Garmin run workouts use average pace instead of pace

Technical Support Bug Reports
1

It seems that when I execute a structured run workout on my Garmin watch which is prescribed by pace by the Smart Coach, the targets used are for average lap pace (for the workout segment) rather than an instantaneous pace. Is that the intent? I would think that the goal is to run at a pace within the targeted zone for the duration of an effort, rather than allow for large excursions in either direction as long as the average for the segment stays within the prescribed zone.

2

Dear @rap, thank you for your insightful comment. I think you are correct in your understanding. The goal during a structured workout should indeed be to maintain the target pace consistently throughout the segment, rather than simply hitting an average pace by allowing the instantaneous pace to fluctuate significantly.

Your prescribed target paces are based on specific thresholds, and maintaining a steady pace within the target zone is crucial for hitting the physiological target effectively. For example, this is particularly important during VO2 max sessions, where large variations in pace can introduce unwanted anaerobic components to the workout, which may not align with the intended training effect.

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3

Thanks for the clarification and confirmation of the goal during a workout. Does that mean that there is a bug in how the Garmin workouts are configured? In other words, is there a way that the Garmin workouts should be configured for the pace target to be an instantaneous pace rather than a lap average pace? Or is that a Garmin limitation? I can’t quite remember, but I believe when I used a different training program through TrainingPeaks the structured workout targets were pace rather than lap average pace.

4

Hi @Andrea and @Prof, just wondering whether this is on the roadmap to be changed in the future so that Garmin run workouts use pace instead of lap average pace. Bike workouts seem to already do this correctly (i.e., use power instead of lap average power) so it appears to only be a problem with run workouts. Thanks.

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5

Thanks @rap… I can see that @Andrea has made a request internally to work on this in the future.

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6

Yes, we messaged about some of the details this morning. Thanks!

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