Testing Yourself

The goal of our training is to improve our performance but how do you know if we are improving especially during the winter months when there are few if any events? The best way to gauge progress is to conduct periodic field tests. A field test could be any ride that you can repeat during the year that allows you to record and compare speed, wattage, time, heart rate, etc. You could be comparing maximum and/or average numbers for the parameter(s) depending on your specialty. The course you use would also be dependent on your discipline.

For example, since I concentrate on the individual time trial I use two 8 minute time trial efforts as a field test. I use the same road each time or do them inside. Either way, I have a basis for comparison year after year for outside and inside data. I am primarily looking at average wattage. My coach will usually start testing me in February and then periodically during the season to check progress.

For a rider interested in crits, you may want to test your sprints and check average speed, maximum speed and power if available. A road racer could use a climb to test their time to the top, average power and/or speed. Once again, the idea is to have a course that is repeatable and as unchanging in environment as possible. The test doesn't have to be long in time and in fact something less than 8 to 10 minutes is probably preferable. You'll have plenty of opportunities for pushing the limits on time at intense speeds and power during your training and racing and while those efforts are certainly comparable the shorter repeatable efforts offer less chance for factors that may skew the data such as wind, temperature, etc.

This a great time of year to find that hill or flat stretch of road and test yourself. Don't worry if your results don't seem as strong as hoped. If you train well this winter you'll be setting new standards in time.