THIS IS THE DOWN AND DIRTY GUIDE TO SETTING YOUR ZONES

We will dive deep into the why and what all of these numbers means in a series of articles. This article is the ‘down and dirty’ on how to conduct a field test for Swim/Bike/Run Training and how to calculate your zones either in TrainingPeaks or on your own, manually.

THE TEST

• Calculate your FTS(Functional Threshold Speed) by warming up and swimming:

• TEST SET: 3 x 300 with 3min rest in between. 

• Your FTS is your average 100 time for all 3 rounds.

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR BASE PACE/INTERVAL

• Base = 115% of FTS = (1.15)*FTS

• Pace Zones

  • EZ: 115% FTS / Base pace

  • z1- 110% FTS

  • z2- 107% FTS

  • z3- 100% FTS = FTS

  • z4- 93% FTS

  • z5- 90% FTS

THE TEST:

WU:
10 minute steady build and calibrate(if you are on trainer) after 10 minutes.
PS:
16 x 1 minutes, alternating between building cadence to 110+ and easy cruise
MS:
3 x 12 minutes at max sustainable pace/effort / 3 minutes at easy cruise
CD:
Cruise remainder and get a nice long stretch

SETTING YOUR BIKE HR ZONES:

CALCULATORS CAN BE FOUND WITHIN YOUR TRAININGPEAKS ACCOUNT: 

TUTORIAL- TrainingPeaks has a great tutorial on setting your bike zones within their platform

INSTRUCTIONS- SETTING YOUR HR ZONES IN TRAININGPEAKS

• Go to Athlete->Settings->Zones

• Scroll to Heart Rate Default Heart Rate

• Scroll to Auto Calculation: 

• Input Threshold Heart Rate(95% Average) from Test

• Input your Max/Min Heart Rate

• Use the following auto-calculation:

• Lactate Threshold --> MyProCoachCycling (5)

• Click Calculate

• Click Apply

• Record your HR/Power zones so you can use them in your next training session

SETTING YOUR BIKE POWER ZONES

CALCULATORS CAN BE FOUND WITHIN YOUR TRAININGPEAKS ACCOUNT: 

TUTORIAL- TrainingPeaks has a great tutorial on setting your bike zones within their platform

INSTRUCTIONS- SETTING YOUR POWER ZONES

• Go to Athlete->Settings-->Zones

• Scroll to Auto Calculation

• Input Threshold Power from the Test(95% Average from all 3 intervals)

• Input your Max/Min Heart Rate

• Use the following auto-calculation:

• Threshold Power-->Andy Coggan (6)

• Click Calculate

• Click Apply + Record your HR/Power zones so you can use them in your next training session

THE TEST

WU:
10-15 minute easy build and then get in some solid efforts. Get your HR up and your body primed + ready to run.
MS:
Do a 30 minute run at fastest sustainable pace. Do not fade.
- At 10 minutes, click your lap button.
- Record Average HR(LTHR) and Pace(FTPr) for the last 20 minutes.
CD:
5-10 minute easy jog and stretch

SETTING YOUR RUN HR ZONES:

CALCULATORS CAN BE FOUND WITHIN YOUR TRAININGPEAKS ACCOUNT: 

TUTORIAL- TrainingPeaks has a great tutorial on setting your bike zones within their platform

INSTRUCTIONS- SETTING YOUR HR ZONES IN TRAININGPEAKS

• Go to Athlete--> Settings —> Zones

• Scroll to Heart Rate

• Scroll to Run Heart Rate or Choose ‘add activity-run’

• Scroll to Auto Calculation: 

  • Input Threshold Heart Rate from Test

    • Input your Max/Resting Heart Rate(RHR)

• Use the following auto-calculation:

  • Lactate Threshold

  • Andy Coggan (5)

• Click Calculate

• Click Apply

• Record your HR/Power zones so you can use them in your next training session

SETTING YOUR RUN PACE ZONES

If we are running on the track or on fairly consistent or flat routes, we can/will run off of pace. Otherwise, we recommend running off of of heart rate.

INSTRUCTIONS- SETTING YOUR HR ZONES IN TRAININGPEAKS

• Go to Athlete—>Settings—>Zones

• Scroll to Speed/Pace/Default Speed/Pace

• Input Threshold Pace from the Test

• Choose Threshold Speed

• Choose My Pro Coach Running(5)

• Click Calculate

• Click Apply

• Record your HR/Pace zones so you can use them in your next training sessions