To those of you who have chosen to participate in the study you agreed (to receive discounted PowerCranks at the end of the study) to posting your results monthly for 6 months. Some (most) of you have yet to post your baseline testing so you can do it now. You all started this study at different times. Some of you are close to 2 months into it and some are just completing the first month. Post your data, at a minimum your cycling TT, power, and running data.
(edit: I might add to please let us know whether you are in the “immersion” PC group, the “part-time” PC group, or the “regular” cranks group)
I got my powercranks and installed them on my TT bike about a month ago ready to watch my run and bike fitness explode. I also had just installed a powermeter and was starting structured training for the first time. My first impression was that the PC’s tore the shit out of my ankle bones. Like, I still have scabs/scars on my ankle bones from where there are big holes that have very sharp edges in the middle of the crank. This could presumably have been avoided by using tape or wearing socks, but … well I didn’t do either of those things.
I also had a hurt IT band at this time and couldn’t run. But I plugged on and did some PC workouts, and felt my hip flexors get very strong, but never could hold an aero position on my bike. If I can’t be in aero position, why be on the TT bike? Also, I couldn’t ever hold a satisfactory cadence and I saw my cadence on my road bike fall way back into the masher range (not great). The cranks also caused me to raise my heels a lot on the upstroke and then they’d never quite settle back down - probably costing me power. So the TT bike has been in the kitchen for far too long but I’m LOVING training with power.
I think I’m going to change strategies to running more (now that my IT band is getting better I went on my first run back on Monday and am about to head out the door) and training with power and dialed in on a good bike.
“I think I’m going to change strategies to running more (now that my IT band is getting better I went on my first run back on Monday and am about to head out the door) and training with power and dialed in on a good bike.”
Why don’t you let your roommate use those PowerCranks? He’s a sub 30 minute 10-k runner and I’m guessing that ONE MINUTE PER MILE improvement that Franks talks about would really do him some good. If my math is correct he’d be going under 24 minutes for 10,000 meters. Not bad.
Serious question. How will the folks be able to guage whether their improvements are from the PC’s or just regular consistent training?
This is always the problem I struggle with whenever I see any company doing an experiment such as this one. Not singling you out since I am neither for nor against PC’s but I am curious to know how specific PC improvements will be measured.
Good luck all!
I belive the idea of the study it that there are 3 groups. A control non PC, a part time PC and a full time PC. We can then look at how each group does.
Yeah, you’re right. Putting my roommate on the PC’s would be a win/win situation. Either they’ll eff up his pedal stroke such that I’ll be able to beat him, or they’ll take those 6 minutes off his 10k split and he’ll close in 24 minutes and be able to pay me rent…
Best to ask Frank, but I don’t think there will be an attempt to do the same training. I think the idea is that with three groups of large enough size the benefits or detriments should be obvious, on average.
Just offer an input to you, for what it is worth. I have been using them pretty solid for like about 6 months now.
I have noticed in the last week or two I can now hold a pretty high cadence with them. (I was mushing for a long time)
Took me a long time, but I can hold aero some, but not long, and have decided I am not going to worry about it,
since about 50% of my biking is on the PC’s. Just did my first race of the season where my bike was for the first time
ever was my strongest event. (one data point does not mean much, other than it makes me
want to continue to put the miles in the seat) In my 5K run I did a 6:42 pace so I am happy as a clam having PC’s as PART of my training
package since I do not run much in training.
I was waiting for the form that Andrew was suppose to send out, I thought that it might have actual workouts for us to do somewhat of a guideline to follow? Did I miss something? Anyway, here’s my baseline data…
5’3" 107 lbs of fiesty chick
20 min power test- 118 watts
10 mile course- 28:03
5 mile run test -38:12
I’ve been using the cranks 2-3 times per week for 20-30 min. (part time) Hip flexors go nuts if I go longer. Can tell a slight difference in pedal stroke efficiency and have seen pretty good wattage gain, although it was real low to begin with. Can’t use much wattage while on the cranks though. Have to stretch more with the muscle building that is taking place in the hip/glutes.
will post month one(ish) results after the weekend.
20 min bike time trial on the trainer: 215 watts
On road bike time trial not doable due to the quantity of snow we have up here still.
4 mile run time trial: 33:56
The one month follow up is going to be coming in a couple weeks. I did my baseline testing, got the Powercranks, rode them for 2 weeks or so then caught a nasty flu. I’ve been sidelined for 3 weeks or so of casual training and am finally getting back on the horse.
20 min bike time trial on the trainer: 230 watts
On road bike time trial not available yet due to weather (and just got more snow again! I’m ready for spring!).
