Can you have too much data? Yes.

The correct data is more important that every data point.

When training for my initial Ironman 70.3 I used a Garmin & Supersapiens glucose tracker.

That may be over-the-top for most people, but I learned a ton, from which foods maximised my glucose pre-run, to how sleep impacted my resting heart rate.

So what is the most important data to look at?

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The Main Feature

Leg one: Heart Rate is The Foundation Of Fitness

Monitoring heart rate (HR) and resting heart rate (RHR) is crucial for runners, serving as key indicators of cardiovascular health, training intensity, and overall fitness. HR, which fluctuates based on exercise intensity, environmental conditions, and physical conditioning, enables runners to gauge and adjust their effort levels for optimal training efficiency, ensuring they strike the right balance between pushing for performance gains and avoiding overexertion.

On the other hand, RHR, measured at complete rest, offers valuable insights into a runner's recovery status and cardiovascular efficiency. A lower RHR typically indicates better fitness and heart function, while an unexpected increase can signal overtraining, fatigue, or illness, necessitating rest or a change in training routine. By regularly monitoring these metrics, runners can finely tune their training programs, ensuring they train at appropriate intensities, avoid burnout, and track long-term progress in cardiovascular health and endurance, making HR and RHR tracking indispensable tools in a runner's arsenal for achieving peak performance and maintaining overall health.

Aerobic and anaerobic training are both crucial for positively impacting your resting heart rate (RHR), though they work in different ways. Aerobic exercise, like running, cycling, or swimming, involves sustained, moderate-intensity activities that strengthen your heart muscle. This strength enables your heart to pump a larger volume of blood with each beat, meaning it needs fewer beats to circulate blood throughout your body, leading to a lower RHR. Essentially, a stronger heart works more efficiently and doesn't have to work as hard when you're at rest.

On the other hand, anaerobic exercise, characterized by short bursts of high intensity like sprinting or weightlifting, enhances your heart's ability to handle periods of high stress and improves overall cardiovascular responsiveness. While anaerobic exercise doesn't directly lower RHR in the same way aerobic exercise does, it contributes to heart health by making your cardiovascular system more efficient and responsive. This indirect effect can, over time, also lead to a lower RHR. Therefore, a balanced exercise routine that includes both aerobic and anaerobic activities is optimal for not just lowering your RHR but also for overall cardiovascular fitness and health.

T-1: Mental Preparation

Leg 2: Understanding Recovery Is Vital

Since 2016 I’ve tracked my health. Starting with Fitbit, then Garmin (the forerunner series is great) and now Whoop. The truth is they all track similar data but Whoop is my current wearable of choice as it’s so easy to understand the data & track my lifestyle habits.

So, if you're a runner and you're using something like the WHOOP strap to keep an eye on your recovery, there are a few key things you'll want to keep tabs on.

First off, there's Heart Rate Variability, or HRV. This one's pretty neat because it measures the tiny differences in time between your heartbeats. A higher HRV usually means you're well-rested and ready to hit the pavement. If it changes a lot from your usual numbers, it could be a sign that you're stressed or not fully recovered.

Then there's your Resting Heart Rate (RHR). You know, the number of heartbeats per minute when you're just chilling. If this number's higher than usual when you wake up, it might mean you need more rest. A lower RHR is generally a thumbs-up from your body, saying you're good to go.

Respiratory Rate is another cool one to watch. It's all about how many breaths you take each minute while you're asleep. Big changes in this can be like a heads-up from your body, maybe hinting that you're not as recovered as you should be.

Sleep is a big deal, too. WHOOP breaks down your sleep into different stages and tells you how much shut-eye you're actually getting. Since your body does most of its repair work while you're snoozing, you'll want to make sure you're getting enough quality sleep.

There's also this comparison between how much sleep you need and how much you actually get. It's like balancing your sleep budget. If you're short on sleep after a day with a lot of running or working out, you'll know you need to catch up.

Day Strain scores are pretty helpful as well. They show how hard your day was based on your activities and workouts. It's like a reminder to balance hard training days with easier ones or some good ol' rest.

Lastly, the Recovery Score ties it all together. It takes your HRV, RHR, and sleep into account and gives you a score each day. It's like a quick check-in on whether you're ready to push hard or take it easy.

So, keeping an eye on these things can really help you tune into what your body's saying. It's like having a conversation with your body, understanding when to push and when to chill, all to keep your running game strong and healthy.

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Leg 3: Glucose Is Your Daily Energy System

I used Supersapiens when training for my first Ironman 70.3 - it was a complete eye opener to understand which foods and gels impacted my glucose score. Understanding my glucose levels helps to maximise my training, ensuring I am well fuelled when I need to be.

The advent of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems like Supersapiens and Levels has revolutionized the way athletes and fitness enthusiasts approach training and nutrition. These devices, originally developed for managing diabetes, are now being utilized to optimize athletic performance by providing real-time insights into how the body utilizes glucose, the primary energy source during exercise. Understanding the data from these CGMs can be pivotal in fine-tuning nutrition, workout strategies, and recovery.

