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When you type, "Why train with power?" into Google, 416 million results pop up in under one second. People are talking and writing about it. A lot. And last week, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. 

I have trained with heart rate for all the years I've raced so far and I thought I was doing just fine, thankyouverymuch. But for a couple weeks recently, it felt like I was finishing every workout with a frustrating sense of failure. No matter what I tried -- more cadence, more connection with my pedals, deeper breathing, better eating -- tears -- it seemed like my top heart rate zones were inaccessible. My coach said it was a normal thing to experience a "plateau" at this stage of the game. But I was totally over the feeling. So naturally, I panicked and made some inquiries. If my small sample size is any indication, I think we can safely say that 100% of the 416 million Google hits I mentioned extol the virtues of training with power. Power is truth. It does not change with fatigue, it does not matter what time of day it is, it doesn't care if you're stressed out, it is not susceptible to illness and your age is not a factor. 

My coach, Richard La China, is happy I made the switch. "A power meter allows you to accurately measure the amount of work you are doing, it's that simple. Nothing is left up to interpretation and we can work with this data to maximize your training," said Richard. "My athletes send me their heart-rate data but there is a ton I can't see: Were they well hydrated? Were they having difficulty with the elevation? Were they having a fight with their spouse that morning, or a hard day at the office? All of that can impact your heart rate. But watts aren't affected by that stuff -- watts are watts. I train lots of people with heart rate but once they switch to power, I start to see real results because I have a way to measure them. There's no way to measure results with heart rate. I can see wattage increasing. I can see functional threshold increasing."

Another one of the people I talked to was Norco Factory Team rider Andrew Watson who recently hosted a seminar on training with power back home in Ontario. He echoed Richard, saying, "Power is a quantifiable, unbiased data point to base your training off of." But it's just one of a few points we athletes can keep track of to paint a clearer picture of the work we're doing on the bike. "Speed, heart rate and perceived exertion all have many variables," he said. "Don't toss out the heart rate monitor, but complement it with power."  

In my internet search, I stumbled on a video PowerTap produced featuring Dr. Allen Lim, who went on to found Skratch Labs. I was struck by his analogies: "You wouldn't bake a pie if you didn't how hot the oven was. At the same time, you wouldn't go to the gym to lift weights if you didn't know how much you were lifting. In the same way a thermometer can tell you how hot the oven is, and a scale can tell you how much load you're lifting, power output tells you what you're really doing when you're cycling, whereas heart rate only tells you how you are responding. If you really want to optimize your performance, you need to know both." 

If you're interested in adding watts to the data fields on your cycling computer, I'd highly recommend the G3 Hub from PowerTap. It easily connects to my Garmin, it's light and though this is a relatively pricey piece of equipment, I think it's one I'm going to have for a very long time, and I'm looking forward to the improved training it's enabling. Now to save up for the mtb version ... 

I'll just leave you with a couple basics: 

PowerTap G3 Hub MSRP: $789.99

Weight: 325 grams

Compatible with: Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo / Garmin, Joule (ANT+)

Where can you get one?: Contact Crank Cycling, or find a dealer near you. 

How it works: The hub has a strain gauge that measures the amount of torque/force -- work -- you put into the rear wheel. Power is energy (joules) consumed over time and is measured in watts. For example, the same amount of work is done if you ride 10 miles in 30 minutes or 10 miles in one hour. But riding 10 miles in 30 minutes uses more power because it was done faster. Average Power is equal to the amount of work you do over time and that's what your PowerTap is measuring. 

 

Me, Powering Up Vulcan / Chris Holmes (@greenlaker) photo

More Two-Wheeled Tales From Cumberland B.C.

Our Bike Gang - Stoked.

One good ride deserves another so off we went to get another day of frothing on primo B.C. singletrack. Special guest Myrosha joined us this time making it that much more merry.

He borrowed his bike and gear from Galyn – a local trail builder, racer and good friend of Myrosha’s. We met Galyn briefly in the parking lot before the dots all came together. The day before, Gerhard and I had met some riders from the Dodge City Cycles ("The highest bike shop on Vancouver Island") out on the trails. They told us we had to try out the new trail “Truffle Shuffle,” fresh cut and apparently totally awesome. It’s also been reviewed in some media, with the press calling it “the best climb in Cumberland.”  They raved about the trail, and its builder who they said was “awesome,” “a bit of a wood worker” (hence its beautifully crafted sign at the trailhead) and “an amazing part of the community.” So we followed them to this not-to-miss singletrack and loved it, as predicted.

