Suggested workout: Base vs actual benefit: Threshold

I don't usually do the suggested daily workout, but last week and today I tried it. Today it gave me a "Base" run. I wear the watch 24/7 for 14 months, so the watch knows me pretty well. All the possible things are on auto detect (threshold, max hr, power). And I executed the suggested activity with 97% execution score and my pace was pretty much spot on in all the laps. Still it gave me: Training effect: Threshold, Aerobic 4.5

I wonder: is that normal? To me it doesn't look normal. The watch knows my usual pace, the usual duration of my runs, my usual heart rate, etc. Why it gives me a suggested activity that it considers to be "Base" when it comes out Threshold?

I am pretty sure some will tell me that my HR zones, max HR, TRHR are probably not set up correctly. I can't argue for or against it, I've never done a lab test. It is what the watch auto detected (and last time it changed was 2 days ago, so it's pretty fresh) But my point is that knowing my past activities and all these numbers, shouldn't it recommend a Base activity that will give me Base benefit when executed? Or if it gives me this activity, then shouldn't it be called a Threshold run?

My FW is 20.31

0 Etupes25 2 months ago

The watch establishes a model that links your HR/HRV data to your pace and durations. It uses this model to give you a base pace target or and HR target based on a % of HRR and/or pace at VO2 Max. The secret patented sauce is to use the most qualified/representative HR/HRV/pace data for the model.

During the run, the watch only looks at your HR Max, Rest HR, workout HR/HRV and pace to estimate your actual effort. HR zones are not used, but they do set expectations!

If the target pace for base is too high and makes your workout threshold, there can be a couple of reasons:

- either your LTHR/Pace is wrong, or

- your HR/Pace/Duration model is biased.

In all cases, you need to wear a chest strap all the time and make sure your Max HR is correct. BTW, the Max HR influences the LTHR detection also.

Then, to correct a wrong LTHT/Pace, you should run a new Threshold guided test. Avoid accepting LT auto-detections because they can be wrong after high intensity short intervals, for example. If you receive a new auto-detection just ignore it, or re-run the guided test. If you change your max HR, run the guided test.

To correct a potential bias in your model, you need to make sure you run a variety of efforts (from easy to maximal effort) across a range of durations (from hours to mn intervals). A good way to do this is to follow the daily suggestions. Then, from time to time, replace the target pace by the maximal steady pace you can sustain for the duration of the intervals/workout. Over time, this will improve the model the watch is keeping.

0 flocsy🤠 2 months ago in reply to Etupes25

It sounds like you know how these things work. There's a question that always troubled me: I set my hr zones to one of the default options Garmin gives (I mean the percentages of the zones) Then some weeks later (probably after either the max hr or the TRHR was changed by the auto detect) I see strange numbers. I mean the percentages changed. Why? If let's say I had the default 50-60-70-80-90-100% when my maxHR was 100, and now my maxHR increased to 110, then I would think that because my fitness improved, all my zones automatically adjusted, but not because the percentages changed, but because of my maxHR being 10% higher, thus I would think it makes sense that all my zones went up 10%. But fir some reason the zones also change occasionally.

So question 1: why is that?

Question 2: should we, and if yes when and why click the Reset Zones button?

0 Etupes25 2 months ago in reply to flocsy🤠

flocsy🤠 said:
Then some weeks later (probably after either the max hr or the TRHR was changed by the auto detect) I see strange numbers. I mean the percentages changed. Why?

Right. There is a well-known bug by which the % of the zones become wrong after a new auto-detection. Apparently it can be either a max HR or a LT HR auto-detection. I have seen the pb myself with max HR auto-detection and % of Max HR for zones, but not if % of HRR. Go figure...

At any rate, after a new max HR or an accepted LT HR auto-detection go to your various zones (general, running and cycling), verify the new values are reflected correctly and reset the zones to come back to the standard %.