On Numbers and Performance - Vernon Gambetta (Thu 23 Oct 2014)

The Numbers - GPS Results for an Outrigging Training Session - (Thu 23 Oct 2014)
Functional Path Training (*) writes on Numbers (*) and Performance (*):

Numbers need context. Numbers are one dimensional, human performance is multidimensional. We must focus on the human element, the athlete; they are not integers in an equation.

via It’s Still Just A Number (*) by Vernon Gambetta (*).

The numbers always tell a story if you know how to look at them.

The trained eye can see more than the numbers. They see the elements that create them - the environment, human performance and emotion they reflect. I've learnt so much from the numbers and I know how to read them for the sport I have been participating for almost ten years now - an example (*).

I've also seen how the environment, physical and mental reflect their way into performance and as a result, the numbers. I guess it's called experience. You can sit back and let experiences pass you by without even noticing. But if you stop and reflect on the experience, you will remember the how's and the why's of the result. They feed back into future experiences and you will improve.

I do know what Vern talks about though. The numbers are a guide and should not be the be and end all. You have to be there to see how the human element influenced the performance, which are reflected in the numbers. It's the context Vernon talks about.

Takapuna Beach Cup 2011 - Pacific Dragons - Open Mixed (Sat 26 Feb 2011)

Takapuna Beach Cup 2011 - Pacific Dragons - Open Mixed - Google Doc (Sat 26 Feb 2011)
As previously indicated I was planning to participate in this years Takapuna Beach Cup, a 42 km changes outrigger race held on Sat 26 February.

Just back from a flying trip to Auckland. A fantastic event and one well worth planning to do at some stage. I am hoping that it will become a regular part of our calendar.

Here are the output from the two GPS's I had onboard. Firstly from my Locosys BT-31 (see here) which records it's position every second, and my Garmin Forerunner 301 (see here) which records every now and then (ie about every 10-20 sec). The Locosys gives a lot more detail.

GPS - A Dragon Boat Training Session - Thu 13 Aug 2009

I have used a small GPS for my paddling since February 2007. Started out with a Garmin 305, and following its failure in Nov 2008, I moved to a Locosys GT31.

Have found the GPS output to be useful in gauging what is happening with the boat during a session (stopped looking at it in the boat a long time ago). Also, when comparing with other GPS outputs, we can see the outcomes of the our training over the course of the season or campaign.

I have developed and refined numerous spreadsheets and programs to process the data, and present some useful information in the form of graphs and tables. Ultimately, I hope to have a web site - www.gpspaddler.com (have registered the domain name and have lots of python code already written) - up and running (by writing this here, I will hopefully find the motivation to finish the web site off).

The following is an example. The reason I show this particular session, is that it stands out in my mind and shows a breakthrough in our performance and training. We had come a long way since early May 2009. It demonstrated that we had blended together as a team and we were definitely a strong crew (both physically and mentally) with potential to achieve our dreams. Aim to make the Final and anything is possible ..

The 500m Sets were done at Level 4 (a couple of notches below race pace) with a soft 20 Stroke Start (114m at 30s - the high 120m's is where you need to be competitive in an international race) with both 500m Sets done in around 2min 3secs. Certainly not world record pace, but for a long and intense training session, very respectable. Actually, I had not recorded such numbers in any boat in training on the Bay and remember being very excited when I downloaded and processed the data.

Over the next week we would change and refine our starts to a 25 Stroke Start for the 500m and a 30 Stroke Start for the 200m. I always found the 30 Start better and hoped that we would move to a 30 Start for the 500m's at some stage. We did this in our last race as a Mixed Crew (as George called it - "The Rabbit out of the Hat"), the Final of the Senior Mixed 500m in Prague on Sat 29 Aug 2009. It worked brilliantly.

[No secrets here - every campaign, boat, crew, technique and waterway is different. What's done is done and hopefully we can learn from every experience. The GPS definitely facilities the learning experience for the current session and campaign as well as for future campaigns.]

Session - Australian Senior Mixed Dragon Boat Team Training - GPS - Blackwattle Bay - Thu 13 Aug 2009

Set3/Side 1/500m@L4 - Australian Senior Mixed Dragon Boat Team Training - GPS - Blackwattle Bay - Thu 13 Aug 2009

Set4/Side 2/500m@L4 - Australian Senior Mixed Dragon Boat Team Training - GPS - Blackwattle Bay - Thu 13 Aug 2009

Set10/Side 2/Broken 500m - Australian Senior Mixed Dragon Boat Team Training - GPS - Blackwattle Bay - Thu 13 Aug 2009

Statistics - Australian Senior Mixed Dragon Boat Team Training - GPS - Blackwattle Bay - Thu 13 Aug 2009

It's Official - Senior Mixed 500m Final - Prague/Racice - Sat 29 Aug 2009