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If you are lucky (or rich) enough to own a Garmin 800, then racing yourself on a previously ridden course using the virtual partner.
I did a hilly 1.5hr loop today which I'd smashed back in the summer. I stopped right near the beginning this time to take a layer off and then spent the best part of an hour trying to whittle down the 30 second lead my former self had over me. It's astounding how difficult it is trying to get ahead of yourself with the same strengths and weaknesses.
Finally my training enabled me to kick my own arse in the last two big climbs, pulling out a 5 min lead by the end.
Strava later confirmed a string of PB's.
Highlight was seeing the grey arrow of myself disapearing round a corner on the screen then visualising myself dissapearing round the actual corner only 100m ahead. Passed myself shortly after.
(I may need to get out more, like with people, perhaps enjoying a pint down the pub)
Well done mate! Come for a pint with me! I'll show you my bests on Endomondo and we can both bask in the glory of tech and fitness.
Virtual partner is a good way to gauge progress if you do a regular loop every few weeks:)
I always use it for commuting. Not an Edge 800 feature specifically. No Strava either!
I often race my virtual self. The other day we crashed into one another, he accused me of cheating, and we had a big scrap halfway down a trail.
Haven't spoken to him since, the git.....
DrP
Its a great training aid, always surprises me how long it can take to claw back even a small gap.
I used to use it but it made me get very inpatient and frantic at traffic lights or busy intersections watching the little guy get away.
At least with Strava you can setup your segments between these points.
If you use autopause, then when you stop at lights so does he.
If you want a real workout adjust the little man to be % faster than you and try following him then - ouch!
Console race games sometimes have this feature (Wipeout, Dirt 3), it's brilliant.
Uh-oh now I can do it in real life?
Nothing more demoralising though than seeing your virtual self disappear off over the virtual horizon while you granny gear your way through a muddy rutted treacle bog, that, a few weeks earlier, had seemed to be a smooth motorway when you set that pb. 🙂
I only trot tools like this out for the spring and summer, when they're great fun.
If you ride with headphones the cyclemeter app has a similar feature - you can set it to give you an update at regular intervals as to where you are against your pb on the same route
I used to use it when I had a longer regular commute to keep things interesting
I'm very suspicious of my virtual self since I heard his virtual soigneur was photographed throwing a bag of syringes and EPO vials into a bin in a layby.
But he denies everything and points out he has never failed a drug test.
What GPS, have Virtual Partner???
Think all the Garmin's do....