[Seth Keena]

Hi Karen,

Thank for writing in. The reason you can’t find anything in the instructions or forum about choosing a pace is because you shouldn’t 🙂 A target HR is often the beginning point for the test. During your warm-up, get your HR to a MAF estimate HR (180-age) or the average HR you see for your ~60+ minute hikes form the past 5weeks. Alternatively, you can can target the upper limit of your nasal breathing capacity. Either way, like the test instructions say, slowly build up over ~10min until you are at one of these targets. At this point pace remains constant, along with inline, for the remainder of the test and HR is the observed variable.

Same is true for outdoor test; pace is an outcome of the test and should not be forced. You begin by targeting a HR. Outdoor test observes the relationship between pace and HR (Pa:HR) to determine AeT.

Best,

Seth