Physiology

Power apps – Apple Watch syncing. If you use an Apple Watch and Stryd power, you’re probably already using the Stryd Workout app to execute workouts planned in the Stryd ecosystem, and return completed workout data to the Stryd PowerCenter. But if you’re not using Stryd power, or even if you are but are looking for an alternative to the Stryd Workout app, what choices do you have to get planned workouts onto your watch, execute the workouts, and transfer completed workout data back to your chosen reviewing/metrics platform?

Power apps – Race-day targets. Your race-day power target should take into account: your running fitness; your fatigue resistance; your running effectiveness. You may also want to take into account: the course hilliness; the race-day environment. Given the complexity, there are very few solutions that can calculate race-day targets, yet race-day is a key (perhaps the key) focus for most runners.

Power apps – Custom Workouts. While pre-prepared training plans and workouts will meet most runners’ needs, there are occasions where a custom workout, built to meet a specific need, is a better choice. Or perhaps you can’t use a pre-prepared plan, and need to be able to build your own? Building your own workout, at least in TrainingPeaks and Stryd, is a ‘paid’ option. Are there any good planning tools that you could use instead? And what does ‘good’ look like?

Power apps – Missing Metrics. What options do you have when your platform of choice doesn’t provide all the core power metrics? There are a few, including: WKO (comprehensive but expensive); SuperPower Calculator (free, and can provide a couple of the metrics); Intervals.icu (free, but may be too complex for some runners); Manual calculation (works for only a couple of metrics).

Power apps – filling gaps. The Power Apps topic focused on platforms that support the full workout lifecycle (planning through review) as well as support for coaching. But even with the rich functionality of those platforms, there are still ‘gaps’ – items that the platform doesn’t provide that runners (and coaches) using power would benefit from having. And even when the platform doesn’t have a gap, there may be alternatives that are easier to use, or a better fit to individual needs or specific situations. Based on discussion in power-focused running groups, here are four areas where you might want to supplement your core platform.

Power Apps – which is best? The posts in this topic have focused on three platforms that support the end-to-end workout process (from Planning through Review), comparing the platforms to a set of criteria established in the first post in the topic. But while detailed functionality assessments are useful, are they the best way to choose a platform that’ll work for you? This post helps you make that choice, by considering the platforms from four different perspectives: 1) Cost and Value; 2) Analytics and technical tolerance; 3) Logistics and equipment management; 4) Buy-in to the platform’s approach.

Intervals.icu. Intervals.icu focuses on the basics – workout planning, calculating metrics etc. It supports custom plots, fields and calculations (for example it’s possible to add a Running Effectiveness calculation, or to add a ramp rate plot to your fitness page). It’s a genuinely free platform that supports Running with Power – with the option to become a supporter (to fund further development).

TrainingPeaks WebApp / Mobile. TrainingPeaks works well as a coaching tool, with the ability to plan workouts for individual runners, download the workouts to all sports watches, upload completed workouts and provides two-way communication between coaches and runners. While TrainingPeaks does provide some summary metrics, it does not calculate all of the core power metrics (e.g. Threshold, PDC, ramp rate or running effectiveness). Instead it relies on WKO – an extra cost – to provide those. It also does not calculate race-day targets. Bottom line – a better platform for coaching than for individual runners.

Stryd PowerCenter / Mobile. The Stryd ecosystem (and the Stryd footpod) is a beginner-friendly way to start Running with Power, and supports planning, reviewing and coaching. Stryd membership adds additional ‘core’ metrics and features (like Training Load or Race-day calculators). Stryd also provides solutions for measuring your running form (Stryd Duo, the Stryd Form Profile), although these metrics can be difficult to interpret.

Which Apps? It might seem strange to spend time thinking about running apps. But consider this… power uses data from your completed runs to calculate key metrics, metrics that you can use to target your training. Do you want to spend your time calculating metrics? Or would you rather spend it running and have an app (or two) do the calculations for you? And are there Apps that are more power-aware than others?

Which other watches work with wrist-based power to Run with Power? Ideally: use a Connect IQ 5.0.0 Garmin watch, a COROS watch, or an Apple Watch with the Watchletic app. Try to avoid: using a Polar watch. haven’t tried: using a Wahoo or Suunto watch, or other brands like Amazfit or Google Pixel (although Watchletic has been released for WearOS)

Which other watches work with a Stryd? Ideally: use an Apple Watch, a Connect IQ 5.0.0 Garmin watch, or a COROS watch. If you must: use a Wahoo watch. Try to avoid: using a Suunto or Polar watch. Stryd continues to work with watch providers (e.g. WearOS, Amazfit) and lists all watches that can be used to Run with Power using a Stryd footpod on their website.

Can you use a Garmin to Run with Power? You can use a Garmin to Run with Power. If you’re using a Stryd footpod, the Stryd Zones datafield is the obvious choice. If you’re using wrist-based power, pbRun is a better choice than using the Garmin Run app by itself, and you should avoid using the Garmin ‘Power’ datafields.