Why power? Power provides personal best race-day targets

A runner looking powerful

𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞-𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬

Does this mean a new Personal Best (PB) at every event?

No.

Instead, power can identify race-day targets that you can maintain throughout the event to achieve the best result you’re capable of on the day.

How?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫

The Stryd Race Calculator uses your workouts from the last 90 days, your Auto-CP (Threshold Power) and (optionally) information about the event course and the expected environmental conditions to produce a best-case target power and an estimate of your finish time.

𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 (𝐒𝐏𝐂)

Using your Threshold Power, Running Effectiveness (how well you convert effort into forward motion), a fatigue resistance measure specific to your race distance, and (optionally) the expected environmental conditions, SPC provides race power target scenarios, the equivalent percentage of your Threshold Power and estimates of your finish time.

𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞-𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭

Power-based targets are a little different than you may be used to.

They’re based on you, not on population averages – 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 current fitness, 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 fatigue resistance, and 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ability to convert power to speed.

They’re a power (or effort) target, not a hopeful goal time – to quote Steve Palladino “your time is determined by the power you 𝑐𝑎𝑛 run, not by the power you ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 to run.”

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

Questions?
📖 Getting Started

Why power? Power provides metrics to manage your training load

A runner looking powerful

𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝

Your training load has two major components:
🔹 Your training balance – balancing the shorter-term and longer-term effects of your training to ensure your training is productive (not too much, not too little)
🔹 Your training progression – managing how you progress your training to avoid injury from adding too much too quickly.

Power provides metrics, based on your completed workouts, to manage your training load.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬?

Power calculates a Stress Score for every workout, using the workout intensities and durations.

It uses the Stress Scores from every workout, along with your Threshold Power, to calculate training load metrics.

These metrics will be covered in more detail in an upcoming series of posts.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧?

Training stresses your body, prompting it to adapt and become fitter, improving performance.

But it’s a balance.

Stress the body too little, and it won’t adapt.

Stress it too much or progress too quickly, and it’ll break down instead of adapting.

Stress the body correctly, managing both balance and progression, and sustained long-term improvements are possible.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

Questions?
📖 Getting Started

Power provides metrics to manage your training load

Why power? Power targets are clearer than pace or HR targets

A runner looking powerful

𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬

Which is clearer?
1. “3x 15min at 15 secs/mile slower than 10k pace with 3min easy recovery”
2. “3x 15min zone 3 with 3min zone 2 recovery between sets”
3. “3x 15min at 220W – 230W with 3min recovery below 200W”

You may think they’re all clear, but …

𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬

How fast is 10k pace? I didn’t know my 10k pace when I first started running.

Does 15 secs/mile apply to all runners, regardless of their 10k pace? Probably not.

And should you maintain the pace on the flat and on hills? With no variation?

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬

There’s no easy way to discover your maxHR. Either it’s based on your age (rather than your individual capability), or it requires an all-out 3-minute run to try to reach your maxHR.

HR target zones tend to be quite wide – 10% ‘chunks’ (a broad brush).

And heart rate lags behind changes in your effort, and drifts up at the end of longer runs.

𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭

Power gets your training targets right – individualised to you and your current running fitness, and as a narrower range within training zones.

When running, just keep your lap power within the target range – on the flat or on hills.

And power responds to changes in effort – no lags and no drifting.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

Questions?
📖 Getting Started

Power targets are clearer than pace or HR targets

Why power? Power gets your training targets right

A runner looking powerful

𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭!

Power identifies training targets, based on your fitness, that maximise training results without over-training and risking injury.

Two questions:
1. How does power identify your running fitness?
2. How does power set training targets based on your fitness?

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?

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

With a few maximum effort runs (no lab testing needed), you can identify your Threshold Power.

Threshold Power is an important representation of your current running fitness.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?

Power uses your Threshold Power as an anchor, positioned at 100% on a scale from 60-65% (no longer walking) up through 200% (short sprints) and beyond.

For example, you might use:
🔹 80% or less for an easy run
🔹 94-96% for 10-20 minute intervals at half-marathon power
🔹 102-105% for 3-minute VO2max intervals

And if (when) your fitness improves and your Threshold Power increases, your workout targets adjust to match the new anchor, matching your increased fitness.

𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬?

No.

Training is much more than actions driven by numbers. But training should also be underpinned by quantitative data – and power can provide those numbers.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

Questions?
📖 Getting Started

Your training is based on your running fitness

Which Threshold Power protocol is best?

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

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭?

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

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

Any of the three most commonly used protocols.

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 protocols 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 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐬 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 erring on the side of over-training (and an increased risk of injury).

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

Questions?
📖 Getting Started

Which Threshold Power protocol is best?

What’s the difference between …

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

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 …

🔹 Threshold Power and VO2max?
🔹 Running Threshold Power and Threshold Power (or FTP) in other sports?

… 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐬. 𝐕𝐎𝟐𝐦𝐚𝐱

VO2max is a measure of your body’s maximum aerobic capacity. Threshold power (or FTP) 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 considered more actionable, and a more direct and practical predictor of performance.

… 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬

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

What’s the difference between …

Using Threshold Power

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

𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫

Your Threshold Power is used to …

… 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬

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

The percentages vary depending 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 Stress Scores to monitor your training load. Stress scores represent the physical and metabolic stress of each workout.

Stress scores are relative to your threshold, so that if your threshold power changes, stress 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 threshold power.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

Questions?
📖 Getting Started

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.

Identifying your 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?

How do I start Running with Power?

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

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

I’m glad you asked…

Running power provides numbers that represent your effort.

To use those numbers, you’ll need to make some choices.

𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Power numbers come from a power meter. If you have an Apple Watch or a recent running watch, your watch may include a power meter. If not, the Stryd footpod is compatible with a wide number of older (and more recent) watches.

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐬

Apps handle power numbers to:
🔹 Plan your runs – to build workouts with power targets
🔹 Execute your runs – to display your running power vs. your targets
🔹 Review your runs – to review individual runs vs. targets, and to calculate multi-run metrics (like your training load)

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐬

You’ll need to learn about power concepts like: Threshold Power; Training Stress; Stress Balance; Running Effectiveness.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞?

You have a few choices:
🔸 Books. ‘Running with Power – Getting Started’ contains all the above (and more)
🔸 Facebook groups. ‘Palladino Power Project’, ‘Stryd Community’ and ‘from1runner2another’ are great places to learn and ask questions
🔸 Research. Try the Palladino Article Library

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

Questions?
📗 Get Started