I don't know where to put this as I don't know if it's a Fenix or App problem but let me explain what the issue is.
I am a 41 yo male, 180cm, 88kg. Historically my training always involved short hard efforts (Bouldering, Street Skateboarding, Track sprint cycling, aso) but over the years I switched to more balanced training. Lots of cardio, also running.
Problems are the following:
- The fitter I get and the more endurance I have and the better I can keep my HR down on harder efforts the lower my VO2max gets according to Garmin. It in the low 38 almost 37 now where I run one long run between 13-21k and 2 other runs between 5-10k where one is an interval run every week. I usually train around 400 minutes per week But I always obey the rest period Garmin proposes. My VO2max started out at 46 when I was barely able to run a 5k without finishing in HR zone 5 where I now run a HalfM in zone 3 with an end sprint if I feel it.
- ALL, yes ALL of my runs start out with a Perf Cond of -5 and usually progress down to -10. It does not matter at all what kind of run I do or how I feel doing it
- if I feel like sh•t all run and can barely keep a pace -> -10
- When I feel great and am better than what I planned for and even do more because I feel so great -> -10
- When I just feel "normal"-> -10
- It also does not matter how hard or easy the total effort is or if I vary intensity whatever.
- Combine any of the above "feelings" with high/mid/low efforts and voila -> -10
- The highest I have had in the last year was -1 which was today on a 14k run I finished with a 1minute final all out sprint. And hey I feel great after this run. Ok not true there was one +5 run which was barely a run because I didn't even get over a HR of 130 and the watch instantly complained that the effort was too low ... omg
- The watch in general tells me totally bogus things:
- It recommends a hard effort to gain anaerobic "points" and I do so and manage to get a 2.0 rating ... "tooo much buddy"
- It tells me to rest for 27 hours -> detraining, unproductive, or it even lowers my Optimal range
- Last week I literally almost died from an extreme Cardio workout I just did way to long and kept way too hard but that was just too much fun and where I couldn't walk for 3 days because my whole body was just one sore mess -> Garmin: "effort too low"
I always wear a strap (HRM Run, H10) and for running even a Stryd pod for maximum accuracy.
What's going on here? Am I really that unfit or is something really off here? I have proof that I am way fitter then I have ever been and Garmin tells me "no you aren't .. it does not matter that your times and possibilities improved by an amount you never deemed possible you are just an unfit bum" with every training. I am currently really pissed off and even somewhat depressed because if I feel good after a training Garmin tells me that it was *** and I should be spent all the way or if I am totally spent it tells me that it wasn't enough.. If I get a new record Garmin acknowledges it but lowers my stats while doing it. The 5k and 10k predictions Garmin shows me are still slower than what I regularly do even though Garmin has multiple efforts where I beat their time easily.
The only thing here that's accurate for me is calories burned ... well thank you for nothing
