To celebrate the upcoming release of the Spanish version of โGetting Startedโ, Iโm planning to update the cover of the English version too. This text (on the green background) will be on the back cover of the books (in the appropriate language) and in the book blurb on reseller websites.
This week, I’m posting about each of the ‘Power =’ items ๐
๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ = ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐
Power identifies training targets, based on your fitness, that maximise training results while minimising over-training and risking injury.
Which raises two questions:
- How does power identify your running fitness?
- How does power set training targets based on your fitness?
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ?
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.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ?
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 the following training targets:
๐น 80% or less for an easy run
๐น 94-96% for 10-20 minute intervals at half-marathon power
๐น 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.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ? ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฑ?
VO2max is a measure of your bodyโs maximum aerobic capacity. Threshold Power is the highest intensity you can maintain without rapidly fatiguing and needing to slow down or stop.
Think of VO2max as โthe size of your engineโ, and Threshold Power as โyour highest cruising speedโ. A bigger VO2max means you could go further and faster, but it doesnโt mean youโll use that capacity effectively; a higher cruising speed means you can travel faster for a sustained period of time.
Both are important, but of the two, threshold power is more actionable, and a more direct and practical predictor of endurance performance.
๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ?
No.
Training is much more than actions driven by numbers. But training should also be underpinned by quantitative data โ and power can provide those numbers.
๐บ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐’๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐?
โ Questions?
๐ Getting Started
Getting Started – Power=Productive Training