5 mile run time trial: 38:13 (avg HR 163)
I’ve been on the PCs for a month now - getting about 5 rides/week in on the trainer. I’ve only been focusing on getting PC-specific endurance built up (began only being able to do 45 minute rides with 2 minutes on, then 1 minute off (and, I must admit, this nearly killed me - it made me respect TTN and other nut-jobs that go out and do 100+ miles on their first PC ride). The next week went to 3 on/1 off, then 4 on/1 off during the 3rd week, then last week at 10 on/1 off (these rides were all on the trainer). On Friday (3/14) did a 90 minute ride outside on the PCs - felt good throughout the ride, except for technique on the hills - gotta work on that. As far as running goes, it’s been 3 6-mile runs/wk at an easy pace (just maintenance runs more or less). On Saturday, I did another 5 mile run TT, and the time dropped to 36:48 with the about same HR (avg HR 162). This AM I did a 20 min bike TT on the trainer at 236 watts. So, so far I’ve seen a :12/mile drop in running, and a 3% increase in power on the bike after 4 weeks (someone please check my math - there’s a reason I went into a profession where there would be minimal reliance on math skills!).
20 min bike time trial on trainer: 245 watts, avg HR 168
5k run trial: 26:10, avg HR 174
Outdoor time trial still open (flu and back injury)
Part time group (shooting for 50% of time usage)
Should have more data in a month or so, as I’ve been back running and cycling only a couple of weeks after hurting my lower back in early February. I’ve done 50% of my rides (probably 30% of my time) on PCs last 3 weeks. Started with combination of single-leg drills and 1 min on, 1 min off with both legs (that’s all I could to do start without getting out of sync and pedaling faster with one leg, but I’m up to 3-4 minutes at a time with both legs now) Baseline times are pre-illness and injury from late January.
20 min bike time trial on the trainer: 230 watts
On road bike time trial not available yet due to weather (and just got more snow again! I’m ready for spring!).
5 mile run time trial: 38:13 (avg HR 163)
I’ve been on the PCs for a month now - getting about 5 rides/week in on the trainer. I’ve only been focusing on getting PC-specific endurance built up (began only being able to do 45 minute rides with 2 minutes on, then 1 minute off (and, I must admit, this nearly killed me - it made me respect TTN and other nut-jobs that go out and do 100+ miles on their first PC ride). The next week went to 3 on/1 off, then 4 on/1 off during the 3rd week, then last week at 10 on/1 off (these rides were all on the trainer). On Friday (3/14) did a 90 minute ride outside on the PCs - felt good throughout the ride, except for technique on the hills - gotta work on that. As far as running goes, it’s been 3 6-mile runs/wk at an easy pace (just maintenance runs more or less). On Saturday, I did another 5 mile run TT, and the time dropped to 36:48 with the about same HR (avg HR 162). This AM I did a 20 min bike TT on the trainer at 236 watts. So, so far I’ve seen a :12/mile drop in running, and a 3% increase in power on the bike after 4 weeks (someone please check my math - there’s a reason I went into a profession where there would be minimal reliance on math skills!).
Two observations.
I tell people that most of them will see running improvement start in about 2 weeks and are back to where they started on the bike in 3-6 weeks. Looks like you are in line with both. It will be nice to see if that holds up for the others.
I also like the way you did your adaptation. 45 minutes on the bike starting with 2-1 and advancing to 3-1, 4-1, etc. as tolerated. It will be interesting to see what others did and how their adaption went.
Well my story…I am in the Part Time Group. Posted my baseline numbers in January. Got hit by a frigging car in February so that fried my training for a while…sorry about that. The good news is that although my Road bike was no good for road riding, it was OK for trainer, so I have been able to ride consistently on the trainer for the last month. 6’00" 172 lbs. Recreational triathlete for the last 5 years. Completed more than 50 races of various distances, my longest is a 72.3. In fact, I have a 70.3 on my calendar for this weekend!
Non-scientific observations: Riding on the PCs takes adaptation and patience. It is much harder on the trainer than it is on the open road. Dunno why, but it just is. My first ride on the trainer I was barely able to do about 90 seconds at a time…after a week of this, I took the plunge and took them on the road. Did a 20 mile ride which damn near wrecked me! More trainer rides, and next week it was 30 miles. Then 40. That’s the point I got hit (although I rode 25 miles AFTER getting hit!)
Recently, I have been able to sustain 45 min long workouts on the trainer with no problem. That’s 45 mins of continuous effort. Now that my life is somewhat back in order after the accident, I am gearing up and using the PCs the way the instructions call for, as well as “just riding”.
In the interim, I have gotten an Ergomo installed on my TT bike, although no HR strap for it. Did a TT on the trainer tonight and here’s my data:
20 min TT, 224 Kj, TSS= 27.4, MaxW=242 avg W= 185. No HR data (yet) sorry!
This week my training plan has me doing a lot of HR/TT testing so of interest, here’s some other stuff:
3 mile TT (run): 19:48 (avg HR 162, max HR 179)
1000 yd TT (swim) 15:56
Also recently ran a 10-mile race and ran it in 1:16 (7:37 pace) with an avg HR of 166. That is far and away the best I’ve ever done at a race of that distance!
The previous month I ran a 1/2M and also set a PR (1:46). Not a blazingly fast runner, swimmer or biker of course. But I’m doing the best I can with the genes my mommy and daddy gave me!