For those of you out there that race with power meters, do you think it really helps? Do you just use it for pacing? Im curious from the fact that I have friends that Race without power, with power, and some that race without a computer at all.
Thanks
CT
Shorter distances ( Oly and under ) I tape over it and just hammer. I used PM there to gather data.
Longer distances (HIM and IM) I use it for pacing. Especially at IM distance for me, RPE and HR are skewed low at the beginning of the bike leg and skewed high at the end of the bike leg. I use it as a guide, and it’s helped me keep in check on the early part and continue to focus/apply effort at the end of the bike.
So for me, it’s been a good tool to use on race day.
invaluable tool for training and racing.
There is a mountian of data on it here if you do a search.
My feedback would be identical to coredump. For shorter distances I use it primarily or solely to gather data and to establish baselines – very very little for pacing. For long course it’s an invaluable pacing tool but is also critical for data gathering and post-race analysis. Post-race analysis is focused primarily on how I executed as per my race plan.
Stating the obvious, you have to remember that a PM is not for everyone. Some people will race fine without a PM. Honestly though, most don’t. They just think they do because ignorance is bliss.
If quantifying your execution and performance is important to you then a PM would be immensely helpful.
Thanks, Chris
For those of you out there that race with power meters, do you think it really helps? Do you just use it for pacing? Im curious from the fact that I have friends that Race without power, with power, and some that race without a computer at all.
Thanks
CT
I find it most useful with a hilly course. When some 120 lb shrimp blows by me on the uphills and I look down and see I’m already 20-30 watts over budget, it removes the temptation to try and stick with him. At the NO 70.3 there’s about 8 climbs, (we’ll call them climbs compared to the dead flat rest of the course), and several times I backed it down and geared down because I didn’t like what the PT was telling me. On the flats & downhills I go more by PE but the HR function is pretty useful for longer races. My PT flickers around too much to really just say “I want to hold 241 watts today” and just go with it. I find the computrainer a lot steadier where you can actually watch real time wattage but it could be because it’s a much more controlled environment. (or maybe something’s wrong with the way I have the PT set up)
JJ
I set an alarm to go nuts when I’m slacking. If I fall below a certain wattage it shouts, “speed the f’ up, you’re getting passed”. Don’t set an upper limit for the shorter stuff though. Currently, for sprints, the low number is 320 and Oly’s get 300. For a half I’ll give it a pacing range of 280-320 so I know when I’m pushing too much or not going hard enough to meet the goals (I just let the thing annoy me when pushing too high on hills, and coasting down, but I’m in Chicago, so that doesn’t happen too often).
Just data. My body and legs will tell me the rest during the race. Some days you could be feeling great and your pt could be telling you to hold back…
Just data. My body and legs will tell me the rest during the race. Some days you could be feeling great and your pt could be telling you to hold back…
I have to admit, I can never understand this type of thinking. Yes, it’s certainly true that there might be a day during the year where you are just feeling perfect and could possibly maintain higher power than what you would normally be able to maintain for 56 or 112 miles and still run well. However, this kind of logic reminds of someone who walks into a Vegas casino and says, “Put all of my money on 17 black because I’m feeling really lucky today.”
No doubt, do not ignore your RPE on race day but you have 13.1 or 26.2 miles of the run to make up for any lost time, which would likely be minimal at best, if you did go slightly easier on the bike. That supposed great feeling that you had on the bike doesn’t magically go away on the run (unless you do something stupid).
People who are consistently successful at gambling are so because they know how to make the best statistical bet. I would apply that same logic to HIM or IM racing, imho.
Thanks, Chris