logging your rides
 

Does anyone use a computer program to log their training rides? If so, what do you use?

I use Excel with a log I made up myself. PM me if you want a copy. Also, there's tons of freebie logs over the net.

Go ahead and search the site, here. I remember a discussion that talked about this, exactly.

I use
http://www.bikeprolog.com/index.jsp

I use both my own spreadsheet and bikeprolog.com

I can't decide between the two, since my spreadsheet has a couple of graphs in it I can get to quickly and understand.

Bikeprolog has the advantage (disadvantage?) of keeping the data off-site in case something happens here.

I tried to do an excell spreadsheet, but couldn't get it to average mph.

is there a function or something else that will do it?

I use bikeprolog.com too, after someone here suggested them. They did have a database crash about a month ago that erased a couple of days, but one great feature is the ability to download an Excel spread sheet with all your data.

/Csson

Yup, the function is:

=average(number1,number2,number3,etc)

For example, if your spreadsheet has a column of numbers (let's say it's column C, and cells C1-C15), then the actual formula would be:

=average(C1:C15)

the (miles) / (time) didn't work

Like B-n-D, I use my own Excell spreadsheet. I can easily create my own reports and graphs, and report how I want to see it (versus what another program may have pre-set). I also use it to track my training progress, as I train for rides of different length and # of days. This way, I can plug in the target miles for the ride I want, the numer of weeks I have to train, and it calculates exactly how many miles per day/week I need to train to achieve the goal. It is loosely base doff the guide that was in Bicycling magazine a while ago on Training for a Century.

I also use an excel spreadsheet. This way it is totally my whim to what I wish to log. I control the program, for I am, the great programmer!!

Annie......

I use a quattro pro spreadsheet, and a program on my palm pilot called CyclistsLog, which is very good. It is supposed to be coming out in a PC version, which can be synched to the pilot (and vice versa). If and when it does come out, I'll probably just use that instead of quatro pro.

I use Microsoft Word, just 6 columns and a heap of rows.
date, destination, distance, time, ave speed, maximium speed.

CHEERS.

Mark

Scubagirl,

to do the average speed calculation you want use the following =(distance)/(time * 24) and make sure that the cell format is set to "General" (excel will try to outsmart itself by setting the cell to a "Time" format).

The above presumes that your "time" cell is already in a hh:mm:ss time format.

Cheers,
Jamie

P.S. in other places where I have tried to deal with time in excel, I have found sometimes that I needed to divide a value by 24 to get it to produce the time correctly.

FYI, this function (=average or @average) assumes that you already have a column of average daily speeds. This function would then average all of the days in the column and give you an aggregate average speed. The beauty of this function is that it automatically counts the number of cells; therefore, you do not have to change the formula if you add more rows to the column.

Of course, if you just want the average speed for the day, create a formula as specified in a few of the proceeding messages.

I hope that made sense! :)

Perhaps I'm the only one who DOESN'T log?

Webist - Nope. You're not the only one. Maybe just one of two!

I have Log software, but I don't use it.
so that makes 3 of us.
However let it be said, I'm not training for anything
specifically (at the moment).
On the otherhand, I don't go 15 minutes after a dive
without making an entry in a log book.

Marty

I have sometimes laughed at myself for the meticulousness with which I log my rides. I am training, of course, but not for anything in particular (more self-irony).

But, when I injured my achilles tendon this spring it was really useful for me to have a log. I didn't really investigate the injury until about a month after it first happened (due to vacation and other stuff). But, since I had dutifully recorded my cramping calves and so forth, I was able to pin-point them as the cause. This further helped my doctor to determine that the underlying cause was with my feet. So, while making it an obsession is not a good thing, a few notes can pay off.

I am still trying to plot the relationship between my average speed and my sex-life, but I haven't found the appropriate Excel function.

Cheers,
Jamie

I've just been using the software that comes with the Polar 610/710/810 HR monitors, it can record and graph all the info I can think of:
Complete graph of how hard you worked ie Heart rate
average HR
time spent in each HR zone
Calaries
Weight
Distance
Average speed
Time if day
date
temp

Thanks Scubagirl!

For the info on finding Pro-log.

My own log was a bit of a shambolic mess, which I have transfered to Pro-log. That has tidy`ed it up no-end.....

I particularly like the matching of your own performance with other riders, it just adds another edge to the incentive to get out and ride. :rolleyes: