Testing

The following is an Excel spreadsheet you can download where you can enter your run test data (5k assessment plus warmup data), and the sheet will calculate your speed, power and/or heart rate threshold values as appropriate. You will need to enter these values within TrainingPeaks, to ensure that your workouts are targeting the correct pacing.

For more information on how to enter your zone information in TrainingPeaks, see this link. You can enter the calculated zones from sheets below (manually), or you can simply use one of the default zone methodologies within TrainingPeaks.

The file can be accessed online HERE.

Swim Testing

The spreadsheet will calculate your swim threshold pace, based on the 400 and 200 yard paces from the swim test (threshold pacing is also called CSS, or Critical Swim Speed). The chart also provides zones and a description, if you choose to enter your own custom zones in TrainingPeaks. For more information about CSS, see this article or this article.

Bike Testing

The spreadsheet will calculate your bike FTP value (Functional Threshold Power) and estimate your LTHR (Lactate Threshold Heart Rate). You will need to input your Normalized Power value for the 20 minute section of your bike test, as well as your average heart rate during the same segment. In addition, you need to add your typical resting HR value, to help provide HR zone calculations. More correctly, you should use your sitting HR value… replicating sitting still, generating no power on the bike. You can also add your weight if you want it calculate your power to weight ratio, in w/kg.

Also provided as output is approximate IF (intensity factor) and the corresponding watts, estimated HR values and rough calories burned per hour at that power output (and an estimate of carbs burned versus fat oxidation). Power and heart rate zones are included as well, and you can either input these manually in TP if you’d like, or use the standard Coggan Zones.

See the following link for Functional Threshold Power from TP or this article from Cycling Weekly. The following discusses some background on LTHR. In the context of how I use LTHR, it’s simply your threshold HR that corresponds to your functional threshold power value.

Run Testing

The spreadsheet will calculate your running threshold pacing and estimate your LTHR (Lactate Threshold Heart Rate). Note that your cycling and running LTHR values are likely different. Generally running HR values will be higher by 6 - 12 bpm, although they can be even higher. You will need to input your total 5k running time, as well as your average heart rate during the 5k. In addition, you need to add your average pace and average HR values from the last 5 minutes of your warmup, to help provide HR zone calculations.

Also provided as output is approximate IF (intensity factor) and the corresponding pace and estimated HR values. Pace and heart rate zones are included as well, and you can either input these manually in TP if you’d like, or use the standard Coggan Zones.

See the following link on background on using VDOT for running threshold and zones. The following discusses some background on LTHR. In the context of how I use LTHR, it’s simply your threshold HR that corresponds to your running threshold pace value.