Is Running Effectiveness easy to use?

𝐈𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞?

Running Effectiveness uses speed and power (effort) – both are measurable numbers. RE is easy to calculate.

But Running Effectiveness measures how effectively you convert power into speed, and there are many things that can affect that conversion.

𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲

Differences in your running form at different intensities (jogging vs. running vs. sprinting) will affect how effectively you convert power into forward motion, impacting RE.

𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 & 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝

When you run uphill, your power will be higher for the same speed – and your RE will be lower. The reverse is true when running downhill.

The same is true for running into a headwind (lower RE), or with a tailwind.

𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬

Running shoes are made from differing materials with differing stack heights. This can affect how effectively you convert power to speed.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 & 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

There is no agreed standard for calculating running power – different power meters will produce differing numbers. This means RE (for identical runs) will differ based on the power meter you used.

RE uses power divided by weight. If you change the weight configured for your power meter, RE calculations made before that change will not be comparable with RE calculations made after that change, unless you calculate RE using the weight configured at the time of each run.

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬

RE isn’t so easy to use!

But one way to monitor changes in RE is to use reference runs.

These are runs you include every 3-4 weeks in your training plan, where you run the same route at the same target intensities in the same running shoes. Reference runs provide an opportunity to compare RE across runs.