Is my PDC accurate?

A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)
A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)

𝐈𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐏𝐃𝐂 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞?

Your PDC is modelled using your best efforts from your recent workouts – usually, the last 90 days of workouts.

Its accuracy (and its usefulness) depends on whether those best efforts include some maximum effort runs for a range of different durations.

𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬?

Best efforts are those efforts with the highest average power for each duration on your PDC.

They need not be the best you could have achieved, just the best that you actually ran during the last 90 days.

𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬?

Maximum efforts are efforts where you deliberately run as hard as you can for each duration.

They represent the best you can currently achieve.

𝐀 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?

Your PDC reflects your capability over very short durations (20-30 seconds), short durations (2-3 minutes), medium durations (12-15 minutes) and longer durations (20-40 minutes).

𝐓𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐃𝐂 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲…

Your training should include maximum effort runs for each of the above durations, so that your last 90 days of workouts includes a maximum effort for each duration.

Ideally, you should run maximum efforts every 4-6 weeks, alternating between durations, so that your Threshold Power (and your PDC) reflects your current capability.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫-𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞
⏩ What are you capable of?
⏩ You fatigue faster at higher intensities
⏩ You fatigue more slowly at lower intensities
⏩ How do I use my PDC?
⏩ Is my PDC accurate?

How do I use my PDC?

A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)
A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐏𝐃𝐂?

Your PDC is individual to you, your fitness, and your abilities.

It changes as you train (or detrain).

If you’re training for an event, it should move up (higher power for same duration), to the right (longer duration for same power), or both.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧?

You can use your PDC to:
✅ identify the power you should be able to maintain for every duration modelled on your PDC – your current capability
✅ estimate how well you might perform for a shorter event, where you’ll be running at an effort where the fast component dominates
✅ estimate how well you might perform for a longer event, where you’ll be running at an effort where the slow component dominates
✅ estimate your threshold, although your PDC isn’t usually used for that. Your threshold lies approximately where the two curves meet – the vertical blue line in the image

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐏𝐃𝐂 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞?

A good question, and one that’s the topic of the final post in this series.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫-𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞
⏩ What are you capable of?
⏩ You fatigue faster at higher intensities
⏩ You fatigue more slowly at lower intensities
⏩ How do I use my PDC?
⏩ Is my PDC accurate?

You fatigue more slowly at lower intensities

A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)
A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

Intuitively, this is obvious.

If you run easy, you can run for a longer time, and the easier you run, the longer you can keep running (within your personal limits).

What’s not obvious is that there is a mathematical relationship between your intensity (your effort) and how long you can hold it.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡

In 1977, Peter Riegel researched the relationship between runners’ performances over different distances and concluded that an exponential curve could predict race times for runners, given a performance at another distance – the slow component of fatigue follows an exponential curve.

Riegel expanded on his thesis in 1981, stating that his formula concerned “activities in the endurance range, lasting between 3-5 and 230 minutes.”

Riegel’s formula plots time versus distance. Work by Van Dijk and Van Megen in 2017 concluded that there’s a similar relationship between power and time.

The curve is always exponential but may be flatter, showing better fatigue resistance, or steeper, showing worse fatigue resistance for longer events.

The picture shows the slow element of fatigue as the right side of your Power-Duration Curve, starting from the dotted blue line and extending further right.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥?

Knowing the slope of your curve and the event distance, it’s possible to predict how well you might perform for a longer event (e.g. a Half-Marathon), where the slow component dominates.

A race power target that reflects your personal best!

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

For more information on the research, please see:
🔹 Riegel, P., (1981) Athletic Records and Human Endurance: A time vs. distance equation describing world-record performances may be used to compare the relative endurance capabilities of various groups of people.
🔹 Van Dijk, H. & Van Megen, R. (2017) The Secret of Running. Maidenhead: Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫-𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞
⏩ What are you capable of?
⏩ You fatigue faster at higher intensities
⏩ You fatigue more slowly at lower intensities
⏩ How do I use my PDC?
⏩ Is my PDC accurate?

You fatigue faster at higher intensities

A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)
A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

Intuitively, this is obvious.

If you sprint, you can’t sprint for a long time, and the faster you sprint, the shorter the time you can keep sprinting.

What’s not obvious is that there is a mathematical relationship between your intensity (your effort) and how long you can hold it.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡

Monod and Scherrer’s research into single muscle groups showed that the fast component of fatigue follows a hyperbolic curve.

This research identified the bottom of the curve (the asymptote) as ‘an exercise intensity that could be sustained for a very long time’, naming it Critical Power (CP).

The research also identified that the curve’s hyperbolic shape makes it ‘possible to define the maximum amount of work that can be performed in a given time, as well as the conditions of work performed without fatigue.’

They called this maximum amount of work W’. Anaerobic Work Capacity (AWC) and Reserve Work Capacity (RWC) are other names for W’; Functional Reserve Capacity (FRC) describes a similar concept with a different calculation method (but still hyperbolic).

