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 test protocols. These rely on regular maximum effort runs, which you should include as part of your training.

𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐬

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

The three protocols 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

𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬

The test protocols rely on maximum effort runs. These are runs at the highest effort you can maintain for a specific duration.

For example, your 3-minute maximum effort is the maximum power you can maintain for 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 with 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.

⏪ What is Threshold Power?

Identifying your Threshold Power

Using 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 maintain 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.

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 – it should be tracked 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

What is Threshold Power?

Identifying your Threshold Power ⏩

Is power just for elite runners?

A runner 'Running with Power'
A runner 'Running with Power'

𝐈𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬?

No.

In fact, non-elites may benefit more from power than elite runners.

Why?

Running power provides numbers that represent your effort.

Elite runners have usually spent years training and competing. Which means they’ve developed a very good feel for how hard they’re working when they run, and how long they can maintain race-winning efforts.

They have a well-developed subjective feel for their effort.

Power provides an objective measurement of effort that, while useful for elite runners wanting to fine-tune their running, may not provide an enormous benefit.

𝐒𝐨, 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Any runner can use power, but non-elite runners may get the biggest benefits.

Benefits like:
✅ maintaining a consistent effort over hills or in windy conditions
✅ using the instant feedback from power for precise interval training
✅ minimising injury risk by monitoring accumulated training load from completed workouts
✅ assessing whether drills or form adjustments are improving their ability to convert effort into speed

As one of my book testers commented, ‘I honestly think it helps weaker/slower/newer runners even more than experienced fast runners. It’s like a coach in a pod!’

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📗 Get Started

⏪ Is power better than pace or HR?

Is power just for elite runners?

Is Power better than Pace or Heart Rate?

A runner 'Running with Power'
A runner 'Running with Power'

𝐈𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞?

It depends…

Running power provides numbers that 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 your effort.

By doing this, power solves issues associated with other measures of intensity:
🔸 Heart Rate (HR) ‘lags’ when you change effort levels, and it can ‘drift’ on longer runs.
🔸 Pace is affected by hilly or windy conditions, and it’s very easy to choose a goal time not based on your current fitness – leading to training injuries and bonking / hitting the wall.
🔸 Perceived effort can take years to develop – a luxury most runners don’t have.

That said, there are a few things that are different about running with power:
🔹 It’s individual – your targets are based on completed workouts.
🔹 It includes maximum effort runs – to track your current fitness.
🔹 You’ll need apps – to calculate consolidated metrics.
🔹 It’s new, the concepts and supporting apps are not always easy to work with.

𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?

Like any new approach, there are some things that are better and some that take some getting used to.

But after using power since 2018, I think it’s the most effective way to train and race.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📗 Get Started

⏪ Does running power really measure your effort?

Is power better than pace or HR?

Is power just for elite runners? ⏩

Does running power really measure your effort?

A runner 'Running with Power'
A runner 'Running with Power'

𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭?

No.

Running power provides numbers that 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 your effort.

𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬?

No, as long as the numbers are repeatable and valid:
🔹 Repeatable? The same effort under the same conditions gives the same result.
🔹 Valid? The numbers are highly correlated to an existing ‘gold standard’.

The Stryd footpod has been independently validated and found to produce repeatable numbers that are highly correlated with O2 consumption (a gold standard for measuring exercise energy consumption).

Wrist-based power has not been independently validated. However, I ran my own (N=1) study during 2024 and 2025, comparing wrist-based power from Garmin, Coros and Apple to Stryd. I found they produce repeatable numbers that, for most recreational runners, are correlated to the Stryd footpod.

𝐒𝐨 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬?

Far from it.

Running power numbers CAN be used as a measure of how hard you’re working when you run.

And once you can measure your effort, that’s when the real magic begins.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📗 Get Started

⏪ What is Power?

Does running power really measure your effort?

Is power better than pace or HR? ⏩

What is Power?

A running 'Running with Power'
A running 'Running with Power'

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

Running power is still relatively new.
It’s not running with a powerful stride or looking powerful when you run.

Instead, power is just another name for ‘effort’ – at least, that’s the simplest way I’ve found to describe it.

⚡ Second-by-second as you run, power provides numbers representing your effort.

Run harder, and the numbers increase; run easier, and they decrease.
… whether you’re running on the flat, over hills, or on a windy day, power shows how hard you’re working.

𝐈𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭?

Because there’s magic in the numbers.

Once you can measure your effort, all sorts of things become possible – you can:
✅ assess your running fitness (and re-assess it) at any point in your training plan.
✅ ensure your training stays productive by setting workout targets based on your current fitness, rather than on a hopeful goal time.
✅ reduce your risk of injury using completed workouts to track your training load.
✅ personalise your race-day targets to achieve the best result you’re capable of on the day.

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬?

⚡ Your training and racing is matched to 𝑦𝑜𝑢. It’s based on 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 fitness and capabilities. There really is magic in those numbers.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📗 Get Started

What is power?

Does running power really measure your effort? ⏩