Athletica AI?

Triathlon Forum
41

Any blackfriday discounts to join up?

Watching thread 👀

BLACK FRIDAY SALE:
👉 one-time discount code for new customers: BF2023
👉 can be used on monthly, 6-monthly or yearly plan (on an annual plan this is equivalent to $12.60/month or 42 cents a day)
👉 must sign up for a paid subscription by December 14 (start free trial by November 30)

Hi Paul, do you enter code as “signup code” when registering? If so, it’s not working…

42

Any blackfriday discounts to join up?

Watching thread 👀

BLACK FRIDAY SALE:
👉 one-time discount code for new customers: BF2023
👉 can be used on monthly, 6-monthly or yearly plan (on an annual plan this is equivalent to $12.60/month or 42 cents a day)
👉 must sign up for a paid subscription by December 14 (start free trial by November 30)

Hi Paul, do you enter code as “signup code” when registering? If so, it’s not working…

Sorry that’s not super clear Jon. Just sign-up for free to trial, leaving ‘signup code’ blank. If you’re happy after you trial, you can put in that code when it asks for your credit card.

43

Thanks
.

44

Just discovered this software. I setup an Olympic training plan for a race in May. My initial concerns with this software

  1. No rest days
  2. No ability to set bike training based on HR instead of power
  3. First week already has 2 bike workouts at 3 hours long, seems a bit long this early
  4. Not clear if workouts recorded by Garmin (not scheduled in Athletica) will transfer over
  5. Not clear if paces/thresholds will automatically update as I improve
  6. And reading the Athletica forum it seem that the structured swim workouts dont push to garmin? Thats a deal breaker for me if that is the case.

Looks like it has potential to be a great solution for me, however without knowing the above it will make it tough to jump all in.
4. non scheduled workouts will get imported from Garmin.
5. paces/thresholds will update as you get fitter. you’ll get a prompt on the athletica site to accept a new pace/threshold/etc
6. correct, you can’t push the swim workouts to your garmin

  1. Rest days available as standard on low volume plan. Ability to delete or move sessions to your context to create as many rest days as you like.
  2. Go to Profile => Plan settings => Garmin => Prescribe workout by heart rate
  3. Suggest you chose the ‘low volume’ plan
45
  1. First week already has 2 bike workouts at 3 hours long, seems a bit long this early

It does throw up surprising distances/durations from time to time, especially if you are inconsistent. Just ride whatever feels right and the system will adjust, or use the Workout Wizard and use one of the Time Constrained options.

46

Really digging the program so far! Certainly different sessions than I’ve been doing in years prior. But is there a way to auto-push workouts into Zwift? It’s a pain creating workouts every time.

47

Really digging the program so far! Certainly different sessions than I’ve been doing in years prior. But is there a way to auto-push workouts into Zwift? It’s a pain creating workouts every time.

Thank you, and I’m thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying the training. At Athletica, our sessions and training philosophy are grounded in the textbook ‘Science and Application of High-Intensity Interval Training, Solutions to the Programming Puzzle.’ Our aim is to provide users with an experience akin to being coached by professionals such as Dan Lorang, Dan Plews, Olav Aleksander Bu, etc.

We wanted to offer you a personalized version of this training at your level, with the hope that it becomes a quicker route to your fitness goals, much like you’ve alluded to.

While we’re currently too small for Zwift to consider auto-pushing, we’re actively collaborating with a competitor product on an exciting auto-push feature. Keep an eye out for an announcement in the coming weeks as we unveil more details about this innovative addition to our offerings.

48

This is exciting! Definitely would consider changing from zwift to another platform if it makes life easier with auto-push. Any hope on wahoo jumping on board as well? I have a Garmin watch but wahoo cycling computer. For outdoor structured rides it can become quite a logistic procedure. Specially when used to have every session auto-pushed to Garmin, zwift, wahoo, form, etc from TrainingPeaks.
Looking forward to trying Athletica in depth!

49

Hi Charlie,
I’d like to work towards helping you (and others). Can you specify exactly what you need?
I’m guessing you’re asking Athletica to connect via the Wahoo API so that your Athletica sessions drive their workouts on your devices? This could be a good idea. Maybe you can specify your Wahoo device(s) so I’m clear?
Best,
Paul

50

Hey Paul! Thanks for the reply. Exactly, that’s what I mean. Same as you are pulling athletica’s structured workouts to Garmin devices, having the same option for wahoo wearables in their ELEMNT app. I have an ELEMNT Bolt bike computer and a Garmin watch but they (wahoo) also have a watch that would benefit from it. It would also be pretty interesting if Athletica took advantage of devices like the Core sensor to take into account core body temp for heat adaptation or heat extra stress data in every session, use the Stryd footpod data both for running power and running efficiency and tools like hrv4training understanding that hrv data from wearables is not reliable, I have heard dr Dan Plews validate the measurement used by hrv4training with the phone’s camera as reliable. This are all just ideas of alliances that could have a bridge between apps to share data and make the input more robust.
Thanks for hearing me out!
Looking forward to using Athletica very soon (plantar fasciitis Carlos here 😉✌🏼)

51

Hey Paul! Thanks for the reply. Exactly, that’s what I mean. Same as you are pulling athletica’s structured workouts to Garmin devices, having the same option for wahoo wearables in their ELEMNT app. I have an ELEMNT Bolt bike computer and a Garmin watch but they (wahoo) also have a watch that would benefit from it. It would also be pretty interesting if Athletica took advantage of devices like the Core sensor to take into account core body temp for heat adaptation or heat extra stress data in every session, use the Stryd footpod data both for running power and running efficiency and tools like hrv4training understanding that hrv data from wearables is not reliable, I have heard dr Dan Plews validate the measurement used by hrv4training with the phone’s camera as reliable. This are all just ideas of alliances that could have a bridge between apps to share data and make the input more robust.
Thanks for hearing me out!
Looking forward to using Athletica very soon (plantar fasciitis Carlos here 😉✌🏼)

Hey Carlos,
Thanks for your excellent thoughts.

