Season 6 Ep 4 — How to Utilize Running Power Metrics With Dr. Will O'Connor
Apr 17, 2024
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Dr. Will O'Connor, a running scientist and former triathlete from New Zealand, dives into the world of running power metrics. He discusses the evolution of power technology and its implications for training, emphasizing the need for accuracy among various devices. Will highlights the differences between running and cycling power metrics, explaining how terrain affects energy expenditure. He also explores the importance of heart rate monitoring for trail running and the growing acceptance of power metrics in endurance sports.
Running power metrics offer objective insights into athlete performance, helping to reveal struggles that traditional metrics like heart rate may overlook.
The importance of establishing personalized power zones through testing is crucial for effective integration of running power into training regimens.
Runners benefit from real-time feedback on energy output during varied terrains, allowing for immediate adjustments to pacing and strategy.
Deep dives
Understanding Running Power
Running power is gaining momentum as a crucial metric for runners, providing an objective measurement of intensity during training and racing. It helps athletes identify why they may struggle to maintain pace or achieve goal finishing times, offering insights that traditional metrics like heart rate and pace may not reveal. This emerging trend demonstrates that more than 30% of training files submitted to analysis include power data, though many athletes and coaches are still learning how to leverage this new metric effectively. By utilizing power alongside heart rate and pace, runners can develop a better understanding of their performance across various terrain types.
The Significance of the Power Meter
The discussion highlights how the stride running power meter plays a critical role in helping runners manage their effort over varied surfaces, primarily when transitioning from road to trail running. Unlike cycling, where power measurement is direct and well-integrated, the technology behind running power relies on accelerometers and algorithms, making it a bit more complex. Despite these challenges, runners gain the advantage of real-time feedback on their effort output, which vastly improves their ability to distribute energy efficiently during long-duration events. This allows athletes to adjust their strategy on the fly based on the power output, making it an invaluable tool for both training and racing.
Power vs. Heart Rate
A fundamental distinction exists between running power and heart rate, particularly in how they react during varied terrain. Heart rate typically lags in response to changes in effort, which can delay the athlete's ability to gauge whether they are operating within their target intensity zones. In contrast, power output provides an immediate reflection of the energy exerted, allowing for more responsive adjustments to pacing. This relationship enhances performance by preventing overexertion in challenging sections, such as hills, where the discrepancy between heart rate and the required work can lead to early fatigue.
Establishing Power Zones
To effectively use running power, establishing personalized power zones through testing is crucial for runners looking to integrate this metric into their training regimens. By conducting one-kilometer and five-kilometer time trials, athletes can determine their power threshold and set corresponding training zones, enabling more tailored coaching and workout planning. This personalized approach allows runners to monitor their ongoing development by comparing past performances with new metrics generated during training sessions. As runners become more accustomed to tracking their power, they can also better align their race strategies and training intensity with their physiological responses.
Challenges and Limitations in Application
Challenges remain in the application of running power as various external factors can complicate the interpretation of data, such as changes in terrain or whether the athlete is walking versus running. In scenarios involving steep climbs or highly technical trails, traditional metrics like pace and power may become less relevant, leading to a reliance on heart rate for guidance. Moreover, the integration of running power into structured workouts remains limited, as not all devices currently support direct syncing from training platforms. This disconnect underlines the need for more comprehensive adoption of power as a training metric alongside improved technology to streamline its utility for runners.
Dr. Will O'Connor takes us through the nuances of using running power in training. Will and Dirk get into the scientific side of power meters, discuss the accuracy and data consistency from devices like Stryd and other wearables, and learn how to use critical power zones to break down the metabolic costs of running variable terrain. Will also touches on some of the lessons in his Fundamentals of Running Power TrainingPeaks University course.
Will is a running scientist and former triathlete based in New Zealand. He drew on his background in organic chemistry to complete a Ph.D. in Sport & Exercise Science from Massey University, where his research investigated metabolic flexibility and ketogenic diets in ultra-endurance performance. Will competes at the elite level in ultrarunning events — he's used a run power meter since day one — and is a coach and host of the "Running with Dr Will" podcast.
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