I bought the Stryd Summit (foot pod) back in December. Been running with it for about a month now. TBH, I'm not sure what I think about it. I've set-up my power zones, and the unit itself is very responsive. Essentially, it does what it says, and I've not had any real issues with it. But, I also monitor my heart rate on every run, and honestly, I'm not sure a power meter is telling me anything different than my heart rate/heart rate zones. Yeah, yeah, I know that a power meter is faster to respond to hills, isn't impacted by if you're having an off day, etc...all the things that could throw off heart rate. Still, I'm not yet convinced running with power is some sort of revolutionary change. I think one thing that would help is if Garmin would open up native power fields on the watch (which should be relatively easy). Watching my instantaneous power and trying to keep it in a narrow zone is not my idea of fun (so I don't do it). Would be nice to have some other power fields available to select (avg power, 10 second smoothed)....ya know, similar to a bike power meter. What do you Stryd users think?
Have been using one for about the same time and have largely similar thoughts.
I find the power numbers "interesting" although they do correlate pretty well with pace and I most of my running in reasonably flat terrain. For me get say around 325W in a 10K type race and maybe around 270W for a good min/mile and more slower "steady" pace. The "top end" numbers correlate well with my bike numbers but I find doing say 200W running a doddle but on the bike that is more like steady.
I also find running the uphill numbers seem a little too high and vice versa downhill which would making pacing by power somewhat difficult on rolling terrain. After all there is only so fast you can go downhill.
Stryd have said it does not cater for wind either.
More experimentation needed as I feel need wider experience to understand when it will help and when it may not.
I use the CIQ data field largely for recording with occassional glimpes.
I see the Stryd CIQ app has a lap power data field so that might work for a "smoothed" number to pace against.
Not sure if Garmin will do much more "natively" with running power when the only device I know of (Stryd) is not made by them. There is https://www.rpm2.com/ as well although never heard of any usage reports.
Would like to see some averages or use of power metrics as in the bike power metric set and advanced power. The C IQ does sync to garmin connect activity via the stryd power center but does not display time in zones etc. which would be helpful. On the other hand, currently, you can get better use of PMC and TSS data in golden cheetah or training peaks with the stryd and 735xt as it currently works.
I sold mine. Initially interesting, but I know and trust heart rate as a measurement more, and in the end it was just a bit of a curiosity. When I get my 735xt, with the HRM built in, was quite happy to ditch the strap.
I like the Stryd so far, had it for about 3 months or so now. Data analysis of the Power metrics has already given me some insight into areas for improvement and where to focus more. Using HR exclusively has some issues for me as my HR is really affected by temp by as much as 10 BPM at a given RPE and pace, so moving to power based training is what I am planning to do.
The main issue with completing the move is availability of metrics on the watch. I do not use the CIQ App as I prefer my layout of data on the 735 so I use the CIQ datafield. Without Average and Lap Average Power it is difficult to train with power, so mainly I am using the data for post run analysis right now.
I like the Stryd so far, had it for about 3 months or so now. Data analysis of the Power metrics has already given me some insight into areas for improvement and where to focus more. Using HR exclusively has some issues for me as my HR is really affected by temp by as much as 10 BPM at a given RPE and pace, so moving to power based training is what I am planning to do.
The main issue with completing the move is availability of metrics on the watch. I do not use the CIQ App as I prefer my layout of data on the 735 so I use the CIQ datafield. Without Average and Lap Average Power it is difficult to train with power, so mainly I am using the data for post run analysis right now.
This is an interesting point which I didn't really get. My Heart Rate has the same issue - warm conditions I ramp up very quickly, and means closer to threshold for longer. However, that's surely just a factor you can't do anything about - your heart rate is the limiting factor whether it's hot or not, so how does power help with that?
This is an interesting point which I didn't really get. My Heart Rate has the same issue - warm conditions I ramp up very quickly, and means closer to threshold for longer. However, that's surely just a factor you can't do anything about - your heart rate is the limiting factor whether it's hot or not, so how does power help with that?
Problem I always found with do anything by HR, especially intervals, is HR drift. So it will always start "low" and then ramp up. If you are wanting to work at say threshold you don't want to get to threshold HR "straight away" as you can bet a few minutes later you will have blown up on the effect getting there in the first place.
So "in theory" if you know what power equates to a certain level you can start running at that level straight away and HR will take care of itself.
Whether "power" is really anything fundamentally different to pace on a firm flat surface where I do nearly all my "hard" runs is however less clear!
I Just got my stryd and took the time to mostly read 2 different books on running power. I have the fenix3 and use the data field due to I train mostly by pace and HR. I believe that power is not a replacement for that but mostly another metric to compare for post analysis until you truly learn how power works and is measured. I'm still working on ciphering some of the data between the data field in Garmin and via the power center app itself, but basically in a week and 5 runs, I have already increased my average pace on a 2 mile run without increasing my overall power by smoothing out my run gate and concentrating on foot strike and SPM with the added power function. I think its a slighty complicated process to understand and still new for most all of us. Just keep working with it and learn it and combine it with your HR and Pace/cadence and maybe we will all get faster.
I was wandering on your garmin, if anyone was using the stryd as power(via data field) and the garmin foot pod for cadence on indoor runs, as I have not found a way to calibrate the stryd yet
I was wandering on your garmin, if anyone was using the stryd as power(via data field) and the garmin foot pod for cadence on indoor runs, as I have not found a way to calibrate the stryd yet
I've been running with Stryd for several weeks using the CIQ app and also the data field in my running profile. Both work well. Once I worked out my zones, using power to do a tempo or easy run, I was able to hit the required pace on the nail and the required zone. For example, on two recent runs of more than an hour, my pw:hr was less than 5% and my vi was 1 and 1.01 respectively. In short, what the power meter has help me do it not go out too hard, dial in the correct pace no matter the terrain up or down. It has meant that my recovery is quicker as I am not going to hard based on RPE or heart rate. It also means that heart rate drift is less of an issue as you are running at the required effort. The trickiest thing about running with power is wading through the literature and working out what metric are right for you to track. I watch power in a Run and then afterward, I look at pw:hr and vi, plus peak power over several time spent up to 90 mins.
Is anybody finding it tends to overestimate power going uphill and underestimate downhill?
My experience in this 3 min Strava segment blast http://club.stryd.com/t/treadmills-inclines-and-power/3731/12 was a good example of this. 400W to crest the hill in the middle but despite "caning" it over the top, I "lost" 120W and this despite doing sub 5 min/mile pace downhill and was only getting the power usually get at about 7:00 pace on the flat.
