Stryd

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

@NickK I don’t as well. I found those things too nerdy to benefit me. Kinda like data without actionable items

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos I wouldn’t call that data without actionable items. This book actually has a very good description of how CS/CP curve can be used to tune your training.

And if you check the latest in PowerCenter, they do point out which sections of the curves have been underutilized and what workouts you need to do to fix that. I also find Stryd’s latest race predictions fairly accurate, and their Race Calculator takes into account not only your recent CP, but also the route’s elevation profile, expected environmental conditions vs what you trained at, etc.

Again, may not be applicable to somebody running in the mountains. Just saying… It’s a fairly well built out platform. The new Palladino’s plans are also fairly interesting. Got me thinking. I wish Stryd provided them as guides to Suunto watches.

@isazi said in Stryd:

I just used power to get TSS in TrainingPeaks, and used the adjusted pace.

Wait, but your TSS would be based on FTP, and that number would change depending on your fitness. Are you going to regularly test using other means? Because I don’t think you get auto-estimated FTP like Garmin produces for hard workouts with heart rate straps or auto-calculated CP like Stryd does.

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos said in Stryd:

I found those things too nerdy to benefit me.

Says the guy who developed Quantified Self Dear, dear! I leave you guys for a year and look what happens!

isazi

@NickK yes I prefer to do proper tests for aerobic and anaerobic thresholds every now and then, find it more suited to me than always tracking as I do Z1 99% of the time, so automatically computed zones are always so low. It’s just want I do, works for me, not suggesting anyone else to be me

@isazi I see, was just wondering… yes, I agree that if the bulk of your training is easy running and you don’t race often, the auto-computed values might be lacking. Had this very problem for years with Stryd until I started including more strenuous workouts 1-2 times a week and racing more often.

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

@NickK well. I have been puzzles about data and books when I was in good "shape " or top shape back in 2016.

Lately I broke my best efforts just because I had phycological loads without any "real " training before that, and just by increasing my tss due to load of other activities. My running is done in z1-3 mainly. So go figure out.

My takeout is that training and phycology matters , as long as there is play. Something like fartlek. And as some say , it’s a game , don’t take it seriously.

My point of view.

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos I see…

Would you say you train more now than you did back in the day, around 2016? Less? Different training focus? How’s your overall training load look like compared to 5-8 years ago?

it’s a game, don’t take it seriously

Honestly, my problem has less to do with seriousness (I know I’m not gonna make the Olympics) and more with the need to apply my scarce time resources in the most efficient manner possible. I think curve also forces me to face up to my deficiencies and do the types of hard training I would otherwise tend to avoid. I used to have other cross-training that filled up the gaps, but post-Covid era shapes up to be a bit different.

So, different times – different tools.

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

@NickK with a personal coach , and crunching my data

herlas

Wondering whether setting STRYD as power pod only with SV is the recommendation going forward? With previous watches the best was to get pace and distance from STRYD.

trailcafe

Suunto power does not cover technical/steep trails or. hiking speed on steeper trails as good as Stryd. So if this is your terrain, the newest Stryd still has benefits for you. If it’s more rolling trails you are running Suunto native power is fine

Brad_Olwin

@trailcafe To be honest I don’t think power is useful on trails/hills, etc. I believe and use RPE for the vast majority of my training. I had a Stryd and based on my prior road bike racing I knew the power of Power:) However, for trail running and ultras it simply is not useful except for one use. I use power to set my interval training, it works well for that.

RightNow

Hi I am new here. My plan is to buy a Suunto vertical but I want to inform me first how good the stryd compatibility really is. It’s native, right?
Do I get all the extra metrics from the new stryd?
If I am planning my workouts in Trainingpeaks with “Power”. Can I use that directly on my watch?

Any plans for Suunto Plus integration?

Many thanks for helping me with my decision

trailcafe

@Brad_Olwin yes, interval training is my main use case. Additionally it is one more indicator to calculate your long time progression over time.

isazi

@RightNow it’s native, plus there is a S+ coming. The app includes the other metrics, the native support only power, or power+cadence+pace. Yes you can use structured workouts with power.

