RunPowerModel for Weight Vest Training

Hi-

First off, an introduction.  I’ve never been a runner or really identified as a runner until a couple years back.  A friend proposed that we run the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim in one day and I said yes because I like to be the guy that says yes to fun challenges like that.  With a very limited background in endurance sports, I immediately signed up for a marathon and started following Hal Higdon’s beginner’s marathon training plan.

Soon after, I discovered Training for the Uphill Athlete and have since been following the training principles outlined there.  I’ve even come around to enjoying running – something I never thought would be the case!

For this thread’s topic, last month I came across the article on Updated Training Peaks metrics that mentioned RunPowerModel and immediately downloaded the app to my Garmin as well as purchased and read the eBook.  I finished listening to the podcast over the weekend as well. I received a weight vest as a gift for Christmas this year and have been walking my dog daily with my weight vest on – currently 27 lbs / 12 kg – as well as 10 lbs / 4.5 kg ankle weights.  Weekdays my duration is 20 – 30 minutes each morning and I tend to have 1 longer session on the weekends for 1 – 1.5 hours.  It’s walking with my dog, so pace and heart rate are variable.

Recording these walks prior to RunPowerModel didn’t really capture anything meaningful.  TSS in TrainingPeaks would be 5 or 6 for the weekdays and 15 – 20 for the weekend for a weekly TSS of 40 – 50.  Adding 17 kg in the RunPowerModel app, however, much more accurately captures the work I’m doing in these daily sessions and triples (or more) the TSS score each session receives in TrainingPeaks.  I think the TSS is pretty accurate overall – this past Saturday I recorded a 67 TSS walking my dog for 65 minutes on rolling hilly streets, or roughly equivalent to a 45-minute zone 2 run.  In terms of perceived exertion and recovery, I do find these two activities pretty similar.

Anyway, I wanted to reach out with this activity / data point.  I know Scott asked Markus about using RunPowerModel for mountaineering with weighted packs.  Obviously walking my dog with a weight vest is a different use case, but I find it very beneficial overall and will continue to do so.