Thursday 23 October 2008

52 Week Review

Hi

I've been using power measuring equipment for just over a year now and I've collected all my data indoors with a CompuTrainer and outdoors with a PowerTap, I am happy that within reasonable limits the data I have is accurate. I reckon that for the kind of things I do my 20 min figures are a reasonable guide to progress or otherwise.

By way of trying to get an overview of where I am 12 months on I took all my data and looked at my 20 minute MMP information using a setting of 7 days per point. I then took this data and popped it into Excel and looked at this incorporating 2 trendlines, a linear trendline and a 4 week moving average trendline.

Both graphs are attached, I have made some progress, that much is clear. Have I made as much progress as I might have hoped, who knows, I do feel better on the bike and I guess that's the acid test!





Cheers.

4 comments:

  1. although very interesting these graphs seem to reflect your training workouts (sst, l3, l4) rather than your ability? the spikes in wk 4 and 32 are, I'm guessing, FTP tests?

    If you want to track progress wouldn't you be better off with more regular testing and tracking those results?

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  2. Hi Mark

    Sure and have a test coming up :-(

    Was mainly interested in the general trends as these graphs also include road rides which may be "spirited" on occasions so *should* also pick up a general ability to go harder when the need arises.

    Ideally though I'd agree, say a test every 2-3 months, just wish I could get to like them more! Then again are they truly realistic, I've hit 850+ watts on the road but nothing like that on the turbo.

    It's all just a guide in the end really isn't it, at least I seem to be crawling in the right direction! :-)

    Cheers,

    Q

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  3. I reckon you're keeping your powder dry for spring. Your FTP must have moved a little since May?

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  4. I'm hoping that this is the case and you're right, I don't want to open all my presents yet on the assumption that there are some!

    Problem I have is if I test my FTP now that's without having done any top end work for ages, L5 that is. Inevitably it would be lower than it should be when I've done that work. I would be surprised if the result of a test now, being by it's nature maximal, would really be much different at the moment but I guess you just never know :-)

    See what I mean, don't want to do the top end training yet so won't really know what my "true" FTP would be.

    I'm mainly going to do a test to check my training levels before the real Winter work to make sure I'm doing it at the right intensities.

    Q

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