Why User Power

When I started using a power meter, I decided to try out my own little experiment.  I’d been reading about power being the best way to maximize your performance on the bike, but is it really all that it’s cracked up to be?  I decided to find out.

What I did was take a normal 40k TT series we have here in Tucson, and race the first one the way I (and most of us) would without power data, and the second using the tools available to me.  I did watch heart rate, and tried to monitor perceived exertion as well.  The course is very flat, just long of 40k, with temps in the 90s.  The two were separated by 3 weeks.  Both days had light and variable winds.  Same bike setup both days.  It was also 3 degrees hotter on day 2.

TT #1:  The plan was to take off and let the heart rate rise, then settle at near LT.  About 1/3 into the race, HR started to drop.  I pushed harder to hold it at LT, then pace began to drop at 2/3 into the race.  I faded at this point, and held on the best I could.  My HR was lower than LT at the finish.  Upon debrief I had pushed as high as 325 watts in the first 3-5 minutes and my heart rate was slow to respond (heart rate lags actual performance) and by the time it caught up I was well into the anaerobic zone.  My power graph looked like a nice hill to go sledding on in the winter—nice and shallow slope from 310 down to less than 210 at the finish.  Average power 235 watts.

TT #2:  I decided to hold 250 watts on the outbound leg, settling between 240 and 250.  My CP60 was 243.  On the way back in I’d compare RPE and push up to 250-260.  I held this pretty closely, but dropped a bit to 230-235 for a section on the way out.  At the turn around I was almost 40 seconds slower than the previous TT, and feeling good.  I pushed up to 250-260 on the return trip and continued.  By the last 10k I was feeling spent, but still had enough in the tank to push to 270 for the final 3k.  The power graph was almost level, slightly higher in the second half, with a definite rise in the last minutes.  The difference between the peaks and valleys was lower as well (the graph was smoother; lower VI).

The result: 2 minutes faster on day 2.  I was spent after TT #1 and barely able to ride back to the car.  After TT #2 I was tired, but could have gone further or run afterwards.

Also of note: TT #2 was on a Sunday after a 7000’ climb up Mt Lemmon Friday and a fast 55 mile group ride (The Shootout) on Sunday.  I was fresh going into TT #1.

I am firmly convinced, using real data that I can understand, that training with, learning about, and racing with power is the new standard and the better way to approach cycling training.  If your competition is using it and you are not, they will have the upper hand.  All GEC coaches are power coaches and use power meters.

The Tucson Endurance Performance Center sells Quarq, SRM, and CycleOps PowerTap power meters. With every power meter sold, GEC will give 2hrs of FREE instruction in setting up your meter and computer, helping you with the software and in showing you what to look for in the files. Contact us for more information.