In this Episode 

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• Training Peaks Series

  •  Peak power, heart rate or pace charts

  • These can be an easy way to find a rough functional threshold heart rate, power or speed value without doing a specific test. 

  • Remember it will be different for different disciplines so if you are a triathlete or multisporter make sure you find it for each discipline.

  • The daily metrics function in training peaks is a very valuable training tool for athletes to 1) have a conscious thought about how you are subjectively feeling 2) identify patterns in how you respond to different training sessions.

  • The comments function on training peaks is another very valuable training tool to see how you are responding to your training. It helps link up the science and the art of training.

• Zone 2 and hilly terrain question

  • Zone 2 is all about stimulating your type 1 muscle fibres, building mitochondria density, ability to metabolise fat and improve our metabolic efficiency.

  • During Zone 2 sessions the aim is to keep your heart rate in Zone 2 for the majority of the session.

  • If you are training on hilly terrain and need to keep your heart rate in Zone 2 focus on slowing down even to a walk to keep your intensity down.

  • Focus on choosing your terrain to match the aims of your training sessions goals.

• Should you use power or heart rate when you have access to both of them?

  • Both metrics are important and tell us different things

  • Power is a direct measure of work while heart rate is your bodies response to the work being done.

  • Make sure you set your training zones for both of these as a starting point. Your power zones will change more over time than your heart rate zones.