Note that I have not used a Wahoo watch and have relied on information provided online and from other runners.
If you spot an error, or something that should be adjusted, please let me know.
Initial Setup
Once you’ve received your footpod, follow the setup instructions in the box.
The Wahoo setup instructions are also on the Stryd website.
Once you’ve finished setting up your footpod, you should have:
- created a login to Stryd PowerCenter
- installed the Stryd mobile app on your phone (and paired your footpod to the mobile app)
- connected the Wahoo ELEMNT mobile app to the Stryd app
- paired your Stryd as a sensor to your Wahoo watch
- added power to your Wahoo data screen for each activity type
Settings that apply to every watch / power meter
Based on the experience of hundreds of runners who’ve used power, there are some watch / power meter settings that every runner wishes they’d understood or configured when getting started. These are detailed on the Settings & Configs page.
Because these instructions are quite detailed, the following sections are collapsed – please expand the sections you’d like to know more about.
Height & Weight: ‘set it and forget it’
As explained in Settings & Configs, it’s important to ‘set and forget’ your height and weight.
Instructions for setting your height and weight are on the Stryd website.
Height and Weight are entered in the Stryd mobile app (for iOS or Android).
Auto-lap: disable auto-lap when running intervals/structured workouts
As explained in Settings & Configs, it’s important to disable auto-lap when running intervals using a structured workout.
Auto-lap is enabled or disabled for all workouts, not for each individual workout.
Enabling/disabling Auto-lap is described in Workout profiles on the Wahoo website.
Auto-pause: disable auto-pause; never manually pause
As explained in Settings & Configs, it’s important to disable auto-pause, and never manually pause when Running with Power.
Auto-pause is enabled or disabled for all workouts, not for each individual workout.
Enabling/disabling Auto-pause is described in Workout profiles on the Wahoo website.
Auto-calibrate: Wahoo watches don’t offer auto-calibration – in effect, it’s already disabled
As explained in Settings & Configs, it’s important to disable auto-calibration if you want to track changes in your Running Effectiveness changes..
Wahoo watches do not support auto-calibration.
Recording frequency: Wahoo watches always record ‘every second’
As explained in Settings & Configs, it’s important to choose ‘every second recording’ so that power averages (used for your metrics) are calculated correctly.
Wahoo watches always record ‘every second’.
Power averaging: for ‘current power’ use 3s or 10s smoothed; for ‘keep-to-target’ use lap average
As explained in Settings & Configs, real-time power is ‘spiky’ – you may prefer your power numbers to be averages:
- for ‘current’ power, use smoothed power matched to the lap duration (3-second or 10-second)
- for ‘keep-to-target’ power, use lap power.
Choice of power unit is sport profile-specific. When running with different sports profiles (e.g. road, trail, treadmill), you can set each profile to show different power averages.
Power units: Wahoo watches only offer Watts
As explained in Settings & Configs, it may be possible to display your power targets and actuals as Watts, Watts/kg or percentage of Threshold Power (depending on the power units available in the datafields you’re using).
Wahoo watches only offer Watts. They do not offer Watts/kg or percentage of Threshold Power.
Displaying Pace & HR: I prefer not to show pace or HR; some activities (in the book) suggest you show power, pace and HR on your watch
As explained in Settings & Configs, some of the activities in the book ask you to display power, pace and HR on your watch so that you can keep track of changes in those metrics as you begin to experience running with power.
To do this, make sure you move Power (3s average), Pace and Heart Rate to the top of the priority list.
Moving to the next lap: use the top right button
As explained in Settings & Configs, it’s worth familiarising yourself with the way to move to the next lap before you find that you want to do it but don’t know how.
To move to the next lap, press the top right button (with the ‘two arrows’ label).
Settings specific to Wahoo watches
Pace and distance from Stryd: rather than relying on GPS accuracy/signal reception
Stryd’s Pace and Distance calculations do not rely on GPS, which can be useful if you regularly run on routes with a poor GPS signal.
In addition, Stryd’s Pace and Distance numbers are often more accurate than calculating pace and distance using GPS.
When paired with Stryd, Wahoo watches use Stryd for pace and distance (while still recording your GPS path).
Adjusting what’s displayed on your watch
Wahoo watches allow users to customize which metrics are displayed during activities. Each activity type (run, walk) can have different settings. A guide to adjusting Wahoo activity settings is on the Stryd website.
Because Power is natively available on Wahoo watches, there’s no need to use an additional app – just make sure you move the metrics you want to see to the top of the priority list.
Running workouts using a Wahoo watch
Planning: Training plans; building your own workouts
You can purchase training plans via TrainingPeaks. If you purchase plans via Stryd or Final Surge, you won’t be able to download them to your watch.
You can also create structured workouts (with multiple steps, often used for interval workouts) using the Wahoo mobile app, or a 3rd-party platform like TrainingPeaks or Intervals.icu.
Downloading: Once connected, your planning app or mobile app should add scheduled workouts to your training calendar
Workouts created in the Wahoo mobile app will automatically download to your watch.
Workouts (or training plans) in TrainingPeaks or Intervals.icu can be downloaded to your watch by connecting those apps to your Wahoo account.
Executing: You can execute open runs; or you can execute a structured (interval) workout
Executing a workout is described in First run with Wahoo and Stryd on the Stryd website.
Executing a structured (interval) workout is described in Planned Workouts on ELEMNT RIVAL on the Wahoo website.
Uploading completed workouts: All Stryd metrics are uploaded automatically
Completed workouts will be uploaded to Stryd PowerCenter once you’ve connected the Wahoo ELEMNT mobile app to the Stryd app.
All non-Duo Stryd metrics are recorded and uploaded in your workout file. You don’t need to ‘offline sync’ using the Stryd Mobile app. Note that Stryd’s heat and humidity information is not recorded in your workout file when using a Wahoo watch.
If you use Stryd Duo, you’ll need to use Footpath sync in the Stryd Mobile app to transfer balance data to Stryd PowerCenter.
If you have feedback or a question, please let me know in the from1runner2another Facebook group.
Updated: