[sbr]

I want to start a structured training and created a training plan from the Uphill Athlete book.
Now I am looking for an online tool where I can plan my training and compare completed exercises. Obviously training peaks would be the tool of choice and is frequently promoted here but TP offers planning options only for Premium accounts which I don’t want to invest at this point.
I am currently looking for alternative, free options and was wondering if somebody could recommend something. I am tracking my activities with my Suunto watch.
Here is what my research yielded so far:
– Movescount is suspended. So that’s no more option
– The Suunto App isn’t a useful platform either
– Quantified Self offers nice visualization of data but no advanced metrics or planning
– runnalize is what I currently use. It’s a great tool but very much run focused and doesn’t offer a planning tool either
– final surge only allows you to work with purchased training plans but you can’t create your own.

Currently I am standing at using a spreadsheet to plan and Runalize for analysis.

Topic

[Dada]

Dada on December 7, 2020 at 2:30 pm #47950

Following

[John S]

John S on December 8, 2020 at 1:21 am #47968

It is possible to use the free version of Training Peaks to develop a training plan if you are happy with just sketching an outline in advance, and then getting more specific with the workouts on a more day to day level.

Using the TP website (not the app) the “metrics” workout (for want of a better description) can be added to future dates and has a section for notes below the actual metrics of HR, fatigue etc. I have laid out a plan a few times by using one of these at the beginning of each week with a summary of what I plan to do that week (2x strength, 3x Z2 runs etc) for the length of the plan. And then actually created the specific workouts the day before or the day of the actual workout. It’s not perfect of course, but at least all your data is already in TP if you decide to buy a plan or you want the Premium version at a later date. I planned a few cycles this way before buying an UA plan.

The free version of TP will give you a TSS value for each workout but it wont calculate your CTL etc (your increasing fitness based on TSS). Likewise, it will give a breakdown of time spent in different zones etc but it won’t calculate PA:HR, (ie do your drift test), or let you know when you’ve done a PB etc. Whether this is enough depends on how much data you want to be able to crunch!

[Aaron]

Aaron on December 9, 2020 at 9:10 pm #48100

I’ve let my paid subscription lapse, and have started using the goal entry at the start of each week, with a new bulleted goal for each days planned workout (very light on details as working off same basic workouts for ~5yrs). I also put week type (base, intensity, specific, goal as per TFTUA), and vert, km, time or TSS goal for the week.

[sbr]

sbr on December 11, 2020 at 10:10 am #48142

Thanks Aaron and John for your suggestions.
I will try that. Sounds like a way to work around it.

[Aaron]

Aaron on December 11, 2020 at 10:24 am #48143

One nice thing about keeping all your data in Training Peaks, is that if/when you do go paid subscription you have yrs worth of training data you can review and see yr to yr comparisons. I am sure I will go back to paid at some point, just different financial priorities this yr :). Also, you need anyway if you do get a UA training plan.

[yatharthmarketing]

yatharthmarketing on December 14, 2020 at 12:36 am #48225

Thank you Aaron for the advice.

[tom.1990]

tom.1990 on December 14, 2020 at 3:19 am #48226

Runalyze has a lot of the same stuff as training peaks, but it’s free