Once you have Stryd properly clipped on your shoe, you're going to get out the door for your first few runs so we can get to know you as a runner!
So what should I do?
Stryd uses your first few runs (between one and three) to take a snapshot of your ability. The more variety you have in those runs (and any future runs), the more accurate Stryd is in understanding your capabilities as a runner. We recommend doing the following:
A long run over an hour in duration
A medium distance run of 10-20 minutes at race intensity (a pace that is sustainable but leaves you empty at the end)
And, short-distance sprints or strides at max effort (10-30 seconds in duration). Make sure to warm up first!
Once Stryd has enough information we will generate your Critical Power (CP). Your Critical Power is the threshold at which the dominant type of fatigue your body experiences changes. This number is used to determine your optimal training intensities (Power Zones) which trigger specific fitness gains and guide your race day effort. This is NOT the number you should try to run at every time you go out the door. It is a baseline.
Stryd will build up a more accurate picture of your ability over the first few months, with your CP changing more often early on. We use approximately 90 days worth of runs to determine your CP. The runs that contribute to your Critical Power can be viewed in the Power Duration Curve.
How do I use my Critical Power to train?
As a baseline, your Critical Power allows us to determine your different training intensities, Power Zones. Those zones allow you to more quickly understand what power number you should run at. There are five zones:
Zone 1 Easy
Zone 2 Moderate
Zone 3 Threshold
Zone 4 Interval
Zone 5 Repetition
As you train with Stryd, use Power Zones to help guide your session after taking note of where you feel comfortable within each zone for a targeted intensity. As your Critical Power is updated, your Power Zones will update accordingly, so you are never out-of-sync.
You can find both your Critical Power AND your Power Zones in both the app, and web app PowerCenter.