Training Log

Hey all,

I've been riding for about 2 summers now mostly just for fun but recently I have decided to get serious about cycling. I was just wondering what method everyone used to keep track of their training (a notebook, website, etc) and also what information is good to write down (mileage, time, average speed, etc). As winter rolls around and I start using my trainer, what type of information is good to keep track of since a route and mileage don't really apply.

I ran across some websites such as routeslip.com, mapmyride.com, and a few others that allow you to map out your rides for future reference. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good website to use? Most of the ones I've seen seem to be still in development stages and the features are a little buggy.

Basically I am just looking for any and all help related to recording all my training rides (maybe even keep track of my diet as well).

 

I strongly recommend a bound paperback training log. Websites and software are great, but some of the best value in training logs comes from looking back and finding patterns of success or even patterns during times when you struggled. I've recently been reviewing logs from when I first started racing 25 years ago. Some interesting patterns and training habits emerged, things that might have been hard to notice without several years of logs to look at. Who knows if a particular website will still be in business a few years down the road.

To be honest most of my day to day record keeping is in CyclingPeaks WKO+ (power analysis software) but I still keep a paper log for future reference. If you buy one of the commercially available cycling logs you'll get a good idea of what to track, but personally I track weight, mood, training routes, power stats, training time, race results, waking HR (don't do this as much as I used to), nutrition and general notes on training as well as other life stresses and generally how things are going. There's a lot of variety in what you can log, but I'm trying to identify patterns of training and rest that move me forward as well as those that are less sucessful.

Good luck,
Dave

 

www.trainingpeaks.com

This is Joe Friel's site. I would also recommend his book "The Cyclists Training Bible" for anybody starting their first year of serious training. The book is very practical and provides a good step by step basis of getting through your first training year.

Even mentioning Friel may cause a firestorm of controversy because many people use different approaches. However, Friel's book is a great place to start.

 

I keep mine in a thread

 

i would recommend keeping an actual pen and paper log. about 6 months ago i lost almost 4 years of logs and graphs when my old computer died.

 

Backups

 

yep. that would have been a fantastic idea, but you never think its going to happen to you...

 

Hi

If you buy a Polar product
http://www.polar.fi/polar/channels/eng/segments/Cycling.html

they'll give you access to a website where you can log training and diet,
https://www.polarpersonaltrainer.com/frontend/
Good luck
P.S. Its easy to back up information, just print it or burn it on a CD

 

I'm not riding professionally, so I'm unsure whether this site is decent enough, but I really enjoy www.mapmyride.com

It allows you to map all sorts of training, as well as distances, etc.

 

SportTracks ( http://www.zonefivesoftware.com/SportTracks/index.html ) just blows everything else out of the water.

1. It's FREE!
2. It can take data from GPS, HRM, power meters (or manually entered data)
3. The new version works with google earth to map your rides and allow manual adjustment

It's really cool. I use it to compare tons of data about my rides against each other so i can see total ascent, speed, speed at gradients, compare rides of the same type (e.g. hill intervals or sustained power workouts). It was a pain in the butt to install but once I got it working - wow!

 

I use coolrunning.com, which doubles for me as a cycling and running log. Not too fancy, but all I log is basic information (distance, speed, time, notes).

 

To people who use web sites, are you not concerned with the longevity of those web sites? Would it concern you if you lost access to all that data a year or two down the track?

 

And what about privacy?