@jesse Go to Sensors & Accessories on your Garmin watch. Check if you have “Smart Trainer” option there, and then add your trainer. Then when you start a “Bike Indoor” type workout, your trainer should follow the structured workout.
@anilakarsu Thanks for helping out! The set up you describe is how I have it set up now. However, I don’t want smart trainer, I want dumb trainer. This way I can change gears to achieve the desired intensity.
is the solution to not pair the train
Hey @jesse. I’d be very curious to hear what our AI-coach has to say back in response to your comments as an idea to continue on with your very interesting posts. Hope you get your calf issue sorted.
@jesse I never tried that but then you should add your trainer only as a power sensor, not trainer. Then your watch should be able to read the power data but not control the trainer.
@anilakarsu Agreed, I’ll give that a shot for my next bike session. Thank you!
@prof Athletica OG, The Training Maestro, had this to say:
"Despite the unexpected calf issue, you matched the planned load well, indicating good effort management. Your average power and heart rate suggest you stayed within a recovery intensity, which is perfect for your situation. The FTI at 57% confirms you were right in the sweet spot for a recovery session. It's understandable to feel frustrated with injuries, but focusing on what you can control, like maintaining aerobic fitness, is a positive approach. Remember, recovery and adaptation are key parts of training progress. Keep up the good work!"
Athletica OG keeps it up beat telling me:
Impressive work, Jesse! You've exceeded the planned workout load by an outstanding 68%, showcasing your dedication. Your mWR at -29% indicates a significant effort, suggesting that you're pushing the envelope in your training—excellent sign of progress! ???? Your normalized power was solid at 183, with an efficiency factor of 1.37, pointing to good power output relative to your heart rate. Despite the heavy feeling in your legs, your low heart rate and subjective scores indicate a strong aerobic capacity. Keep monitoring the interplay between your perceived effort and heart rate as it's key to fine-tuning your training. ????
Always the optimist, AthleticaOG had this to say after my session today:
"Great job on today's workout, Jesse! You've shown tremendous effort by reaching an mWR of -13%, indicating you've pushed yourself to a new level of performance. Your compliance was on point, and your actual load (45) was close to the planned load (54). Despite the technical issues with your Garmin watch and the chain drops, you managed to maintain an impressive normalized power of 191. Your RPE score indicates the session was very hard, which aligns with the high intensity of your workout. Keep up the good work, and remember to familiarize yourself with your equipment to avoid resistance spikes and ensure a smoother session next time. Your positive attitude and ability to push through the challenging parts of the workout are commendable! Keep riding strong! ????♂️????"
Good evening AthleticaOG!
I didn't have the time for the full workout, so I did what I could in the time available. I enjoy testing my cadence range and today was perfect for the low end.
I only paired the power meter pedals with my Garmin today and managed the trainer with my phone. It made for a very predictable experience and I was able to get my cadence down to 40. Pushing into the "heavy" pedals felt really satisfying, like 5 minutes of walking lunges! Oh, and just a bit of a flex, I've got 50/50 pedal balance. boom.
Injury note: My calf felt fine during the heavy pushing and first steps in the morning. Tomorrow I'll give the skipping rope intervals a shot.
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AthleticaOG wasn't as enthusiastic today, but that's ok!
Jesse, your dedication is evident, especially with an mWR of -20%, indicating you've really given it your all! Despite falling short of the planned duration and load, you managed to maintain a high FTI at 85%, showing solid intensity in your training. Your efficiency factor of 1.48 is impressive, reflecting a strong power-to-heart rate ratio. It's great to hear your calf is doing well, and your pedal balance is spot-on! Remember, consistency is key, so aim to match the planned durations when possible. Keep up the fantastic work, and enjoy the satisfaction of those "heavy" pedals!
Hit minimum workout reserve of -2% on my Strength Endurance yesterday, and hit minimum workout reserve of 0% on my long HIIT VO2 max session today. The AI coach liked that.
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@phil lol I can hear the text in my head now: -2%WR?!?! Well done Phil! You really left it all out there. With adequate rest, this training will make you even faster.
But seriously, excellent efforts. *high five*!
Once again, time is at a premium. I had 30 minutes to spare this afternoon and hopped on the bike. This morning my legs were feeling a little heavy from the ride yesterday, but the feeling had passed by the time i got on the bike. The first 5 minutes were a little slow feeling, but that also passed and the pedals turned easily.
Because of the lack of time, I did aim for the higher end of the heart rate range. I know. I know. Not the point of a recovery ride.
I did a minute of skipping to test out the calf and it just feels little tight. Tomorrow I'll go for a short interval run. 1:1 or 2:1 run / walk.