Turns out Truffle Shuffle is none other than Galyn’s handiwork. What a small world. Hopefully Myrosha passed on our enthusiasm for this masterpiece. It is definitely a tremendous trail.

Myrosha also let us know that Galyn is not alone in his trail-building efforts. In fact, most of the network in the Cumberland area has been cut by a 60-year-old former logger – I didn't catch his name but he’s a local legend. He has a special talent for seeing the natural contours of the terrain and finding the most radical way over it. He puts his years of experience as a logger to use by removing the trees skillfully, and then using whatever he removes to build ladder bridges and trail features that make the riding here truly stand out. He builds a trail, rides it, and then moves on to the next so that now, the network is so enormous you’d need a week to properly rip all of it.

It is amazing to enjoy these singletracks and then think of the amount of work that only a handful of people have done in the name of their passion. That’s why mountain biking is amazing. Individuals like “the logger” and Galyn, and every rider we meet, reflecting our ear-to-ear grins back at us as we do our small part to help work in the trails.

Another observation about Cumberland: It is full of ladies who rip! The ratio of men to women I saw on the trails and in the parking lots was AT LEAST 50:50. Amazing. So ladies, if you’re looking for a riding destination where you’re sure to meet other women on bikes, Cumberland should be on your short list.

As for our ride, you can follow along using Cumberland's handy online map! Gerhard got a new bike - A 2013 Norco alloy RANGE - from Trail Bicycles today. We rode over to Cumberland and decided to try Buggered Pig in the other direction (up) and had a great time challenging ourselves on the MANY skinnies and bridges built up through the lower section. We popped back out onto the fire road and got a taste of how that section might feel on race day as we pedaled up up up to the turn off for Sykes Bridge and Tea Pot beyond that. Feeling a little more peppy than expected, we decided to continue climbing past Tea Pot, past Truffle Shuffle (not yet

on the online version of the map, but you can see it on the printed versions, which are $4 and available in local shops) and on to the lower section of Thirsty Beaver.

AMAZING. So glad we didn’t miss Thirsty Beaver. Its main feature is ladder bridges of consequence over cold creeks and sometimes pretty high off the ground. The wooden bridges were wet for good measure, so braking was out of the question, which was fine, because the bridges were narrow enough that stopping was kind of out of the question too. We loved it!

We could have just dropped straight into Tea Pot from there, but we couldn’t pass up another round of Truffle Shuffle so we climbed back up that fire road again and then up Galyn's “best climb in Cumblerland” before descending through the tight berms and steeps of the second half. Then it was straight into Tea Pot and on my third ride though this section – and with exponential growth in comfort on my borrowed Sight – I was feeling pretty shredtacular. So much fun and flow.

Rather than turn off to That Dam Trail as we did yesterday, we kept heading towards the reservoir and then went around the other side, which was new territory for all of us. We caught the Rail Road singletrack and rode that all the way to Crafty Butcher, which featured even more ladder bridges into rock drops and then EVEN A TEETER TOTTER section that just plain made my day.

This area had been clear-cut in the recent past so it was open to the light with shorter new-growth trees and bushes framing an epic view of the snowy mountaintops and the ocean in the distance.  It felt like heaven. It felt like we were all drunk with it.

We continued our downhill singletrack assault on crowd pleasers like Brat and Black Hole and then finished off our ride with the whoops and berms of Space Nugget.

With heavy hearts (and quads!!), we left the trailhead, asked a stranger to take our picture, said farewell to Myrosha, rolled back to Courtenay and returned our rented weaponry. Thanks again to Ryan at TrailBicycles – you helped make this trip a really amazing time and we will definitely be visiting again.

More photos from Day 2!

A Beautiful "Sight" - Norco Carbon Sight 7.1 on Truffle Shuffle

Myrosha multi tasking

Gerhard and Myrosha finishing up Truffle Shuffle

On to Tea Pot!

