I’m still trying to figure out if AIE is actually useful for me.
I’ve adjusted my running zones, as the ones suggested are much slower than when I trained with a real coach. For example, I set my main endurance zone at a pace of 5.40/km.
Today the system suggested changing it to 6.43/km. Let’s leave the pace aside for a moment.
If I’ve decided to stick to the aerobic heart rate threshold (135 bpm) in my endurance runs, which corresponds to a pace of approximately 6.55 - 7.10/km, what’s the point of suggesting an increase in the zone? What does AIE base this decision on, if it reads my heart rate data and confirms that I’m fully meeting the 135 bpm target? I still haven’t really understood this alpha1 DFA, how it can influence this aerobic threshold downwards by changing it almost immediately, while when it comes to increasing it it takes a very long time assuming it works (I’ve been running in this HR range for endurance races with AIE for more than a month and it still hasn’t increased by a single heartbeat).
Thanks for the question. There’s a difference in aerobic threshold pace and heart rate:
- heart rate threshold: it’s not expected to change (much) as you get fitter/less fit. It’s internally the boundary between working below or above threshold.
- pace threshold: that is the one that is expected to change as you get more or less fit. For the same effort (e.g. heart rate) you’re getting either faster or slower pace, so more or less external work done