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AthleticaOG keeping me honest this evening (emphasis mine):
"You've managed to maintain a good balance between load and intensity, Jesse, even with a shorter duration than planned. Your normalized power was solid, and an average heart rate of 116 shows you kept things in check despite aiming for a higher range. The efficiency factor of 1.3 indicates a good relationship between power output and heart rate, reflecting efficient energy use. Your RPE and feeling scores suggest you felt great, but remember, recovery rides are about keeping stress low. Keep an eye on that calf tightness, and ensure you're allowing enough time for recovery."
My calf has been feeling great the past few days, so I decided that today was the day to test out running. Unfortunately, I didn't have a plan. I just got dressed and headed out.
I felt amazing for 10 minutes, and was very happy with how the calf was doing. Then the calf started with the familiar and unhappy cramping feeling. I knew that was it for the day and walked home.
Being a certified athletic therapist, I need to create an RTP plan for myself as I would my patients. So here it is:
- Follow a progressive interval running program, advancing as the calf feels good and staying put or regressing as needed. I'll start with 5 x 2:1 (R/W).
- Daily strengthening exercises (balance, stability and strength)
- Use the bike for cross training.
- In the future, incorporate strength and plyometrics twice a week info my program.
I gave myself 30 minutes to feel angry and upset. My time is up. Moving on!
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AthleticaOG's feeback today was "OK":
Jesse, it's great to hear your calf is improving, yet today's run fell short of the planned metrics. Your proactive approach to managing your recovery is commendable. ???? The actual load of 18 compared to the planned 81 indicates a significant reduction in workout volume, and the 26-minute duration suggests you wisely listened to your body. However, the efficiency factor of 1.16 shows you maintained a decent pace relative to your heart rate. It's important to balance enthusiasm with caution to prevent re-injury. Keep tuning into your body's signals as you progress.
** This run had nothing to do with hitting metrics, which I mentioned above. I think there can be some improvement with the usage of adverbs (yet and however)**
I feel like my cycling capacity is all over the place. My RPE feels high for the intended effort of middle distance race pace. I think I need another few weeks of indoor training to get back into it. There was no way I was going to be able to get my heart rate up to the 170+ range, my legs would have fallen off after a couple of minutes. New cycling shoes arrived today! Old ones were too small and caused my toes to numb.
I did my strength exercises earlier today, so maybe my legs are feeling tired. Next time I'll try the endurance session first and exercises after. What I noticed from my exercises was that my legs didn't feel strong (left -injured- side more than the right). When balancing on my left leg on the blue side of the BOSU, my toes worked harder and caused more calf tightness. Clues!
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AOG thought my bike session rocked!
"Great job on matching the planned load with an actual load of 57 against 54, Jesse! Your compliance is spot-on, reflecting strong dedication to your training plan. Despite the shorter duration, your normalized power and an efficiency factor of 1.6 demonstrate solid performance and adaptability. It's particularly impressive that you reached an mWR of -17%, indicating a considerable effort and improvement in your fitness. Your feedback about the high RPE and the difficulty in raising your heart rate suggests you're pushing hard, which is commendable. Remember to balance your strength exercises and cycling sessions for optimal recovery. Keep up the good work!"
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Ever hear the expression "the shoe maker's kids have no shoes"? I think it's best to off load my calf injury to a colleague. While the exercises are excellent, the running RTP needs some objective help. My run yesterday morning of 5x2:1 was too much, I need more healing before I resume running.
In the mean time, I love snow! :D
@phil Nice! Was that a little bit of a brick (bike-run) workout?
@jesse Both bike sessions. Only time I run is when holding a SLR and racing ahead to take photo of wife in an event.
@phil lol, sounds like you’ve earned your recovery day Friday!
Haven't worked out much this week, so rather then doing the prescribed recovery session this morning I opted for a HIIT session on the bike. I did the workout in my aero position on my TT bike, nice and low the whole time.
As was suggested last week, I didn't pair my trainer with the watch, just the pedals. It was nice to be able to control my effort by changing gears. That said, I didn't choose a sustainable effort for the 6 intervals and had trouble keeping my cadence up for the final 2. Next time I'll go a little easier to start (but not much).
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OG was pleased with my effort today:
Great job, Jesse! Your actual load of 26 surpassed the planned 23, showing admirable commitment. With a workout duration exactly as planned, you're clearly focused on meeting your targets. Your efficiency factor of 1.47 illustrates a strong power-to-heart-rate ratio, indicating effective training. While your FTI at 83% suggests you're training just below threshold level, your mWR of -25% signals you're pushing your boundaries, which is excellent for progress. Remember to balance intensity to maintain sustainability throughout your sessions. Keep up the great work!
The personal best I set on 26th September on a hill I’m using for the VO2 Max long HIIT alternate was broken today on my third ascent out of four. Minimum workout reserve of -7%.
We are enjoying autumn days that are more like summer of old in the UK at the moment. It peaked at 22C today.
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