With running power meters becoming affordable you can now calculate your required power needed to run a distance at a speed or in a time.
Below is a table you can use to see what your numbers might be like and what you may need to improve.
If you would like any help training with power contact us and we will be happy to chat about devising a training plan for you.
Here is our playlist of videos containing explanations of running power and how it can be used.
This will hopefully get you not only up and running with a power meter but with an understanding of what the numbers actually mean.
We are using the formula:
where Pr is the power needed for running, Pa the power to overcome air resistance and Pc the power needed to climb hills.
When you first get a power meter you need to spend some time getting used to the numbers and for the programming to get used you.
In the tables below you can change the Mass (weight) and your FTP (functional threshold power).
If you know your ftp then you can put that in, otherwise for your chosen race distance see what power you will need to complete it in a certain time - at your current weight.
It's interesting to look at what your potential is by both increasing your ftp through training and reducing your weight by a realistic amount. a combination of the 2 is probably the best way to target your chosen event.
In these tables
Pr and Pa are added to get total power needed to run at that speed - with no wind and no hills. Wind and hills are dependent on weather and the specific course you are on, we clearly can't take these into account.
At times under 10 minutes power calculations are less accurate, due to the increase in the use of anaerobic energy and ATP pathways used to fuel your running.