Understanding Training Metrics: When to Use Heart Rate, RPE, Pace, Time, or Distance.
With so many ways to train it can be confusing trying to find the best one. A question that often comes up when I am coaching athletes is “what is the best way to train?” The answer isn’t a one size fits all, but instead, what makes your training more enjoyable?
Let me start by discussing what each metric is.
Heart Rate is when you use heart rate zones to guide your workout. Being an 80/20 coach most of the workouts will be in your zone 2 with a few key workouts using zones 3-5. You will need a heart rate monitor to train using this method. The most accurate heart rate monitor is the chest strap because it uses electrical readings instead of an optical sensor to determine your heart rate. The chest straps can cause chafing and be uncomfortable to wear so most people opt for a wrist watch. Although it may not be the most accurate way to measure your heart rate it does have a moderate amount of accuracy and can still keep you honest with your zones.
RPE is the most simple way to determine your zones. RPE stands for rate of perceived exertion. With this method you don’t need any devices to determine what zone you are in. This method can be slightly less accurate due to the athlete over or under estimating their effort. The way to determine which zone you are in uses the talk test. If you can talk in complete sentences you are in your zone1/2. If you can say a few words at a time you are in your zone 3. If you can only get one or two words out that is your zone 4. When you can’t talk and it just feels awful that is your zone 5. RPE is great if you are racing and don’t want the stress of trying to look at your device. It also is an accurate and more free spirited way to train as long as you are honest with how you are feeling.
Pace is when you are aiming for a planned pace. This can be difficult and for most people it can be frustrating. We all have days where our bodies feel amazing and days where they feel like a pile of bricks. When training by pace you are often forcing yourself to go harder or slower than what your body needs and if you can’t hit your target pace it can derail your thoughts. Other factors such as weather, humidity and terrain can affect your pace significantly. Training on the same route can help make pace based workouts more reliable and achievable. There is a place for having pace driven workouts in your training and I will explain that in a bit.
Time can be used with any of your metrics and for athletes with a busy schedule it can take the stress out of trying to hit a certain distance goal. Some days you feel amazing and others you don’t. When you are juggling a busy job and a family it easier to block your schedule for a pre determined amount of time. You will find that as you become more adapted to your training, you will begin to cover more distance in the same amount of time.
Distance can be used with any of your metrics and can create stress if you have a busy life. If you are feeling overly tired you may take much longer to cover the planned distance or if you are feeling good you may not get in enough time for your planned workout. Distance based workouts can be detrimental to your overall well being if you have very little free time. There is a place for distance based runs and I will explain that in a bit.
Now that you understand the different metrics used in training it is easier to choose which method is right for you.
Most of the people I work with are busy so they train by either RPE or heart rate while using time. It can be more enjoyable to have designated blocks of time that allow you to make plans with others, be at work on time and be there for your family. For many people training by pace can be stressful, especially if you live in a climate with varying weather conditions or train on a variety of terrain types. If you have a busy life, choosing RPE or heart rate combined with time will provide the best experience possible with your training.
Pace based training is great for the athlete who tends to train on similar terrain. It is also very helpful when training for a race where you have to dial in your pace. Getting used to how it feels to move at your target pace is important. These workouts will help you fine tune your race pace and are best done on days where you have flexibility with your day. If you train on many different types of terrain and elevation you will want to get a baseline for what pace your body can do in your zone 2 and build from there. It is important to record your pace on each route because a track will be different than a flat road which will be different than a flat trail which will be different than anything hilly. Pick a few routes to do zone 2 efforts on and use that for your baseline on each surface/road/trail. You can use pace based training with time or distance depending on what brings you the most joy and what is conducive to your goals. Pace based training may have you going too hard or too easy which can be a downside if you use this method for all of your training. For my athletes with time goals we trickle in pace based training on one of their long workout days to work on race pace.
Distance based training can be used with RPE, pace or heart rate. These workouts are great when training towards a distance goal and should align with the planned race distance. These workouts are best for days where you don’t have a time commitment and can focus on completing the planned distance. Distance based training allows you to get used to going further and to dial in your race strategy. The downside to distance based training is that if you are not feeling good it can take much longer than expected. Distance is helpful if you have a weekly mileage goal that you are working towards. This becomes more important in training for ultra distance events where your long training days won’t be as long as your race. Often times, when training for ultra distance events, you target a weekly mileage goal. Having a weekly mileage goal can be stressful for people who live busier lives so trickling in distance based workouts can be best when combined with time based workouts.
There is no right or wrong way to train. What matters is that you are enjoying your training and have time for self care, time for your other life commitments and enough time to get adequate sleep. All of the metrics work wonderfully! Take time to explore what would work best in your life and incorporate a bit of everything. If you have a day where time does not matter, use that day for a distance or pace based workout. If the middle of the week is crazy busy, use time to train. Make sure you incorporate plenty of easy days to allow your body to recover and don’t forget to strength train!
My wish for you is that training for your goals is a fun and enjoyable experience. Learn as much as you can about your body and how it responds to training. Journal and use that to reflect on your journey! Check in to see if you are having fun and remember that for most of us, racing isn’t our career. If it is you will have a vastly different way of training because it is your job. If you are juggling a stressful career and trying to be a present parent/partner just focus on doing your best and choosing the path that gives you the most joy. If you need help, reach out! I love helping people find joy in their sport while doing their best and being able to show up for the people in their lives.