Key Data Points to Analyze and Assess:

1. Glucose Levels During Exercise: Monitoring glucose levels in real-time during workouts helps in understanding how your body responds to different types of exercise. For endurance athletes, maintaining stable glucose levels is crucial to avoid energy dips. Seeing how your glucose levels fluctuate can guide you in adjusting carbohydrate intake before and during long sessions.

2. Response to Meal Types: CGMs like Supersapiens and Levels reveal how different foods affect your glucose levels. High-glycemic index foods might spike your glucose levels rapidly but could lead to a crash later, while low-glycemic foods provide a more sustained release of energy. This information is crucial for planning pre-workout meals and ensuring stable energy supply during performance.

3. Recovery and Glucose Replenishment: Post-exercise, it's essential to replenish glycogen stores. Monitoring glucose levels during recovery can inform you about the effectiveness of your post-workout nutrition. Understanding this can help optimize recovery, especially after intense or prolonged workouts.

4. Impact of Stress and Sleep: Stress and poor sleep can affect glucose levels and, consequently, energy availability and recovery. By tracking glucose fluctuations in relation to stress and sleep patterns, athletes can make lifestyle adjustments to improve overall performance and well-being.

5. Personalized Nutrition Strategies: Since metabolic responses to foods vary greatly among individuals, CGMs provide personalized insights. What works for one athlete may not work for another. Continuous monitoring allows athletes to develop a personalized nutrition strategy that aligns with their training goals.

6. Energy Availability: For athletes, particularly in sports requiring sustained energy output, understanding when and how to fuel becomes easier with CGM data. It helps in planning carbohydrate intake to ensure that adequate energy is available throughout the activity.

Advantages of Using CGMs in Training:

• Optimized Performance: By understanding energy utilization, athletes can fine-tune their diet and training for optimal performance.

• Informed Nutritional Choices: Real-time glucose data guides athletes in choosing the right foods at the right times, maximizing energy efficiency.

• Prevention of Energy Depletion: Awareness of glucose levels helps in preventing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can lead to fatigue, reduced performance, and even health risks.

• Enhanced Recovery: Efficient refueling strategies based on glucose monitoring support quicker and more effective recovery.

• Tailored Training Programs: Athletes can adjust the intensity and duration of workouts based on their body’s glucose response, allowing for more personalized and effective training.

In summary, CGMs like Supersapiens and Levels in athletic training offers a more detailed approach to optimising your training, but it’s by no means necessary. By analyzing key data points such as exercise-induced glucose fluctuations, meal responses, recovery patterns, and the impact of stress and sleep, athletes can gain comprehensive insights into their energy metabolism.

Remember data is only useful if you know how to read it, so start lightly and use only what you know will help you.

Coaches Corner

WOTW: Workout of the week

This will help you target the right intensity and cadence for improving your power output. Remember, the suggested wattage and RPM are guidelines and should be adjusted based on your individual fitness level and experience.

1-Hour Power Building Workout on Zwift

Total Duration: 60 minutes

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes)

   • Start easy, gradually increasing intensity.

   • Minutes 0-5: Ride at 50-60% of your estimated FTP (Functional Threshold Power) at 80-90 RPM.

   • Minutes 5-10: Increase to 70% of FTP at 90-100 RPM.

2. Power Intervals (30 minutes)

   • Set 1 (5 minutes)

     • Ride at 85-95% of FTP at 85-95 RPM.

   • Recovery (5 minutes)

     • Reduce to 50-60% of FTP at 80-90 RPM.

   • Set 2 (5 minutes)

     • Increase to 90-100% of FTP at 85-95 RPM.

   • Recovery (5 minutes)

     • Reduce to 50-60% of FTP at 80-90 RPM.

   • Set 3 (5 minutes)

     • Aim for 95-105% of FTP at 85-95 RPM.

   • Recovery (5 minutes)

     • Reduce to 50-60% of FTP at 80-90 RPM.

3. Hill Simulation (10 minutes)

   • Climb (5 minutes)

     • Increase resistance to simulate a hill, maintaining 75-85% of FTP at a lower cadence of 60-70 RPM.

   • Flat (5 minutes)

     • Reduce resistance, riding at 70% of FTP at 90-100 RPM.

4. Cool Down (10 minutes)

   • Gradually decrease effort.

   • Minutes 0-5: Ride at 60-70% of FTP at 80-90 RPM.

   • Minutes 5-10: Lower to 50-60% of FTP at 70-80 RPM.

Additional Tips:

• Adjust to Your Level: The FTP percentages are a guideline. If you're newer to cycling or don't know your FTP, focus on perceived effort. The sets should feel challenging but doable.

• Stay Focused on Recovery: The recovery periods are just as important as the intense sets. They allow your muscles to recuperate slightly and prepare for the next effort.

• Track Your Progress: Make a note of the watts and RPM you're able to maintain in each set. Over time, you should aim to see gradual improvements in these numbers.

Consistent practice with this workout will help in increasing your power output and overall cycling performance. Remember, improvement in cycling power is a gradual process, so be patient and persistent with your training.