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 gets your training targets right

Power targets are clearer than pace or HR targets

Power provides metrics to manage your training load ⏩

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

Power targets are clearer than pace or HR targets ⏩

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

⏪ What’s the difference between ...

Which Threshold Power protocol is best?

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

Using Threshold Power

What’s the difference between… ⏩

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?