  1. Have added Wahoo integration to our dev list. A few others have also now asked.
  2. The Core sensor is an interesting product. Probably not a big rock item just yet relative to others but we’re keeping an eye on it.
  3. Stryd and running power is on the dev list.
  4. HRV is being integrated as we speak, and I’ll discuss this in person at Endurance Exchange for anyone able to attend.
    Hope that the PF is on the mend and look forward to seeing you on the platform soon!
    Best,
    Paul
52

Thanks. Seems odd that training peaks, and the swim coach app can push the structured swim workouts to Garmin but not this one.

Thanks for the heads-up on this one. We have now added the Garmin push feature for Athletica’s structured swim workouts.

53

I signed up for the 2 week trial this week and have been going through the test week. I probably have more “cons” than “pros” but may are just tweaks/potential bugs with the program and not outright negatives on the program.

I’m only on the test week, so some comments may change as I get out of test week and into the “real week.”

I’m signed up for the Middle Distance Duathlon program (would convert to the Triathlon program once I get access to a pool).

Pros:

  1. My goals is a program that is solid in all disciplines (everybody keeps saying TrainerRoad does not have a decent run program) and this seems to offer good options and planning for both.
  2. The connection with Garmin Connect is seamless which fits my ecosystem well.
  3. The program updates are good, though probably overkill. I’m not sure it needs to show an “originally” vs “Now” for sessions several weeks from now, especially when the changes to the actual workout really isn’t material (i.e if the load value changes by 1 unit 3 weeks from now it lets you know).
  4. The workout program does seem quite polarized in general. As I’ll note below, it probably could diversify the workouts more (no 400 repeats/no 1k repeats offered, etc), but the overall program seems solid with good volumes.

Improvement Opportunities:

  1. Program is a little bit repetitive on workout options looking at the weeks ahead.
  2. Some of the stats/targets aren’t well explained which leaves you guessing on the purpose of the session. For example, my first workout next week calls for 10 minutes at “L3B,” yet that term doesn’t seem to be defined anywhere that I can find in the “Help and Education” section. You can kind of figure it out based off some of the metric targets, but nothing spells it out.
  3. Piggybacking off point 2, some of the target metrics just aren’t correct. For example, I did the MAF Bike test yesterday. The descriptor for the test portion says HR should be (180-Age). I’m 40, so my MAF target should be 140. However, the workout itself suggest a HR range of 137-167. I also noticed on the MAF Run test that again with a target of 140, I was “above target” if I went above a 137 HR.
  4. When i signed up, I input bike data, but not run data. So the system really misjudges your run speed initially until you do your 5k test (presumably). Right now it thinks my MAF Run test time is my “best 5k” time and is basing future runs on that. When I finish the 5k on Sat, I assume the system will become far more accurate to my real paces.
  5. The program really needs more “non-race” options instead of just “train to train.” I’m thinking true “base building sessions” or “FTP Builders,” etc. This could offer more targeted improvements than “train to train” or “train to race.”

So overall, I like it. Without tons of experience in multi-sport programming, it seems to do a good job of balancing things out for me. It’s hard with just a 2 week trial (1 of which is testing) to gauge the program more fully.

I’ll probably give at least TR a try next since they offer a free month, to see if they’ve improved their run program any. I’ll be adding swimming in a couple weeks and so that needs to be considered as well.

54

Hi Paul,

Would the platform work with a Coros Pace 2 or 3 device?

55

Hi Paul,

Would the platform work with a Coros Pace 2 or 3 device?

Not today however we are presently in discussion with Coros. Will make an announcement if we are successful.

56

Latest release fyi:

  • New Forum
  • All Athletica sessions now fully editable for athlete and coach
  • Microcycle weeks now swappable along with ability to insert recovery week
  • Plans can be created out to 52 weeks for triathlon, cycling, duathlon and running events
  • Recovery Profile Chart added including HRV

Reviews above noted and appreciated. Will respond directly to these soon.

1 Like
57

I think I read it on the site that you are working on having it work with Stryd. Any timeframe on that? Thanks!

58

Hi Paul,

Would the platform work with a Coros Pace 2 or 3 device?

I did use the platform with a Pace 2. I sync’d activities through Strava, but I had to manually set up the workouts through the Coros app. It’s doable, but Garmin is a slicker integration.

59

I have a couple of more questions after watching most of your YT videos.

If I want to replace a z2 bike with a z2 run because of time available, it looks like I have to build the activity. Am I missing something, or is there a way to say “add a z2 run with a tss of 58” (obviously it wouldn’t be text, but filling in three fields: activity type (run/bike/swim/etc.), activity focus (aerobic, VO2Max, etc.) and tss)?

What if I don’t have any swim toys, except a buoy? Can I do the workout without them?

Is there a way to import the swim workout into FORM goggles/app?

I apologize if there’s have been asked before and I missed them.

60

If I want to replace a z2 bike with a z2 run because of time available, it looks like I have to build the activity. Am I missing something, or is there a way to say “add a z2 run with a tss of 58” (obviously it wouldn’t be text, but filling in three fields: activity type (run/bike/swim/etc.), activity focus (aerobic, VO2Max, etc.) and tss)?
The best way I’ve found to do this is to save basically every workout into your own library so when you want to do something like this you just add a new activity and pull in the saved Z2 run. You can then edit the time to the load you are looking for, but I’m not sure you’d be able to input a load and have the time adjust based on your desired load.