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How is a tempo run Training Effect defined ?

davidcarter01
over 3 years ago

I'm puzzled as to how my Garmin 945 is classifying my runs, specifically the Training effect primary benefit.

For example, this morning a ran 2kms at 6.30 min/km and spend 80% of the time in HR Zone 2 (the rest was Zone 1).

I was expecting this to be classed as Recovery or perhaps a Base run but it is showing as a Tempo which feels wrong.

Does anyone know how the formula works to determine the primary benefit Training Effect ?

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    What was your Aerobic Training Effect score?   So you had zero zone 3?  just 2 and 1?   That does seem very strange.  2km/1.2miles for 13minutes of running shouldn't trigger much training effect especially if in zone1-2.  However depending on your previous training and vo2max... that could skew it to Tempo?

    FOr me I usually need a Aerobic Training Effect of above 3.0 to trigger a 'tempo' message.  Which is a fairly good workout if less than 50minutes... if it's longer, its a bit easier to get >3.0 with high zone 2. If you go to the website and 'stats' tab, you can click the (?) next to the word "Training Effect" for all sorts of detail on the activity and what the numbers mean.  

    If you post your workout it might be a little easier to see what happeed maybe.  Otherwise posting vo2max and current training load # might also help.  Is your maximum HR set properly based on actual HR seen in a race/intervals?  Are your zones in auto (60-70%, 70-80%, etc) or custom?  

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to NickMN

    Hi NickMN and thanks for your reply.

    Some of the Training Effect and other workout details are below.

    Vo2Max is at 49 and I have customised the HR zones as the automatic ones weren't matching well with perceived effort. I haven't changed the HR zones for 6 months or so as until recently the Garmin results "felt right" with my perceived level of effort. 

    The instance below isn't the only time I have seen a tempo result from something that I thought was much lower.

    I've tried to post the workout: Garmin Connect

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    The algorithm is based on % of MHR, not on zones. 

    If you have adjusted the zones from the default, then they are not going to match up with the workout classification.

    If you have had to adjust the zones to reflect RPE, my suspicion would be that your MHR does not reflect your true maximum.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to mcalista

    Thanks mcalista,

    I'll have another look at my MHR settings. Does Garmin publish the algorithm anywhere or is is a trade secret ?  

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to davidcarter01

    It doesn't publish the algorithm, but a guide to the workout labels can be found at:

    www.firstbeatanalytics.com/.../

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to davidcarter01

    Does seem strange that it would give you a Tempo benefit from something that was only a 2.0 AeroTE.  Usually that would just result in a Recovery or Base notation.

    For instance my easy effort 6mi run today was 

    Base
    2.9 Maintaining Aerobic
    Zone 3   142 - 161 bpm • Aerobic    1:42 3%
    Zone 2   121 - 141 bpm • Easy        50:20 93%
    Zone 1   96 - 120 bpm • Warm Up    0:59 1%
    (max 195)
     
  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to NickMN

    Not strange that a run of only 2km would give a benefit of only 2.0.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to mcalista

    Yeah I guess what is strange to me is that 2.0 would result in a Tempo benefit.   But likely not long enough to trigger "Base"... but maybe just a touch to high of HR to trigger Recovery... so it results in a light tempo notice.  

    Oh well, overall those messages are a bit out of wack most of the times anyhow.  the TE seems like a better reference.

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    I looked at my two most recent 'Tempo' type activities... here is the writeup

    Primary Benefit: Tempo

    This activity enhanced your ability to maintain a moderate pace for a longer amount of time. It increased your high aerobic training load.

    3.2
    Aerobic
    Impacting Tempo

    This activity had enough effort at tempo pace (medium to high intensity) to improve your muscular endurance.

    In both of these activiites my Load was over 100 and were from 35-55min with 22minutes of overunder threshold (FTP) on my bike trainer.  So nothing too crazy, but still tough.  OFten I do 2x 20min of these but was recovering from marathon and also short on  time.  But TEMPO would be about right, maybe almost Threshold benefit.   Your description of your workout and HR (assuming you are at default zones) look like just a oops, loop hole in notice by Garmin/Firstbeat. 

    If you mouse over the graph lines down in the 'Exercise Load' section you can note the lines and their type real easy.

    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/report/-1/all/last_four_weeks

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to NickMN

    I just redid the exact same run that was produced the strange result and this time it came back as a Recovery Run, which is what I was expecting. In all other regards the data was comparable to the earlier run that produced the anamoly result.

    I maybe looking for more precision than is realistic to expect - the GPS data is imperfect, the HRM data is imperfect, my MHR and HR zones are estimates and my RPE is also an estimate.

    Thanks for your input and comments.