Further research by Hill extended and validated these concepts for whole-body exercise, noting that ‘for a very long time’ was usually 30 to 60 minutes of exercise at CP.

The picture shows the fast element of fatigue as the left side of your Power-Duration Curve, starting from the power axis and extending to the dotted blue line.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥?

Knowing the maximum amount of work you can perform and the event distance, you can calculate a race power target for a shorter event (e.g. a 5k), where the fast component dominates.

A race power target that reflects your personal best!

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

For more information on the research, please see:
🔹 Monod, H. & Scherrer, J., (2007) The Work Capacity of a Synergic Muscle Group
🔹 Hill, D., (2012) The Critical Power Concept

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫-𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞
⏩ What are you capable of?
⏩ You fatigue faster at higher intensities
⏩ You fatigue more slowly at lower intensities
⏩ How do I use my PDC?
⏩ Is my PDC accurate?

What are you capable of?

A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)
A Power-Duration Curve (with accompanying Mean-Max Power curve)

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟?

This is a subtle question, as the answer depends on:
❓ how hard you run – your effort
❓ how long you can sustain that effort
❓ how well you’re able to convert that effort into forward motion

Your Power-Duration Curve (PDC) can help answer the first two – the third depends on your Running Effectiveness.

𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐃𝐂

The higher your power (your effort), the shorter the duration you can sustain it; the lower your power, the longer you can sustain it.

In other words, there’s an inverse relationship between power and duration.

You can chart this relationship. The result is a chart showing your Mean-Max Power (MMP) – the best effort you can sustain for each duration (measured using average power for each) .

Based on your MMP, your PDC models your best efforts over a range of different durations, showing (for each) the effort you could sustain.

The picture shows a typical PDC (the orange line) based on a typical MMP (the red dotted line).

It’s usually charted using a duration scale that expands the left side of the curve and compresses the right side, revealing that the PDC is actually two separate curves.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐃𝐂 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞

How long you can sustain a particular effort level depends on how much you can do before tiring – it depends on how you fatigue.

Fatigue has two components: a fast component and a slow component.

Both elements of fatigue are always present, but the fast element of fatigue dominates at higher intensities, and the slow element dominates at lower intensities.

These are the two curves that, together, make up the PDC.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

From its first introduction in ‘Training and Racing with a Power Meter’ (Allen, H., Coggan, A. & McGregor, S.) in 2006, and its subsequent incorporation into WKO4 in 2015, the PDC has become the standard for modelling your power over all time periods. For more information on the PDC as implemented in WKO, see ‘Scientific Basis of the New Power Duration Model in WKO4‘.

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫-𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞
⏩ What are you capable of?
⏩ You fatigue faster at higher intensities
⏩ You fatigue more slowly at lower intensities
⏩ How do I use my PDC?
⏩ Is my PDC accurate?

What’s the best way to calculate Threshold Power?

Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power
Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

This is a common question for runners new to power and wanting to ensure an accurate Threshold Power.

You can use any of the three most commonly used models.

Why?

Your threshold is a ‘phase transition’ over a narrow range of intensities, with lots of metabolic changes occurring at different rates and in parallel. And your Threshold Power is an intensity that’s within (or close to) the phase transition.

In this context, any of the three most commonly used models can produce a usable Threshold Power.

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐮𝐬𝐞?

The answer typically depends on the app you’re using to review your power metrics:
🔹 Using WKO? You’ll most likely use auto-calculated FTP.
🔹 Using Stryd PowerCenter? You’ll most likely use Auto-CP.
🔹 Using another app? You’ll most likely use CP tests.

𝐃𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭?

No.

It’s likely that each will give a slightly different result, although the Threshold Power numbers are usually within 2-3% of each other.

And if you have multiple Threshold Power numbers to choose from, choose the lowest.

This means your training targets will err on the side of under-training, rather than the side of over-training (and an increased risk of injury).

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫
⏩ What is Threshold Power?
⏩ Identifying your Threshold Power
⏩ Using Threshold Power
⏩ Threshold Power vs VO2max
⏩ What’s the best way to calculate Threshold Power?

Threshold Power vs VO2Max

Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power
Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐬. 𝐕𝐎𝟐𝐦𝐚𝐱

Threshold Power is different than VO2max.

VO2max is a measure of your body’s maximum aerobic capacity.

Threshold power is the highest intensity you can maintain without rapidly fatiguing and needing to slow down or stop.

Think of VO2max as ‘the size of your engine’, and Threshold Power as ‘your highest cruising speed’. A bigger VO2max means you could go further and faster, but it doesn’t mean you’ll use that capacity effectively; a higher cruising speed means you can travel faster for a sustained period of time.

Both are important, but of the two, threshold power is more actionable, and a more direct and practical predictor of performance.

𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬

Threshold Power is a sport-specific metric.

