I have been paying for it for a long time. Consider me biased

I like having all my data in one spot for many years, customized charts I can manipulate on my iPhone, and ability to dissect riding metrics post-ride from my phone (particularly select a period of a ride and see all my power metrics)

All can somewhat be done in other apps, or on a PC, but none as well as TP on an iphone

I like it because it helps me keep from overtraining. It gives me a general idea of my training load relative to my current fitness level, as well as manage/adjust workout intensity easily. I'm sure there are some other apps that will do the same, but it's easy to use and the workouts download straight to my Garmin 935, so it's worth it to me.

Stealing your thread to ask if there’s a BLACK FRIDAY or CYBER MONDAY coupon code available?

I'm also using Garmin 935, loading automatically in Garmin Connect app in iPhone, then GC on the web.

I use mostly :

in 935 : the integrated Firstbeat training effect (aerobic + anaerobic), plus training load, plus training status, plus the VO2 estimates
in web Garmin Connect : training load history, reports to follow distances, hours, bike TSS
also created an excel to get TSS run + TSS swim to calculate total TSS, ATL, CTL, TSB, ramp

Is TP bringing something more ?

Looks like it is $90 per year

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/pricing/for-athletes/

There is also a standing discount from USAT of 20%, you can use every year.

I had looked at TP for a couple of years, wondering why people would use it. Then figured, WTH I’ll try the 30 day free optio. Their free option has NOTHING compared to the premium version. Not exactly easy, but you can import at least a year’s worth of Garmin data, then enter all the races you did over the last year, as Events, then let it build an Annual Training Plan for last year. Boom - you get insight about where you over/under trained last year, which you can use to plan your current year’s training.

It can be clunky in places, it looks like it was developed for Windows XP and never updated, some things just can’t be done but the functionality is great. Oh, the iPad reports are much better than their web app, for whatever reason.

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I'm closer to the feathered end of the spear than the point.

I used to have it before the update but haven’t been training much so I got rid of it. I have a coach for next year and he uses it so I bought the premium for next year at least. It is way better than it was. They basically took WKO+ 3.0 and moved that all to the website but with a significantly better interface than what WKO+ 3.0 had. I’ve been really impressed with it so far.

Given how much people spend for tri stuff over the year it’s really not that bad.

It’s a good app. It lets my coach post my workouts, which I have set to automatically upload to TP from my various Garmin devices. It’s an essential place for our communication.

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Sharon McN
@IronCharo
#TeamZoot
Clif Bar Pace Team 2003-2018

It can be. Do you have a coach that wants you on TP? Definitely worth it. Do you want to do advanced analysis from your phone? It could be worth it.

On the computer, golden cheetah is free and actually does more. You manually upload workouts, but besides that it really does everything. There is a learning curve but if you sit down and spend 30 mins learning the software, its great.

On the phone, I use final surge, which has all of the calendar and a lot of the analysis and is free. I also use hrv4Training app ($10) which does my training load, Vo2 Max, etc. Its a very powerful app and I love analyzing my HRV.

Garmin connect is OK but I find the firstbeat metrics really fail a lot, especially when working out indoors in the winter...garmin could be great if they just dropped firstbeat.

Strava is getting better but there are still too many issues. I find their fitness charts/training status are inline with training peaks for the most part but their data can be messy because you can't really edit it.

I use it mainly for the performance manager charts.

I like the weekly totals as well.

Yes, it's worth it. Allows you to plan/enter future training and cycles etc, you can buy training plans and load in and move around the workouts to suit which you can't do in free membership etc. Plus many other useful things.
If you have a USAC license you can get a discount code (which may or may not apply if there;s currently an offer) not sure if USAT has similar deal.

No coach right now but what someone said about being able to analyze last year and plan out this year sounds good.

However, I might have to check out final surge.

Thanks everyone for the input.

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I use a Dave Scott training plan on Training Peaks. It loads the plan and sends me emails of the daily workouts. From my Garmin, it also compares the planned workout to my actual workout on my phone and computer.
Works great for me!

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Team Zoot So Cal

Karl, do you know if this will work with an Apple Watch, or do I need to use a Garmin? Thanks!

I do not know anything about the Apple watch

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Team Zoot So Cal

I was about to buy it, until I saw this thread and my usual indecisiveness stepped in. I've been using the free version for years and do have a coach. I do like the additional data that the paid version provides, but I think this thread is telling me that I'm lazy - sounds like I could just use GC (I would have the first world problem of having to manually upload) or the desktop version of TP. I did just revisit the desktop and noticed that there are still a few features such as data by lap that are only available with the paid version.

Basically, I'm both cheap and lazy and haven't decided which bad trait will prevail.

I use the apple watch for swimming and running. I have an app on my iPhone called Health Fit that uploads workouts from my watch to the iPhone. I can then select the workout and upload the workout to Training Peaks. Works easy for me.

Would you mind sharing your Excel spreadsheet???