Logging Off.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately.
When looked at objectively, I don't really train anymore. What I do is ride around and pretty much do whatever I feel like and then download it into some tracking medium. If I'm really feeling disciplined (rarely happens), I'll plan out a week or so of rides ahead of time. Then I'll go in later and edit them to match whatever it is I did during a particular ride, giving the outward impression that I planned it this way all along.
Years ago, I used to use Garmin's online application to track my ride data. Then I added a spreadsheet calendar and WKO+. Eventually I dumped the Garmin application and spreadsheet, which was getting progressively less functional and moved onto TrainingPeaks, with a local backup in WKO+. When WKO was updated, all of the features confused my unfrozen caveman mind and I retreated to TrainingPeaks, where I've been ever since.
So, I've been paying for a training program to track my cycling metrics, and I don't train. I have a powerful software program in WKO that can track the smallest data point about my training regime, and I don't train. I am not even scratching the surface of what these platforms can do for me, because I don't care. When put in that context, I realize that I'm throwing away money that can be better invested in roller dogs and Goldfish.
So, the first thing I did was stop the auto-renew on Training Peaks. I'll run out the year, and then decide if I want to stay with it. I doubt I will.
I've also decided I probably should learn how to use WKO4 and see if it will do what I want it to. I paid for it, so it can't hurt.
I'm also going to explore the free options out there because, free. I may move back to Garmin Connect and see if they've de-fluffed it.
All I want is a place to dump my data in case I ever want to look at it later. Some simple analytics would be nice, but I don't want to be a slave to numbers or squiggly lines. Maybe someday I'll want to train again, but I'm less interested in training than riding now. Maybe one day I'll get tired of sucking and do something about it, but I have yet to find an application that can force me to put down the fork.
Not feeling compulsively tied to a system ("if it's not on Strava, there wasn't a tailwind") and not paying for functionality I don't use are big points for me.
We'll see where I end up (not Strava).
When looked at objectively, I don't really train anymore. What I do is ride around and pretty much do whatever I feel like and then download it into some tracking medium. If I'm really feeling disciplined (rarely happens), I'll plan out a week or so of rides ahead of time. Then I'll go in later and edit them to match whatever it is I did during a particular ride, giving the outward impression that I planned it this way all along.
Years ago, I used to use Garmin's online application to track my ride data. Then I added a spreadsheet calendar and WKO+. Eventually I dumped the Garmin application and spreadsheet, which was getting progressively less functional and moved onto TrainingPeaks, with a local backup in WKO+. When WKO was updated, all of the features confused my unfrozen caveman mind and I retreated to TrainingPeaks, where I've been ever since.
So, I've been paying for a training program to track my cycling metrics, and I don't train. I have a powerful software program in WKO that can track the smallest data point about my training regime, and I don't train. I am not even scratching the surface of what these platforms can do for me, because I don't care. When put in that context, I realize that I'm throwing away money that can be better invested in roller dogs and Goldfish.
So, the first thing I did was stop the auto-renew on Training Peaks. I'll run out the year, and then decide if I want to stay with it. I doubt I will.
I've also decided I probably should learn how to use WKO4 and see if it will do what I want it to. I paid for it, so it can't hurt.
I'm also going to explore the free options out there because, free. I may move back to Garmin Connect and see if they've de-fluffed it.
All I want is a place to dump my data in case I ever want to look at it later. Some simple analytics would be nice, but I don't want to be a slave to numbers or squiggly lines. Maybe someday I'll want to train again, but I'm less interested in training than riding now. Maybe one day I'll get tired of sucking and do something about it, but I have yet to find an application that can force me to put down the fork.
Not feeling compulsively tied to a system ("if it's not on Strava, there wasn't a tailwind") and not paying for functionality I don't use are big points for me.
We'll see where I end up (not Strava).
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