The Key Metrics for Tracking Endurance Performance
by Doug Stewart
I recently wrote an article for TrainingPeaks discussing some of the key metrics I use when analysing an athlete’s training and performance. I thought I would share it with you, and you can find it here.
© TrainingPeaks.com
With any of the metrics, there are some key factors to consider – one being the quality of the data being gathered. How accurate is it?
For runners, two common areas you should be aware of are:
1. Inaccurate heart rate data. This is primarily down to using wrist based heart rate monitors on the watch. Or, but less frequently, when a heart rate belt has not connected at the start of a run, or is running low on battery.
2. Distance, and therefore pace, being incorrect for treadmill runs. Whilst the treadmill you are running on may be relatively accurate with regards to the distance you have covered, often the recording by the watch does not correlate. Most watches now allow you to calibrate this at the end of the run which will improve future sessions.
Therefore, if you are looking to analyse data, then it is worth spending a couple of minutes after each run assessing the quality of it, and removing any errors. This will ensure you’re actually making the most of the data analysis and you avoid gaps or suspicious inconsistencies.