How do we define training intensity?
The concept of training intensity is an easy one to understand but a very hard one to define. We all know easy runs should be easy and speed sessions hard but how easy and how hard and how do we measure that?
This concept underpins the whole basis of coaching. We can’t prescribe our training unless we define the intensity at which we should run at .
There are several different ways coaches and scientists have come up with to define training intensity; none of which are perfect. Different athletes like different metrics so it’s important to have an understanding of the common ones and their pros and cons.
Before we get into the individual metrics it’s important to understand for them to be useful they need to be relative to something. There needs to be an anchor point which is defined from which we can determine the relative intensity of every other run.
So for example a run that feels 7/10 means nothing unless we define what 10 feels like. This also applies to the most common exercise intensity metrics heart rate, pace, power and blood lactate levels. A run at 80% of max heart rate means nothing unless we have a definition and measure of max heart rate. A threshold run is based on one’s threshold but how is that defined and measured?
Let’s start with the one thats been around the longest .
“ Rate of Perceived Effort”