Your running threshold power is unrelated to your cycling or swimming (or rowing) threshold power, even if the numbers appear similar and even though they’re based on your physiology.

This is because different sports use different muscles and limb movements, have different elastic energy contributions (from your tendons being tensioned and released) and use different power meters.

You should calculate and track threshold power separately for each sport – don’t mix and match.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫
⏩ What is Threshold Power?
⏩ Identifying your Threshold Power
⏩ Using Threshold Power
⏩ Threshold Power vs VO2max
⏩ What’s the best way to calculate Threshold Power?

Using Threshold Power

Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power
Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power

𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫

Your Threshold Power is an important measure of your running fitness. It’s used to …

… 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬

Training targets are a percentage of threshold for all types of workouts (long runs, intervals etc.)

The percentages depend on the purpose of the workout and the ability of the runner. But they all have one thing in common – they are based on your threshold, which means:
🔹 they are based on your current running fitness – what you can achieve right now (without over- or under-training).
🔹 your workout targets self-adjust if your threshold changes

… 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝

Training stresses your body and, if done correctly, encourages it to adapt.

Running with Power uses Training Load Scores to monitor your training load. Training load scores represent the physical and metabolic impact of each workout.

Training load scores are relative to your threshold, so that if your threshold power changes, your scores stay aligned to your threshold and to your ability to cope with the training.

… 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞/𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬

Your threshold is a key measure of your running fitness. On race day, your finish time will depend to a large extent on your running fitness.

To plan your race-day target power based on your race-day fitness, it’s essential to know your current fitness – your threshold power.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫
⏩ What is Threshold Power?
⏩ Identifying your Threshold Power
⏩ Using Threshold Power
⏩ Threshold Power vs VO2max
⏩ What’s the best way to calculate Threshold Power?

Identifying your Threshold Power

Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power
Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power

𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫

Threshold Power is an important representation of your running fitness.

You can use it to track improvements as you train for an event.

Identifying Threshold Power uses specific models and test protocols. These rely on regular maximum effort runs, which you should include as part of your training.

𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬

The three most commonly used models are a Critical Power test (CP), modelled Functional Threshold Power (FTP) and Automatically calculated Critical Power (Auto-CP).

The models differ but are similar in their approach and purpose – they:
🔹 use the results from two or more maximum effort runs at differing durations
🔹 identify a power level that’s close to (or within) your threshold
🔹 do not rely on lab tests – instead, they are field-based

𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬

The models rely on maximum effort runs. These are runs at the highest average effort you can achieve over a specific duration.

For example, your 3-minute maximum effort is the highest average power you can achieve over 3 minutes (elapsed).

𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫

There may be times when maximum effort runs won’t be possible, for example if you’re new to running or you’re recovering from injury.

In which case, you can estimate your threshold power using easy runs, but you should only do this until you can complete maximum effort runs.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

For more information on the CP, modelled FTP and Auto-CP protocols, please see A Compendium of CP and FTP Resources, part of the Palladino Article Library.

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫
⏩ What is Threshold Power?
⏩ Identifying your Threshold Power
⏩ Using Threshold Power
⏩ Threshold Power vs VO2max
⏩ What’s the best way to calculate Threshold Power?

What is Threshold Power?

Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power
Multiple runners sprinting - above Threshold Power

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

Running power provides numbers that represent your effort – your running intensity.

The intensity domains (Moderate, Heavy, Severe, Extreme) showing Threshold between the Heavy and Severe domains

At lower intensity levels, your body achieves a metabolic steady(ish) state and you can sustain your effort for an extended period. Researchers call these domains ‘moderate to heavy.’

At higher intensity levels, you can’t achieve a metabolic steady(ish) state. You’ll fatigue much more rapidly and need to slow down or stop. Researchers call these ‘severe to extreme’ domains.

The change from heavy to severe doesn’t happen at a precise point – it’s a ‘phase transition’ over a narrow range of intensities, with lots of metabolic changes occurring at different rates and in parallel.

There are many names for this phase transition – Anaerobic Threshold, LT2, VT2, Critical Power and more.

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫

Threshold Power is an intensity that’s within (or close to) the phase transition from heavy to severe.

It’s a foundation metric – one that’s used by many other power metrics.

Threshold Power:
✅ is highly correlated with speed in endurance events – from 5k through marathon and beyond
✅ can be identified using field-based tests – no need for lab-based testing
✅ can be improved with training – improve your threshold, and you’ll improve your performance
✅ is an important representation of your running fitness – you should track it as part of your training

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

For more information on intensity domains and the phase transition, see Burnley, M., (2020) Exercise intensity domains and phase transitions: the power-duration relationship

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫
⏩ What is Threshold Power?
⏩ Identifying your Threshold Power
⏩ Using Threshold Power
⏩ Threshold Power vs VO2max
⏩ What’s the best way to calculate Threshold Power?