathlon Races:
You can establish precise power zones for races based off threshold testing.
Sprint: everything ya got (minus big spikes)
Olympic: 89-94%
Half IM: 82-87%
Ironman: 68-72%
Superior hill management (up and down)
Superior chick’d management
Bottom line: helps you to race your race

Racing with Power
Advantages for cycling races:
Helps you stay within your abilities
Breakaway pacing….to a degree
Finding the best draft
Planning an attack (ie, I know from interval training that I can handle 500w for 1 minute without imploding)
Others?

Racing with Power
What are the disadvantages to racing with power?
Very slight weight penalty…if you are a weight weenie….this means you Phil.
In a road race power is often irrelevant. You need enough power to stay with the peloton or breakaway and then enough to win a sprint.
Potential to become overly reliant on power and forget about RPE, which should trump power in a race situation.
Technical glitches –while rare- can cause athletes to panic (see above).

Power Meter Options
What are my options? How much is it going to cost me? What are the pro/cons of each system?
What to think about:
Cost
Product history / reliability
Software supplied with system
Customer support
Accuracy
Wired? Wireless?
ANT+ Sport compatibility
Ability to be used on multiple bikes or with multiple wheels

Power Meter Options
What is ANT+ Sport and why would I want it?
“ANT+ is based on ANT, a multi-channel adaptive wireless protocol ideally suited to environments where many people are simultaneously using wireless monitoring, such as cycle races or gyms. ANT’s highly efficient protocol minimizes power consumption and extends battery life (for periods up to years on a coin cell battery. depending on actual use case).” http://www.thisisant.com/ant/ant-in-sport
Essentially an open protocol that allows mixing and matching of devices (example: using a Garmin Edge ANT+ headunit with an ANT+ Powertap or SRM)

I-Bike
The I-bike uses wind speed measurements along with other bike data to calculate power output.
Can be difficult to set-up / calibrate
Wired or wireless versions available
Works with any wheel or bike
Can be erratic, questionable accuracy
Some models are ANT+ Sport compatible
Potentially the cheapest option
List $199-$800

Polar CS600X
Heartrate monitor and cycle computer with optional power monitoring add-on.
Uses magnets and sensors to measure vibrations in the chain and estimate power output.
Least accurate powermeter.
GPS capable
Wired
Works with any wheel system, but additional (expensive) power sensors are needed to move between bikes.
List: $709

Ergomo
Buyer Beware! Company no longer exists!
But, you can get a steal on a used one!

Vector by Metrigear
NOT YET AVAILABLE!
Speedplay based system
ANT+ Sport
Wireless
Reliability? Software?
Includes pedals, but no head unit!
Price ?$1000?

QuarqCinQo
Ant+ Sport
Wireless
Relatively new company
Use with any wheel system
Difficult to switch bet. Bikes
Does not include headunit!
$1500 (w/o cranks) to $1900

Powertap
1st mass market power meter
Easy to switch bet. Bikes
Built into a wheel
Some ANT+ Sport
Wireless except base model
Good reliability and accuracy
Good software & customer support
$600-$2100 (not including wheel)

SRM
Crank-based
Works with any wheelset
Difficult to move bet. bikes
New models are all wireless
ANT+ sport
Good reliability and accuracy
$2800-$3800
$1950 (w/o headunit)

Power Measuring Trainers
Computrainer (load generator)
Tacx (load generator)
Cycleops Power Beam Pro (load generator)
Others?

More Info!
Some research resources:
Very good current overview of power meter options from fitwerx. http://www.fitwerx.com/product-reviews/power-meters-electronics
http://www.fitwerx.com/power-meter-overview
4-part power training series from Josh Horowitz on Active.com. http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Power_training_I__The_concept_of_power.htm (the next 3 parts are linked at the bottom)
Should I buy a power meter? (Beginning Triathlete) http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1439

More Info!
PDF from Pro Cycling Magazine (2008) https://s3.amazonaws.com/docData1.plum.com/6651107%2Fbericht_pro_cycling.pdf?Signature=j74AbEv3OmK6Qf7kWCRf6CjURII%3D&Expires=1266307985&AWSAccessKeyId=0NCRHW84DJDBY44FHPR2
Cycleops- Introduction to Training with Power (very clear overview of training with power): http://www.saris.com/t-powerBasics.aspx
Book: “Training and Racing with a Power Meter” by Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan.

THANKS!
A bit about VQ and Revolution Multisport
stan.suewatkins@comcast.net
http://www.visionquestcoaching.com/
christopherasweet@hotmail.com
http://www.revolution-multisport.com
Your questions?
Power Points will be linked from www.Goalisthejourney.com
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Introduction To Training And Racing With Power

by Illinois Wesleyan University on Feb 16, 2010

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