Training Outside Workout along a route

[Cesar_Nunez]

Is there a way to create an outside workout base on a route where I can set each interval based on the route?

For example, a 5 miles straight flat (grade 0%) route with a climb of 0.5 miles right on the middle with a grade of 5% where I want to climb in 100% my FTP and 90-95 cadence.

I think I figure something out but need advise if I’m doing it right.

• I create a route in Garmin Connect
• Exported the GPX file
• I created a new workout based on a route from that GPX
• TD shows the new workout intervals based on the file

This the link to access this workout → Trainer Day

From here I’m lost, I don’t know how TD figured the time for each interval and FTP%. Neither Type and Slope/BPM comes from.

Actually, I checked the SLOPE & HR TARGET and it shows the column with those values

The other thing I noticed is when I saved the workout, TD shows the indoor, HR, and outdoor workout options; however, when I switch from indoor to outdoor I can see the intervals change

I wonder if I’m doing something wrong, or TD isn’t capable to create a outdoor workout base in a real route, where the intervals match the course gradient or distances, and then we can adjust the intervals to the targets we need to modify accordingly with our training plan

If TD can do it, I’d really appreciate your advise and give some lights to make right. It will be an excellent a powerful training tool for sure

[dthrog00]

You may want to look at Biketerra for this use case if you would like visuals and the experience of riding along a route.

Dave

[Cesar_Nunez]

@dthrog00

Biketerra

Thanks for the info, but it isn’t what I’m looking for.

I want to create a workout base on a real route, then send it to my Garmin to perform that workout.

[dthrog00]

Ok, I understand. What you laid out makes sense to me, but Alex would have a better reply.

You’re doing the workout by time and slope so you will need to adjust your gears to what power you want to ride at. % of FTP is meaningless in this instance because slope is being used instead.

Dave

[Cesar_Nunez]

@dthrog00

You’re doing the workout by time and slope so you will need to adjust your gears to what power you want to ride at. % of FTP is meaningless in this instance because slope is being used instead.

That part is what I’m totally lost, I don’t know how the slope feature works.

I wanna ride based on my FTP% since it’s how I do my workouts indoors. ERG mode is my type of workout but open to learn how slope mode works. Perhaps is a better option than doing it based on FTP%

thanks again for your guidance

[dthrog00]

@Cesar_Nunez

I don’t know how the slope feature works.

Slope means your trainer is going to apply resistance that matches a grade. If you tell it 5% it is like you are going up a 5% hill.

Dave

[Alex]

So we don’t have any perfect solution for this, but really all you are talking about is specific power targets in specific places on your route. The best way to do this in general is to focus on the climbs or just a few key targets on the route. Then use either our editor or in Garmin connect you can set specific distances and ours you can not. But I would avoid distances and times completely and just use open ended which means you start the workout… When you get to your first climb you press the lap button and it will go to your target watts.

See below how to do that in our tool

See below Garmin’s workout creator. You could use distances just for the climbs for example. Or specific areas.

You can find the distance in ridewithgps workout creator for example. But I am sure garmin route creator or any of them you can.

[Cesar_Nunez]

thanks for the tips

I think the easier way to do it in my case is just by creating a new screen in my Garmin Computer showing just FTP% and cadence; by the time I hit a climb, I can shift to reach my target FTP% within a cadence range

[Alex]

Yes, exactly, this is perfect unless it is too much to remember, meaning different targets on different slopes. In which case you can also do old school and just use top tube sticker

[Robert_UCL]

Hi Cesar,

It sounds like a great concept, but in reality, this is almost impossible. Suppose you could create such a file. If tomorrow’s weather brings you a strong headwind, it will take you much longer to ride the same route. Or maybe our body isn’t as fit as usual, because you didn’t sleep well. Or maybe there is more traffic on the route, slowing you down.

These factors, which you can’t control, will bring a lot of stress to do things right. Alex’s suggestion of using the lap button for the sections that matter is great.

Part of training outdoors is adjusting to the freedom of the road, trying to enjoy the environment, while taking advantage of the challenges your route brings you.

The way I do that is by looking at how long certain sections usually take and finding a specific workout for this section. Sometimes I adjust the workout so it fits perfectly into my situation.

Where I live, everything is flat. I can ride 200km with only 100am. For strength training on the bike, I use a tunnel nearby. It is a 300m climb with an 8% gradient. That takes me about 30secs with 60rpm. I ride down and do the same again. It is the most boring workout I have in my library, but it works. The upside is that the tunnel is cool in summer and provides shelter from the wind, so it isn’t really cold in winter.

Another example is a route that I like at about an hour, by car, from home. There is a climb which is about one 1km long with an average gradient of 7,7%. The start and the end are 3-4 % and the rest is 12-14%. The nice part is that I turn left at the top, and the road leads me back to the base of the same climb. It is a great climb for either a long zone 5 interval or a short zone 4 interval.

My point is that if you look in your area, you can probably find a lot of nice routes to experiment with and create great workouts. You could program these like Alex said and put them in your Garmin.

Over time, you will have your own yearly training program with enough fun and flexibility to enjoy it for a lifetime.

Have fun, Coach Robert

[Cesar_Nunez]

Thanks Robert for the tips and your experience

I do pretty much what you do, I already have my routes created for my areas, and already know in most cases where the efforts will show up

The other thing is that now most computers have the climb pro feature where we can see the punchy hills when creating the routes and when we hit them it shows in the screen the grade and length of it. Sometimes, I don’t know if it good or bad, because when you see the thing popping up on the screen, immediately the HR jumps 10 bpm more