Australian Triathlete — December 2017

72 | AustrAliAn triAthlete

Training TOOLBOX

@DrMitcha

[email protected]

@Drmitcha

Power: This is by far the most objective

number you can attain - if you have

calibrated the crank! It precisely tells your

ability to push the pedals in watts, which

is then expressed per kilogram. A peak

power test^2 can be used to predict VO2

max with a simple step test if you have a

Wahoo KICKR or similar. Look at the

Hawley paper and try it at home.

An average power can be a much better

predictor of a training session than any

other measure.

Even if you do take a scientific approach

to training, there’s just no sense in

comparing minutiae data on a day-to-day

basis. Given how inconsistent

temperature, pressure, wind, time of day,

sleep, nutrition, fluid status and recovery

can be, there is too much noise in all your

data to draw exact comparisons. But if

you need to run the numbers, do it inside

on a trainer that measures power at the

same time each week. It’s reproducible

and thereby comparable data.

Spending time on Strava, Garmin

Connect, MapMyRide or the equivalent is

just time spent on social media - it’s

cyberstalking or general amusement. But

it’s not helping your training much. Using

these applications in a productive manner

may include finding new and interesting

routes to train, especially in a new location

(i.e. if you have moved). For example, I use

heat maps when I’m travelling and can’t be

bothered wasting time exploring when I can

be doing productive training instead.

Lastly, to complete my rant - DO NOT

spend any of your God-given time hitting

Re FeRenCes:

1. Prediction of triathlon race time from laboratory
   testing in national triathletes. Schabort eJ1, Killian SC,
   St Clair Gibson A, Hawley JA, noakes tD.
   Med Sci Sports exerc. 2000 Apr;32(4):844-9.


2. Peak power output predicts maximal oxygen uptake
   and performance time in trained cyclists. Hawley JA,
   noakes tD. eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol.
   1992;65(1):79-83.

HealtH kicks

PeRFoRMAnCe AnXIeTy: having access to performance data can give you neccessary feedback on your training progress, but overdoing it

can be unproductive.

© Shutterstock.com

DOUBLING DOWN WITH GIANT

AND SHIMANO.

After a twelve hour ride of over 500km,

Dr Mitch Anderson is tackling 24 hours.

The best bikes and components in the

industry have already signed on for the

attempt at 900km in early 2018.

‘like’ buttons on Strava. It’s a really strange

modern phenomenon. You ‘like’ my training

session? Whatttt? It creeps me out. If you

are going to stalk me, at least don’t alert

me to the fact that you are doing it.

See you on the road! Mitch likes this.