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 – how hard you’re working when you’re running.

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
✅ using power to train your feel for when you’re running too hard or too easy

As one runner commented, “I honestly think it helps weaker/slower/newer runners even more than experienced fast runners. It’s like having a coach in a pod!”

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📗 Get Started

𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫=𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭
⏩ What is power?
⏩ Does Power measure effort?
⏩ Is Power better than Pace, or HR?
⏩ Is Power just for elite runners?
⏩ How do I start Running with Power?

How can I run faster?

Hand raised to ask a question

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫?

This is a common question that many runners ask, and not just runners using power.

There are three ways that you can run faster:
✅ Improve your fitness. If you’re fitter, you should be able to maintain a higher effort, which should mean a higher pace and a quicker finish time.
✅ Improve your form. If you improve how you run, you should be able to run faster for the same effort, resulting in a quicker finish time.
✅ Improve both. Although it’s much easier to improve your fitness than to improve your form 😊

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?

By training.

Ideally, using a training plan that includes both running and strength or other supplementary workouts, as well as recovery time.

Strength or other supplementary workouts will improve (or maintain) your whole-body fitness.

Recovery gives your body time to respond to the training – it’s when you become fitter.

You can measure fitness improvements using your Threshold Power.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦?

Using drills, plyometrics, hill runs and other activities that work on leg spring stiffness.

You might also try specific interventions (under the supervision of a running physio or specialist running coach), but these are much harder to embed.

You can measure form improvements using Running Effectiveness.

Power provides specific metrics you can use to track improvements in fitness and in form.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

⏪ Is it only about the numbers?

How can I run faster?

How do I set a goal time? ⏩

Why Steve runs and coaches with power

Why Steve runs and coaches using power

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞, 𝐚 𝐔𝐊-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡, 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

There are two reasons:
⚡ The numbers match how hard you’re working … they just ‘feel right’
🎯 Targets (for training and racing) are based on you … power is personal

Let me unpack those.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠

Power provides numbers representing how hard you’re working while running – your effort.

Running by effort isn’t new – runners have used ‘Perceived Exertion’ for many years. What is new is being able to put numbers to your effort.

Are the numbers actionable?

YES, based on using power since 2018 … and on multiple independent studies.

𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮

Once you can measure your effort, all sorts of things become possible – you can:
✅ assess your running fitness at any point in your training
✅ 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

All of these are calculated using your completed workouts. Power really is Personal.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠?

Using my runners’ completed workouts, I can build a detailed profile of each runner based on what they can achieve (right now). And I can use that profile to set targets that are individual to each runner’s capability (right now), to get the most from their training while minimising injury risk.

I can do all of this virtually, to coach runners in the UK, the US, or any other place worldwide.

Power (and the system behind it) provides a science-backed, metrics-based, individualised approach to training and racing – for runners and for coaches.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

⏪ Why Asya runs with power

Why Steve runs and coaches with power

Why Asya runs with power

Asya, running with power in the US
Asya, running with power in the US

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐲𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

✅ Initially, I wanted accurate pace and distance

I did not get a power meter to run with power (initially). Mainly, I was frustrated by terrible GPS distance and pace tracking in NYC where I live and run. I knew from past experiences that a foot pod with an accelerometer would be able to get far more precise data about my pace and distance and in my world data is good – hey, I’m an engineer, more data is always better! 🙂

✅ Then I discovered Power=Effort!

It wasn’t till I started reading about training with power on Stryd website that I realized that in addition to pace and distance the pod can measure actual effort which seemed amazing to me and once I realized I could run with steady effort just by sticking to a number, there was no going back. Before long, I signed up for a power-based training program and finished a half-marathon worrying only about power and had the same amazing experience with both training, and racing. 

✅ I know exactly how hard I’m working when running

I’ve been using different power-based programs since and I can’t imagine doing it any other way – I know exactly how hard I’ve been working, and when I can push harder, no matter where I’m running, and as a bonus, the pace and distance measurements are always spot-on.

✅ Every runner should have a ‘coach in a pod’!

Power makes it so much easier to know you’re expending appropriate effort. And don’t be misled by the name – power isn’t just for younger or faster runners, in fact it helps weaker/slower/newer runners even more than experienced fast runners. It’s like having a coach in a pod!

