TRACKING: Perceived Exertion (P.E.)

Perceived Exertion (P.E.) should be used as an independant variable then combined with TIME determine your dependant output, VOLUME.

PE means little by itself, "that was hard"..."that was easy"...comments like that mean nothing unless related to TIME. It's TIME and P.E. begin to explain what your body just did. Try this in addition to your ave heart rate to measure events.

PE x TIME = VOLUME

or add in a constant to make numbers bigger. I.E
PE x TIME x 100 = VOLUME

Or multiply PE and TIME by your average heart rate instead of a constant if you wish. I wouldn't reccomend the HR factor unless your way dedicated to wearing the HR Monitor all year, all the time. Otherwise your tracking log will have data tracking inconsistancies. Keep in mind you can always track heart rate monitor indicators in separate column of your spreadsheet.

It's the VOLUME your asking of your body that matters most. You can't accuratly measure what your body is going through simply by PE alone. Measure VOLUME by event, for the week, weekly average and over many weeks. Then when you are tired or fresh, you'll start to learn how you got there. Also, there are times short high intensity is needed and times when low intensity long periods make sense per training needs. Tracking can also help alert when you need recovery or getting stronger. Heart Rate tracking on it's own can help too.

Bike training is personal to each of our our potential attributes, strenths, goals, time ect. I will admit in prior years, early in the year my PE was lower and TIME was higher. I no longer have this total approach in early season. It's mixed now to my needs and what benifits "me" personally. It vauegly resembles in linearity to my first few years training. But that's just me and my development. I garuantee you will change and require varied training than mine. So I try not to preach how to, other than, track it. We're all different, go figure. Capture and note your VOLUME as outlined above, it's the best way to baseline what your are asking of your body and to learn, over time...