For those who own a Polar HRM and an iMagic I have found an alternative way of seemingly calibrating the iMagic power setting (scale factor adjustment).
On your polar you can identify your VO2 max (OwnIndex) which will then adjust your kCal per bpm (assuming you fit within the general population) on your polar so that your kCal count will increase at a set rate for a given heart rate.
Next, once you have set your OwnIndex value and your kCal count should be more accurate (not sure what the % is..), you can then sit on the iMagic at say a 75% HR value and then note the kCal and wattage on the iMagic vs the polar.
Once you have the kCal on your iMagic and your polar, divide one by the other (and multiply by 100) and that is then the scale factor to set in your iMagic.
Accuracy wise I'm not sure how well this would work as it relies on the OwnIndex formulation accuracy and assuming your kCal per bpm fits with this through your HR range. What I do know is that it's more accurate than the default scale factor the iMagic has.
What I found, for me, was that I needed to adjust the iMagic back around 15% (scale factor 115), which in one sense was a bit disappointing, however it was the final landing back on planet earth realising that I was not ready to enter the tour. Plus, my sprint power decreased back below the 1000W level, which is a good target for me now.
Sunday, 28 January 2007
2nd time, feeling a lot better
After the previous day of easy riding I felt a lot better for it, possibly as much psychologically as well as physically. The easy session was, again, avoiding my breathing increasing above an easy walking pace equivalent so as to not dry my throat out as it still feels a bit groggy.
Session duration : 35 min
Average power : 205W
Average HR : 123bpm
Reference power : 126bpm=210W
Cadence avg : 89rpm
kCal : 415
Session duration : 35 min
Average power : 205W
Average HR : 123bpm
Reference power : 126bpm=210W
Cadence avg : 89rpm
kCal : 415
Saturday, 27 January 2007
Back on the bike, well 30 min anyway
First session back on the iMagic and a gentle one at that. My throat steel feels wrong and subsequently do not want to do anything to go high aerobic and so the brief 30 min was nice and gentle.
The very brief rides to the station (5-6min) have helped my legs get a kick start early and my legs felt ok during the session although you could tell you had not been on the trainer for a while. My ride to the station is usually a near sprint at times (not the best of things to do) and the last few weeks have been recovery pace with the one day I regretted going too hard.
Session duration : 30 min
Average power : 194W
Average HR : 123bpm
Reference power : 130bpm=220W
Cadence : 84 - 95
kCal : 336
The very brief rides to the station (5-6min) have helped my legs get a kick start early and my legs felt ok during the session although you could tell you had not been on the trainer for a while. My ride to the station is usually a near sprint at times (not the best of things to do) and the last few weeks have been recovery pace with the one day I regretted going too hard.
Session duration : 30 min
Average power : 194W
Average HR : 123bpm
Reference power : 130bpm=220W
Cadence : 84 - 95
kCal : 336
Tuesday, 23 January 2007
That last 1% seems to take a long time
Riding to and back from the station on my bike (5 min) is the current measure of my recovery and the last 1% of lung health seems to be taking quite a while.
The first trip to the station a couple of weeks ago was a very slow and steady affair, however I was almost throwing up when I got to the station, even though I rode at the same intensity as a medium walk. Riding back home I even had to stop as the coughing took my breath away.
The following week was a bit better, still with the steady slow pace and trying not to breath any different to walking intensity.
This week seems to be almost there with the last 1% just enough to create a noticable difference in breathing and feel to the lungs, even though I can now pick the pace up without throwing up I'm still taking it steady. I want to be back on the bike for good, not just one sunny day.
The first trip to the station a couple of weeks ago was a very slow and steady affair, however I was almost throwing up when I got to the station, even though I rode at the same intensity as a medium walk. Riding back home I even had to stop as the coughing took my breath away.
The following week was a bit better, still with the steady slow pace and trying not to breath any different to walking intensity.
This week seems to be almost there with the last 1% just enough to create a noticable difference in breathing and feel to the lungs, even though I can now pick the pace up without throwing up I'm still taking it steady. I want to be back on the bike for good, not just one sunny day.
Sunday, 21 January 2007
Over trained and sick of it all, where is my bike !
In the run up to Christmas my training volume fluctuted between 1 hour and 10 hours per week with the majority of the training completed indoors on the iMagic. During November I did a 2 hour session just below AT, which with the rest of the activity for the week topped the total time out at just over 10 hours. The only problem seemed to be that 25% of it was in Zone 4 just below AT and I did not spend enough time recovering during the following 4 weeks.
I would have thought that due to the lower volume of training time this should have provided the recovery time, although I have my doubts as I tend to find it difficult to have an easy ride.
4 weeks later I cought a virus that seemed to be doing the usual rounds, however the difference seemed to be either the way that I coughed or my immune system was hammered. The end result was that the impact of the virus allowed or caused my lungs to become infected and this spread in the space of just under a week from top to bottom.
The local doctor prescribed some penicillin (7 days), which cleared a bit of my throat in 2 days and did not do anything after that.
Visiting the local hospital for a checkup as my throat seemed to be closing up they then prescribed some other antibiotics (7 day) to clear up the infection, which seemed to work in 2 phases. The first phase was a reduction in green gunk over 3 days and then the second phase 3-4 days seemed to be like pneumonia with a lot of fluid build up in my lungs. 7 more days of a reduced strength (50%) dose seemed to have stopped the bacterial infection.
The duration of the virus infection (feel 98% recovered at the moment) so far has been 42 days.
The current outlook is I'll be back on the bike this week with the prospect of re-training in around 3 months (84 days - 2 for 1) and back racing for May or June, can't wait !
I would have thought that due to the lower volume of training time this should have provided the recovery time, although I have my doubts as I tend to find it difficult to have an easy ride.
4 weeks later I cought a virus that seemed to be doing the usual rounds, however the difference seemed to be either the way that I coughed or my immune system was hammered. The end result was that the impact of the virus allowed or caused my lungs to become infected and this spread in the space of just under a week from top to bottom.
The local doctor prescribed some penicillin (7 days), which cleared a bit of my throat in 2 days and did not do anything after that.
Visiting the local hospital for a checkup as my throat seemed to be closing up they then prescribed some other antibiotics (7 day) to clear up the infection, which seemed to work in 2 phases. The first phase was a reduction in green gunk over 3 days and then the second phase 3-4 days seemed to be like pneumonia with a lot of fluid build up in my lungs. 7 more days of a reduced strength (50%) dose seemed to have stopped the bacterial infection.
The duration of the virus infection (feel 98% recovered at the moment) so far has been 42 days.
The current outlook is I'll be back on the bike this week with the prospect of re-training in around 3 months (84 days - 2 for 1) and back racing for May or June, can't wait !
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