@RightNow I believe Suunto has the best Stryd compatibility, bar none, especially in the context of a wider platform and sports watch features. Trust me, I tried all others:

Stryd power displayed natively when the accessory is paired as a footpod
Ability to add power and derivatives, aka 3 sec power, 10 sec power, lap power, etc. everywhere as your data fields as many times as you want
Running power zones, with ability to set your intensity target based on power and update it during the workout
Consequently, alerts based on power zone targets
Intervals based on running power
If you use stuff like ActiveLook glasses, current power will be displayed there as well, automatically
Full support for running power structured workouts, either created within Suunto app or imported from elsewhere like Training Peaks

The only thing that’s missing are the other advanced Stryd metrics like vertical oscillation or wind power during a run. That said, do you really need them while running? And yes, rumors of S+ app for that are swirling. At the moment, Suunto would automatically upload the workout to Stryd, and you then sync your Stryd pod using the Stryd app. Your workout in PowerCenter will be merged with the Stryd’s pod data automatically resulting in a single workout that has all Stryd data and distance/pace calibrated to GPS.

Now, with COROS you can arguably get older Stryd metrics like oscillation natively. Newer ones like wind power and LBSS aren’t supported, will not be shown on the watch, and will not be sent to Stryd. No workout merge exists. So, you effectively have to choose between either using Stryd app pod sync and losing GPS/heart rate data, or having workouts sent by COROS and losing all new Stryd stats. My understanding after talking to Stryd is this was COROS decision to stop supporting new Stryd features. On top of that, other long standing limitations like no structured workouts and map/route guidance can be used together still stand.

In Garmin, you don’t have Stryd running power natively, period. Which means you either have to use a data field and lose structured workouts, zones, and alerts. Or you have to rely on Stryd app for Garmin devices, but it has too many issues of its own. There are other hacks available, like running with a biking profile, but hey… That’s just ridiculous.

@isazi said in Stryd:

@RightNow it’s native, plus there is a S+ coming.

Do you know if it’s just an S+ app similar to Training Peaks ones that displays other Stryd metrics and perhaps allows to automatically sync them all to Stryd Power Center, - OR - we will get S+ guides for their training plans/calendar?

I said it elsewhere and I will repeat it here. Given Garmin and COROS both effectively blocked Stryd development on their platforms, Suunto is the natural platform for Stryd to go. I understand they have a really good Apple Watch app, but just like with Garmin, it’s not a native workout app and it misses too much you’d expect to get from a sports watch.

RightNow

Many thanks for all the information. In summary: The support is great except I have to do an offline sync (That’s acceptable). And the upcoming Suunto plus app is at least promising (because we don’t know what’s included).

Order is placed

@RightNow Well, offline sync isn’t an amazing requirement, but it takes 10-15 sec at most and I have to go Stryd app anyways to add shoe information, set workout type, etc.

I believe it’s a decent trade-off for having all the features above, your workout in Training Peaks with clean* Stryd power data, and full workout details in Power Center.

(* By clean I mean you have only Stryd power data in your file. If you are using Garmin, there’s no way to disable Garmin running power for Stryd app, so both data streams get exported. And while Runalyze would ignore Garmin’s data and use Stryd, TP is kind of a mixed bag. In some places they use Stryd data and in others – like summaries – they use Garmin’s. Total mess.)

herlas

I’d say if you’re new to running power, SV wrist-based should be a good enough starting point. If you have STRYD already and believe you don’t need it, that’s probably true, everyone has different needs/requirements.

In my case, I made the switch to power-based training couple of years back and love it, it keeps me pushing forward. FTP is a moving metric depending on my current level of fitness. It’s motivational for me as well, receiving FTP updates after a PR race or hard workout is so much fun too.

I own the next Gen STRYD and looking forward to the Stryd S+ app.

My only issue on the Suunto side is the power zone Z4 upper limit being the fixed value for FTP. As a result, I have to set TSS from TP to all my Suunto workouts all the time, as my FTP is not by any means close to that Z4 upper limit.

Options are great to have, if you want to take a full transition to running with power, my opinion is that any wrist-based power isn’t probably enough,it’s just a small taste