So I am
going against the grain here with this post since these days it takes no effort
at all to find someone touting the benefits of using some sort of gadget to
make your training better. Power meters seem to be all the rage these days- I
couldn't count the number of times I have heard someone say “I/you NEED a power
meter!” Now, if anyone looks at my race wheels this year, they will see that I
have a power meter- but it doesn't work. It simply came with the race wheels I
got second-hand, the battery lasted about 5 rides, and when it died I a) didn't
care very much and b) discovered that not many people (none that I found-
although I didn't look very hard) carry the tool that would be required to take
the cap off and put in a new battery. So I am leaving the power tap there just
to make myself look super cool.
I also
don’t train with a HR monitor (once in a blue moon I’ll wear it just to see
what it is- but I never look at it until after I finish the workout). I will
wear a GPS in the summer when I ride my bike on a new route, but again, that is
just out of curiosity to see how far I have ridden, not really used for
training purposes.
The first
reason I feel that all these gadgets are unnecessary is $$$$$$$$$$$. In case
that isn't clear- they are EXPENSIVE!! I have not bought a GPS, I won it at a
race (I actually have 2- anyone want one? [POLAR RCX5- needs a new battery but
otherwise works fine]) The un-used power tap on my wheel also really did just
come with the race wheels- I got a good price for the wheels alone and the
power tap was an added bonus. The HR monitor (that came with the GPS) would be
a more justifiable purchase if someone really wanted to get one (as they are
less expensive) but there are certainly flaws to training based on it.
I do all my
training based on perceived effort. This is a “flawless” tool- it never runs
out of battery and is always accurate. If I feel I am giving 100% then that is
what 100% is for that day. I know that the actual output may vary from day to
day, but so what? If I am tired one day I don’t need a power meter giving me
raw data in my face to tell me that I feel like shit. I know I would just get
super pissed off and would not enjoy the workout if I couldn't hit the numbers
that I wanted to. By the same token, if I feel great, I know I feel great and I
don’t need a power meter or HR monitor or any other gadget to tell me so.
Although this post is mainly referring to cycling, the same principle applies
to swimming and running. I train by effort- I know when I feel crappy and tired
and when I feel great, I don’t need any gadget to tell me that. (I wear a
simple watch- it’s all I need)
Another
benefit of training based on perceived effort is that this helps me to stay
happy and positive when I am training. I don’t like to be given unquestionable
evidence that I am not performing at a 10/10 on a given day. I just get annoyed
and don’t enjoy the workout. By training based on perceived effort I can
acknowledge that yes, maybe I wasn't feeling particular fantastic or going
particularly fast for a particular workout, but if I gave it the effort that
was required then I can be satisfied with the training session and eager to
come back the next day.
The next
benefit is that this translates to race day. I am attuned to how my body is
feeling and can gauge my effort during the race to pace myself appropriately. I
don’t attend every race in a rested state, some races I simply train through-
by being aware of how I am feeling I am able to pace appropriately for the day.
A
conversation I recently had with a swim coach also highlights some other
reasons I don’t see the necessity of using gadgets while racing. When I race, I
am racing the other people- that’s
what a race is supposed to be about. I don’t need to go to a race thinking “I'm
going to cycle at exactly this power so that I can run the best.” Where is the
fun in that? There is no risk or thrill in going to a race knowing that you
won’t blow up because you’re cycling at a pre-determined effort. One race that
sticks out in my mind is Multisport’s Binbrook triathlon last year. Racing Leanna
Lee (http://leannastriathlonjourney.blogspot.ca/)
on the bike I gave it everything- I was cycling at a much higher effort than I
have ever done in a race- and I suffered dearly on the run. But it was a great
learning experience (and I still won the race :P). After that race I knew that
if I wanted to run well, I couldn't go that hard on the bike. It also actually
felt like a race. Had I been racing with a power meter I would have held back
on the bike, done my own thing, and played catch-up on the run- in other words,
not really raced. Racing is fun, so I want to actually do that.
Another
reason to not use these gadgets is that I don’t want it to be “about the bike.”
Unfortunately I feel that this is the direction that triathlon is heading at
the moment. Someone with more money to spend and therefore a better bike with
more bells and whistles could place better in a race, without being a better
athlete. Had I not had a TT bike last year and instead been using my road bike
I wouldn't have won the races I did. For example, at Worlds, even with a TT
bike it was still one of the least expensive/ upgraded (ie. Fancy race wheels)
bikes in the field. With a road bike I could not have competed. In other words,
I could have been a better athlete than others, but not won because someone
else had more cash to spend. And on that note, I don’t want to win a race but
have a nagging feeling that I wouldn't have if someone right behind me had been
racing with “poorer” equipment than myself. I want the best athlete to win, not
the richest or the one with the better equipment. (but hey, that’s the way it
is going to be in many situations, so what can I do).
But back to
my original point- there are many benefits to training with perceived effort,
and it is possible to be good without forking out the cash for power meters,
GPS’s, and heart rate monitors. If you are an athlete just getting into the
sport (or been competing for years) there is no need to be intimidated by
others who have these gadgets. Train using your own personal and mental
motivation and not the numbers in front of you (other than a watch to tell you
the time). It does wonders for your athletic capacity, and can help in other
areas of life. Developing your own motivation to push yourself in a workout
when it hurts isn’t always easy, but the pay-off is huge. Try it.
