Skip to main content
DISASTER STRIKES!

Not only have I lost the chest strap to my beloved HAC4 cycle computer, but the TANITA scales have given up the ghost this weekend. So, I can't record my HR zones as I train and I can't track my weight loss. Hell, the HAC4 is one of my favourite gadgets, I used my own software to import data into my training log software.

So I spent Saturday trying to decide what to do about my cycle computer, given the HAC4 is discontinued and getting a belt is quite a challenge (I wish you could 'watch' on ebay for stuff being listed). I narrowed it down to the Garmin Edge 305 versus the Polar S725X. The Garmin came out top for ease of use and innovation with the mapping software like memory map. But when it came down to it I'm looking for a cycle and run heart rate monitor not a GPS tool. The Garmin has limited battery life and limited data capture according to most reviews I've read, so I bought the Polar and am waiting for it to arrive. I went for the cadence and usb IR interface but stopped short of the unbelievably expensive power kit (£200 for a few wireless sensors!?).

Went to Argos in Guildford this afternoon and bought some replacement TANITA scales. Argos might be a little chavvy but their prices are good and they have a strong range of body fat scales. Managed to get some scales that measure total body water as well as fat percentage for £50, that's half the price I paid for the old ones, although they aren't glass which was a waste of money to be honest -- how often do you even notice your scales let alone admire their aesthetics. Bah humbug.
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Wireguard setup for dummies

We all know that Dad is the IT infrastructure manager at home, so when it became clear that we needed a VPN for everyone to enjoy that infrastructure (aka access to streaming services) on their phones and laptops when they were away- it became Dad's job to make it happen.  My first instinct was to get a Unifi device since I've got lots of them already. Something like the USG or Dream Machine and use the hardware VPN support from there. But then I baulked at the costs for something with enough horsepower, anywhere from £99 to £350. I looked at their Edgerouter X and other devices like the Netgate pfsense and thought, heck, how hard can it be to install a VPN server on my Linux workstation and do it for nothing ? So I started with OpenVPN but couldn't get it to work or work out how to configure clients. So I switched to OpenVPN access server and couldn't even get it to install (I am using Ubuntu 23.04 right now and its not supported). I watched some videos from Cross...
Read more

W'bal its implementation and optimisation

So, the implementation of W'bal in GoldenCheetah has been a bit of a challenge. The Science I wanted to explain what we've done and how it works in this blog post, but realised that first I need to explain the science behind W'bal, W' and CP. W' and CP How hard can you go, in watts, for half an hour is going to be very different to how hard you can go for say, 20 seconds. And then thinking about how hard you can go for a very long time will be different again. But when it comes to reviewing and tracking changes in your performance and planning future workouts you quickly realise how useful it is to have a good understanding of your own limits. In 1965 two scientists Monod and Scherrer presented a ‘Critical Power Model’ where the Critical Power of a muscle is defined as ‘the maximum rate of work that it can keep up for a very long time without fatigue’. They also proposed an ‘energy store’ (later to be termed W’, pronounced double-ewe-prime) that represente...
Read more

Implementing the Banister Impulse-Response Model in GoldenCheetah

Over January 2019 I implemented the Banister model in GoldenCheetah, along the way I learned a little about its strengths and weaknesses. This post is about that; explaining the Banister model and how it relates to the PMC , how it has been implemented in GoldenCheetah and what it's limitations are. I've also added a bit at the end covering some of the things I'm looking to do with this next from potential model improvements through to deep learning. In some ways this post is a longer written form of this tutorial I recorded covering Banister and GoldenCheetah. The Banister Impulse Response model In 1975 Eric Banister proposed an impulse-response model that could be used to correlate past training with changes in performance in order to predict future improvements from future training. Originally proposed for working with collegiate swimmers it was reworked in 1990 for working with running and of course also applicable for cycling. Each type of sport needed a w...
Read more