Gerhard and I riding rocks and ladders on Crafty Butcher (Myrosha photo)

Trail Art

BC Bike Race Reconnaissance

Gerhard on "Tea Pot" 

Usually when we come to see my in-laws (though after a certain Christmas tree debacle, I think I’ll start calling them the “out-laws”) we make a point of heading over to Mount Washington to get some holiday turns in. But with warmer than usual weather on Canada’s west coast … or at least Vancouver Island … we have found activities even more to my liking!

With base miles season wrapping up, I am determined to cram in as many as possible. So I borrowed my mother-in-law’s grocery getter and took myself on a little tour (photos below!). It’s a Norco “Wolverine” circa 2002ish with a super-riser bar and a side-view mirror. It did a fantastic job and it made me smile like crazy, especially when waving to "real" mountain bikers getting ready at the many trail heads I passed.

However, in my Boxing Day travels, I was surprised to see signs indicating the proximity of Cumberland – home to Stage 2 of the upcoming BC Bike Race. In my mind it was some ways away, but here was this sign saying "Cumberland - 7" – and then I realized I’m back in Canada so 7 was actually kilometres, not miles. A stone’s throw! We were already planning on renting mountain bikes for the following day, but unsure how we would transport Gerhard, me and our bikes to the trail without monopolizing the family vehicle for hours (or how everything would fit, anyway).  So this was an excellent realization: We can easily access the famous trails of Cumberland by riding out of our own driveway. Cumberland, by the way, is mountain biker mecca. Just CRAWLING with riders and amenities geared for riders. I think I may have even spotted Canadian Olympian Geoff Kabush (whose hometown is Courtenay) on my little trip. Can't be sure.

So today, we headed over to the amazing Trail Bicycles shop (thank you for all your help, Ryan!) which is literally a five minute walk from the out-law’s place. I traded in my Norco Wolverine for something a little more burly, and modern: The 2014 Sight Carbon 7.1 “Killer B”. Gerhard got an enviable Trek Remedy to rip around on.

Notes on my demo Norco: It has a dropper post. I’ve never tried one before today, but after our ride, I would say they are mandatory for the riding here in BC. It also came equipped with some SRAM 1x11 (32 in the front but we were wondering if a 30 might be better … more testing required). It rode wonderfully, it’s a TON of fun, but I’m not convinced of its raciness yet. Even in carbon, I absolutely felt the added pounds over my beloved Top Fuel on the climbs, but man, it crushed the descents and floated over rocks and roots alike. I would love to have one of these in my quiver … if only my Top Fuel would fit in my camelback for the uphills. Decisions, decisions.

Our main focus for today’s ride was the “Teapot” trail which will be run as an Enduro section on race day so we did that one twice, while also checking out “Quacker,” “Truffle Shuffle,” “That Dam Trail,” “Buggered Pig,” and “Mama Bear.” It was so nice to be riding on loamy, rooty, dirty, green, rocky, flowy trails again. I was losing my mind. But that might have been the Expresso Clif Snot I inhaled before we hit our first singletrack. Check out all Cumberland has to offer by visiting cvmtb.com.

Best of all is enjoying my favourite activity with my favourite person, Gerhard. So thank to my amazing husband for suiting up and putting up with my full-on frothing all day. You guys have to see Gerhard ride to believe it. He has no business being as skilled a rider as he is for how little he does it. Technical descents? Waits for me at the bottom while I pick my way through what he describes as “like powder, in dirt.” Super long skinnies? Convinces me to try by showing me how ‘easy’ it is, first. Insanely steep and long fire road climb (which it turned out was unnecessary because I can’t read a map or follow other riders’ directions)? He cleans it then says, “that was a little tough,” like it wasn’t very tough at all.  I am so proud. Most of all, I’m super excited he’s agreed to come do it again tomorrow!

And now the pictures from yesterday and today:

Riding with a rear view.

The amazing Norco Wolverine! Gets groceries and base miles like a champ. 

Entering Cumberland! So easy! 

The most amazing fence in the world. 

Real life holly 

Downtown Cumberland

Peace on Earth (or at least on Comox Lake)

Looking out to sea

Indulging in my dirty habit with my favourite guy

Gerhard riding over Sykes Bridge

Me in my ninja position on "Tea Pot" trail