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

⏪ Why Kirke runs with power

Why Asya runs with power

Why Steve runs and coaches with power ⏩

Why Kirke runs with power

Kirke running with power

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐤𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

✅ Power is an objective and consistent measure of effort.

Power is an estimate of your overall metabolic energy expenditure rate. It doesn’t care about your motivation (or lack of motivation) for a given effort. It isn’t fooled by the surge of adrenaline at the start of a race. And it’s not affected by ego or your competitive instincts.

✅ Power is “portable” across different running conditions.

If you’re running Uphill or downhill, changes in effort due to slope are accounted for. If you’re running into a headwind or with a tailwind, changes in effort due to variations in wind speed and direction are accounted for. If you’re on track, road or trail, power works well across varying running surfaces.

Pace is not very portable, Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP) is more portable but still does not account for varying wind conditions.

Heart Rate is more portable than pace, but subject to environmental conditions, drift, and lag.

✅ Power is responsive.

Changes in intensity are reflected quickly, allowing real-time feedback. And power is much more responsive than heart rate.

✅ Power provides a good structure for training zones, workout targets, and race planning.

Critical Power (CP), Reserve Work Capacity (RWC), and fatigue characteristics derived from maximal efforts can provide an accurate snapshot of a runner’s capabilities. And power history provides an excellent basis for race planning.

✅ Power provides a good basis for tracking running stress and training loads.

Power can find the “sweet spot” between overtraining and injury (by increasing load too fast) and stimulating performance improvements (by increasing load fast enough).

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

⏪ Why Fred coaches with power

Why Kirke runs with power

Why Asya runs with power ⏩

Why Fred coaches with power

Fred, a trail running coach in South Africa

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚, 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

✅ It’s an objective, instant measure of effort

Power gives my athletes objective data that pace and heart rate can’t. It reacts instantly and uniformly, no matter the terrain, temperature, or excitement of the moment. On technical trails and hills where pace is meaningless and heart rate lags, power shows the real effort being produced.

✅ It works for intervals, for climbs, for descents…

Short intervals under 20 seconds, long intervals up to 10 minutes, climbs and even descents all benefit from training with power. More often than not, athletes learn to slow down a little on the climbs and to push more on the downhills. One warning – avoid power targets on steep technical downhills where skill is the primary factor for how fast one can descend.

✅ It allows runners to experiment

I also use power to teach awareness. I’ll have my runners experiment with their form, shift hips, focus on reducing ground contact, drive the knees, etc. and notice the impact of that on power. It becomes a feedback loop for improving form and economy.

✅ It keeps runners on target on race-day

On race day, power keeps trail runners in control. Heart rate spikes with adrenaline, and pace is useless on technical ground. Power keeps athletes from going out too hard at the start of a race, and it’s a reality check deep into the event to keep them moving when attention flags.

✅ The longer you use it, the better you get

I noticed that training with power smooths out inefficiencies with prolonged use. As a coach, it’s proven to be extremely useful in improving running economy on all terrains.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

⏪ Why Onno runs with power

Why Fred coaches with power

Why Kirke runs with power ⏩

Why Onno runs with power

Onno with a medal and a new PB

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?

✅ Stop chasing faster paces or comparing to others

When I started running a couple of years ago, I found myself chasing faster paces during training and comparing myself to others. Which felt good for a single session or two, but inevitably led to issues down the road: fatigue, lack of adaptation and injury.

✅ Manage your effort

Especially for those new to running there is a power-full tool, that allows you to manage your effort. By running at the right intensity in all circumstances, not too hard and not too slow, you challenge your body just the right amount, and with good rest and nutrition you can achieve optimal adaptation.

✅ Relax into your running

Running with Stryd, running based on my effort (in Watts) instead of pace, took ego out of the equation. I wasn’t trying to run too hard going up hill or facing headwinds. It made running more relaxed, as I learned how to run by feel/effort.

✅ An unforgettable marathon, and a new PB

I just ran my second marathon using Stryd and I ran the whole thing at the correct effort. My Stryd power meter allowed me to run consistently at the right intensity. This allowed me to relax into the speed I could maintain and make this marathon unforgettable.

And I ran a new PB to boot!

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

Why Onno runs with power

Why Fred coaches with power ⏩

Running Effectiveness and race planning

An athlete using drills to improve their form

𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

There are three primary uses for Running Effectiveness:
✅ To improve your form
✅ To improve your fatigue resistance
✅ To identify targets for your upcoming race

Running Effectiveness can help identify the optimum power target for your upcoming event.

𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬

Depending on your choice of power meter and supporting apps, there are two different race calculators you can use to identify your optimum power target:
🎯 If you use a Stryd footpod and the Stryd ecosystem, you can use the web-based Stryd Race Calculator
🎯If you use wrist-based power, you can use the ‘Generate Race Power Scenarios’ feature in SuperPower Calculator (for Google Sheets).

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?

Whichever calculator you use, they work similarly, using (at a minimum):
🔹 Your race-day running fitness – your Threshold Power on race-day
🔹 Your fatigue resistance – one of two different metrics, depending on whether you’re running a shorter, higher-intensity race or a longer, lower-intensity race
🔹 Your running effectiveness – your race-day target will depend on your expected finish time, which depends on how effectively you convert power into speed

These metrics are calculated from your completed workouts.

Which means that your training plan should include specific workout segments supporting the race-day calculations.

And it means that Running with Power personalises your race-day target, based on your capabilities, instead of calculating your target using averages from thousands of other runners (who are not you).

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

For more information on how to use Running Effectiveness, see Understanding ‘Running Effectiveness’ and its uses (Palladino)
More about the Race Calculators can be found at:
🔹 Stryd: Race Calculator in PowerCenter
🔹 SuperPower Calculator for Sheets (click to download a copy)

⏪ Running Effectiveness and fatigue resistance

Running Effectiveness and race planning

Running Effectiveness and fatigue resistance

An athlete using drills to improve their form

𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

You may be familiar with the term stamina, which is similar to, but not the same as fatigue resistance:
✅ Stamina – your ability to sustain effort for a longer duration
✅ Fatigue Resistance – your body’s ability to resist the effects of fatigue

This post focuses on fatigue resistance, starting with a simple question.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞?

When you fatigue (while running):
🔹 you’ll probably slow down
🔹 your gait or form may change
🔹 you may experience mental sluggishness
🔹 you may have an increased risk of injury

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞?

According to posts by Steve Palladino, you could focus on metrics that measure gait or form, looking for changes in those metrics over the course of a run.

There are a few metrics he’s investigated. One of them is available with any kind of power meter – Running Effectiveness.

In a recent post, Steve outlines a couple of ways to measure fatigue resistance using higher-intensity sections in long runs.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞?

It’s one thing to be able to measure fatigue resistance, but how can you improve it?

Through a well-structured training plan.

And to check that your fatigue resistance is improving, you could use the method outlined in another recent post.

RE provides an objective way to assess improvements in fatigue resistance.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

For more information on how to use Running Effectiveness, see Understanding ‘Running Effectiveness’ and its uses (Palladino)

⏪ Running Effectiveness and form improvements

Running Effectiveness and fatigue resistance

Running Effectiveness and race planning ⏩

Running Effectiveness and form improvements

An athlete using drills to improve their form

𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

Your running form is not the same as your running gait:
✅ gait is the ‘what’ – the movement sequence like heel-striking or lifting your foot
✅ form is the ‘how’ – whether your movements are efficient, stable, and injury-free

By working on your form (how you run), you can improve your running effectiveness.

But it’s not a straightforward thing, and it’s easy to make things worse rather than better.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦?

Before starting any form work, consult a sports physiotherapist. They should be able to assess your current form and help you identify whether there are things you should prioritise to reduce injury risk.

A second option is to work with a specialist running coach, someone who has the training and tools to assess your running form and identify things you could do to improve your form.

Both the physio and the running coach will probably suggest activities to add to your training plan – strength and conditioning, running drills, plyometrics, and other supplemental activities.

𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐑𝐄 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

Before starting any supplemental activities, complete a reference run or two.

This will provide baseline RE measurements.

Then, while working on your form, complete additional reference runs to track whether the activities are improving your form (and you should continue them), or whether you should try something different.

RE provides an objective way to assess whether form changes are improvements.

𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?

❓ Questions?
📖 Getting Started

For more information on how to use Running Effectiveness, see Understanding ‘Running Effectiveness’ and its uses (Palladino)

⏪ Is Running Effectiveness easy to use?

Running Effectiveness and form improvements

Running Effectiveness and fatigue resistance ⏩