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Trying to understand an unusually low Load Score

So I've had this happen a couple of times in the last month, a certain run I do on a certain trail loop results in an unusually low "Load" score from my Garmin 945 compared to similar runs in days before.

Here is the run with the corresponding metrics:

4/23 Trail Run Activity

9.1 miles - 81min - 8:57min/mile - 146bpm HR - 630/630' gain/loss - 3.0 Training Effect - 253w Power from Stryd (which I know Garmin ignores)

Load = 90

Just for comparison:

4/19 Run Activity

6.29 miles - 55min - 8:52mni/mile - 143bpm - 180/180' gain/loss - 3.4 Training Effect - 254w Power

Load = 128

So the trail run which was 50% longer duration, with higher HR average, and comparable Pace/Power somehow has 33% less load? Something is wrong in the way that Garmin Training Effect is being calculated here right?

Neither of these runs had any kind of intervals or anything that would have made the HR averages misleading. Both were steady-state runs that ended with a stretch of almost-Tempo level of effort.

For what it's worth, all other Training Platforms I use (SportTracks, Runalyze, FinalSurge, Stryd Powercenter) calculated their equivalent of "Load" in a more normal way relative to my other runs. I know Stryd calculates on Power, but the other 3 use HR for their Trimp/Load/Effort scores.

The impact of this isn't a big deal, it affects my Garmin training metrics, which I don't pay alot of attention to as I use those other sites, but I guess I'm just curious as to what might have happened.

0 badbri over 2 years ago in reply to 3394289

P.S. You can view the Load for an activity in the Details Tab on the Mobile App. Also directly on the watch itself under "All Stats".

0 badbri over 2 years ago

So, this continues to happen - usually on a particular forest trail run in a certain area. Almost like this forest is a vortex or bermuda triangle where Garmin Load scores go to die!

So my run this morning - 10.8 mile run at an average HR of 137 and pace of 10:22, so duration was 1 hour and 52 minutes. Load score of 101.

A 6m run I did 2 days before in the same area (but on a different course) was 1 hour and 3 minutes and average HR/Pace of 137/9:31 had a load score of 110. So despite being much shorter, the load score is higher? What the heck?

0 badbri over 2 years ago in reply to badbri

This continues to happen, and continues to be on "Trail Run" activities.

For example:

11/26/22 Trail Run - 12.32 mile - 122 minutes - 9:58 avg pace - 136 avg HR - Load of 85 (or 42 per hour)

11/3/22 Run - 2.09 mile - 19 minutes - 9:29 avg pace - 134 avg HR - Load of 43 (or 130 per hour)

0 NickMN over 2 years ago in reply to badbri

Yes that doesn't look good at all! Unless of course you were doing intervals on the short run with very easy recovery? (and/or bad HR data that looks like you did...) I am sure you would mention that if they were not just steady state... but thought I should mention it. Since avg HR and avg Pace really don't tell much of a story for exercise and load.

Also this load/etc has been a bit of a bug lately, numerous similar posts (nature of them slightly different), but the last update addressed it sort of. Are you updated AND have done a full reset (hold power button until black screen) after?

0 badbri over 2 years ago in reply to NickMN

Yeah no intervals on that short run, it was just a warmup for some treadmill work I was doing afterward so just steady-state. Watch is up to date on all FW/SW.

It really is bizarre. I almost feel like I could run for 4+ hours in this particular forest, average zone 1 and zone 2 heart rate throughout and then get a Load of 100 or 120 as a result. Whereas I can do a 55min road run, average in upper zone 2 and Load is 190-200. It's crazy how much it discounts trail runs in particular.

0 badbri over 2 years ago in reply to NickMN

So here's the latest comparison, as I just ran outside today at lunch.

first that trail run from above:

11/26/22 Trail Run - 12.32 mile - 122 minutes - 9:58 avg pace - 136 avg HR - Load of 85 (or 42 per hour) - 36min in Zone 2, 83min in Zone 1

12/1/22 Road Run - 4.5m - 40min - 8:59 avg pace - 139 avg HR - Load of 85 (or 127 per hour) - 21min in Zone 2, 18min in Zone 1

Notice I added the time in zones as that probably is germane to the subject. But unfortunately it still makes no sense, as I had nearly double the Zone 2 time in the Trail run over the Road run.

0 badbri over 1 year ago in reply to badbri

I don't know if this has been officially "fixed" with the latest fw update or not, but I am seeing a pretty big difference in results the last few weeks.

Running in the same location, a state forest trail loop near my home - it's about 9-10.5 miles long depending on the specific trail.

3/11/23 - 1 hour 37 min total - avg HR of 140 - load score of 320 (or 197 per hour)

3/4/23 - 1 hour 27 min total - avg HR of 139 - load score of 193 (or 132 per hour)

compared to previous totals when it seemed "wrong":

2/11/23 - 1 hour 38 min total - avg HR of 138 - load score of 109 (or 66 per hour)

12/10/23 - 1 hour 31 min total - avg HR of 141 - load score of 105 (or 69 per hour)

11/26/22 - 2 hours 2 min total - avg HR of 136 - load score of 85 (or 42 per hour)

10/16/22 - 1 hour 33 min total - avg HR of 147 - load score of 135 (or 86 per hour)