WHAT DATA IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR CYCLISTS | Pro Cyclist Hannah Otto | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 564
Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad
TrainerRoad
4.9 • 4.5K Ratings
🗓️ 18 December 2025
⏱️ 84 minutes
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Summary
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// TOPICS COVERED
(00:00:01) Welcome!
(00:00:29) Which wearable data points matter, and how do you use them?
(00:07:03) Hannah’s take on data and wearables
(00:10:23) Sleep tracking reality check
(00:14:30) HRV/readiness scores
(00:19:00) Steps/calories/strain
(00:23:19) Continuous glucose monitors
(00:25:41) Hydration + sodium
(00:31:13) Recap: what’s useful vs. noise
(00:33:12) The best “data” you can collect
(00:35:58) Indoor training priorities
(00:41:59) Fueling indoors
(00:45:11) Workout execution hierarchy
(00:49:55) Power vs heart rate
(00:55:48) Balancing Zwift racing with structured training
(00:58:35) How racing can stall fitness
(01:05:59) 2026 Lifetime Grand Prix roster
In this episode, Hannah and Coach Jonathan dig into the messy middle of wearables and training metrics, what is genuinely useful, what is mostly noise, and how to keep data from hijacking your confidence before you even start a workout. They unpack why metrics like HRV, readiness scores, sleep stages, and body battery style numbers can be wildly inconsistent across devices, and why those numbers work best as retrospective context that confirms what you already feel rather than daily go or no go decision makers. From there, the conversation turns practical, focusing on what actually drives performance, executing the plan, fueling well (especially indoors), and recovering consistently, then using data only if it supports adherence instead of adding friction. They also highlight underrated but far more actionable tools like post ride notes and long term patterns, with a clear warning not to let a watch seal the fate of your day before you have given the workout an honest shot.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Ask a Cycling Coach podcast, presented by Trainer Road. Today, we have Hannah Otto with us, and we're going to discuss what data and wearables are actually useful. I think we're a long way into this whole wearable, quantifiable self period, Hannah. It's super easy to get caught in the weeds and buy a bunch of stuff or pay attention to a bunch of stuff that might not matter. We're going to dig into it. We're also going to get into the questions that you've submitted, and this is from an actual listener just like the rest of you we're going to get into a lot |
| 0:25.0 | we're going to dig into it. We're also going to get into the questions that you've submitted, |
| 0:21.9 | and this is from an actual listener, just like the rest of you. We're going to get into a lot more questions too. Hannah, let's just read Brandon's question, jump straight in and says, I'm looking for a way to level up next year. I'm considering using wearables and tracking more metrics since we are well past a decade with this stuff being out there. |
| 0:37.1 | Which data collectors or data points do you use, |
| 0:39.6 | and how do you find them useful? |
| 0:42.0 | I feel like this is going to be a good discussion, Hannah, because we might have different |
| 0:46.9 | opinions on some of this stuff. |
| 0:48.3 | It might be the same. |
| 0:49.4 | Where do you want to start? |
| 0:50.3 | Which data points and data collectors do you use? |
| 0:52.8 | Yeah, this is such an interesting question because you can get so in the weeds with it. |
| 0:58.9 | And I think I have like gone in, come out, gone around the block, like walked, you know, like I've tried all the different things. |
| 1:07.4 | I've explored. |
| 1:08.6 | I've gotten super invested, then pulled back out. Like, I think, |
| 1:13.2 | and I think it's that and, right? So I do think there's some value, but I think when you get |
| 1:20.8 | too connected to it, just like with anything, it becomes a problem. And this is something that I see with athletes, honestly, |
| 1:30.2 | a lot is people who have wearables. For some personalities, it works well. And for some personalities, |
| 1:36.2 | it gets really in your head. You know, I've seen people who different types of apps that give |
| 1:44.0 | some sort of readiness score. |
| 1:46.0 | If it's a poor score, it's like that person just cannot get over it or cannot function. |
| 1:54.0 | And I understand that you're supposed to use that to dictate your training. |
| 1:57.8 | But what if it's erased it? |
... |
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