Where is the on line training log headed? What does it mean/not mean to the average poster on ST? Is this going to be some kind of free service, or some kind of fee service? Tim
Don’t know for sure - so all my answers need to be seasoned appropriately…
I think, as with most things that have a broad appeal, segmentation is inevitable. As developers / companies try to carve out a differentiator or niche, specialties will emerge even in the relatively straightforward world of training logs.
Some thoughts / observations:
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the revolution is in Planning your season, not logging it
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virtually ALL commercially available solutions will have an online component. Whether it is a synergistic & tightly coupled relationship with another service (i.e. Cycling Peaks<–>Training Peaks) or Loosely coupled but still synergistic (i.e. WorkoutLog.com ↔ download feature & desktop software of any ole’ device) it may take a while for hardware/device manufacturers and software developers to realize it and capitalize on it though… the software training logs developers will be there first and the hardware manufacturers ones will adopt slowly as they try to keep you locked to their solutions (i.e. POLAR) opening the door for 3rd party hardware interface developers.
— For evidence of this check out the excellent 3rd party SPORTTRACS for GARMIN units, the virtual across the board compatibility of GARMIN with TP and then contrast that with POLAR’s lack of any 3rd party support. GARMIN is based on open standards while POLAR is more closed and proprietary. -
ALL training logs will offer direct upload features bypassing the vendor desktop tool (i.e. no need to use GARMIN training center to get the data off the device, just use TP messenger)
-Blogging will be integral to any online log
-online and offline capability (thin client & fat client versions)
-Mobile feature set
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Planning and logging will diverge. think about this. The ability to independent of any particular training log implementation build and shape you season then export it into the logging software of choice in some standard format - its just geeky enough to catch on. eRacePlanner is at the cutting edge of this. try to use Training Peaks VC feature against eRacePlanner… Just no comparison. I want to be able to map a season, plot out A, B, & C races, overlay a template training plan onto that, tweak to my hearts content, set it and see it in a calendar. OH and by the way I want process and method to be choosen NOT dictated (i.e Peridoiztion, reverse periodization, HR zones vs. Power zones etc…)
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Training Plans will be templated - Planning software will emerge - logging software will evolve. The revolution is in planning not logging - redux.
So the Uber feature list looks like this:
–Fitness / endurance state evaluation & recalibration
–Training templates based on above
–Season / Race Planning in the calendaring sense (multi-year is the direction)
–Training plan generation
–Training logging
–Device compatibility
–Analytical features that tie to the first bullet
–Goal setting
How topic of the month for me as it’s the season.
Where is the on line training log headed? What does it mean/not mean to the average poster on ST? Is this going to be some kind of free service, or some kind of fee service? Tim
Thanks for the info. I use a Garmin 305 Edge on my bike and a Garmin 305 Forerunner for running and am somewhat already on board with the idea of e data gathering. I like the idea of also using it for planning (after all many big events require paying a significant amount of money as much as a year ahead of time) and so forward planning is not an idea in a vacuum. So is this being set up as a freebe or a paid service? Tim