𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬?
This is a common question that runners new to power ask.
It’s not only about the numbers.
Training is more than actions driven by numbers.
When planning, you should consider your training goals, your specifics (age, ability, injury history), supplemental training (strength, mobility, plyometrics, drills) and other exercise activities (cycling, swimming, yoga, pilates).
When executing your plan, you should consider sleep, nutrition, hydration, work and family commitments … anything affecting your training.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to measure most of these.
𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
What can you measure, so that your training is underpinned by things you can quantify?
Power numbers.
They can be used to
✅ plan workouts targeting specific intensity levels and durations
✅ plan and monitor your training load and progression
✅ plan your race-day targets
𝐁𝐮𝐭 … 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬
Because power can be used for so much, it’s tempting to think that your power numbers are ‘the truth’.
That if you use them to make every training decision, you’ll get the best result.
But power meters can’t measure everything that’s happening to you while you train.
For that reason, power numbers are a guide.
They’re a very good guide, but they are only a guide, not the truth.
Which means rather than Running 𝘣𝘺 Power, treating your power numbers as the truth and using them to make every decision, you should Run 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 Power, using your power numbers as a guide, complementing and underpinning other considerations.
𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?
