Whether you do a triathlon, cycling, running, or swimming, training zones are a framework of intensity that guide you in achieving performance adaptations and specificity.

When it comes to setting triathlon Training Zones there are numerous testing protocols and measures. They are simply a way of differentiating workout intensities. It’s worth remembering that the benefits of one zone will often crossover with the benefits of another. Best not to panic on being 100% accurate all the time.

Once you’re set your training zones, you can then easily differentiate between things like aerobic endurance, tempo, speed, and recovery training. This enables you to train at the right intensity for the session you have planned.

Measuring​ ​intensity​ ​is​ ​important​ ​in​ ​training​ ​to​ ​dial​ ​in​ ​your​ ​pace/effort​ ​in preparation​ ​for​ ​your​ ​event and​ ​understand​ ​training​ ​progress. Intensity defined at an appropriate workout for technique, endurance, strength, threshold, and speed training sessions.

When​ ​​defining​ ​training​ ​intensity​, I ​will​ ​use​ ​heart​ ​rate, power,​ ​pace,​ ​and RPE, Rate of Perceived effort.​ ​If​ ​used​ ​in​ ​the​ ​right​ ​way,​ ​these​ numbers ​can​ ​provide​ ​you​ ​with​ ​feedback​ ​that​ ​can​ ​help​ ​you​ ​improve​ ​your​ ​performance​ ​in​ ​training​ ​and​ ​racing.​

​In​ ​swimming,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​best​ ​to​ ​use​ ​RPE and pace​ ​to​ ​measure​ intensity since​ ​conditions​ ​in​ ​the​ ​pool​ ​don’t​ ​vary​ ​much,​ ​except​ ​water​ ​temperature.​ ​distance,​ ​​yards​ ​, or​ ​meter pool​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​current in open water. Heart rate monitors don’t always read well in water and I don’t know any swimming power meter device.

For​ ​biking​ ​and​ ​running,​ ​​​power, heart​ ​rate​ ​,​ ​and​ ​pace​ along with the rate of perceived effort ​can​ ​be​ ​used​ ​to measure​ ​improvement.​ ​

Pace is a measure of speed and distance and ​ ​factors​ ​such​ ​as​ ​weather​ ​and terrain​ ​affect​ ​both​ ​pace and distance covered at that time. Pace-based run training typically leads to better results on a track since the terrain is flat.

Power is a measure of workload ​regardless​ ​of​ ​terrain​ ​and​ ​weather. Power meters indicate precisely how much power is being exerted at a given time.  Such precise and immediate feedback enables very precise training and racing,

Heart rate measures what your heart is doing at various work-loads. While the heart rate monitor (HRM) will give you an accurate reading of what your heart is doing (and allow you to correlate HR with a given training level/zone), your perceived exertion allows you to evaluate how difficult a training session is by assigning numbers to your perception of each incremental level of difficulty.

RPE is a feeling. You can use a table of graduated levels rating Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).

Measuring Improvement

An​ ​example​ ​of​ ​measuring​ ​improvement​ ​with​ ​heart​ ​rate in running. If ​you currently​ ​run​ ​at 5k test,​ ​​​3​.1 ​miles,​ ​in​ ​30​ ​minutes​, RPE 8 at​ ​a​ ​heart​ ​rate​ ​of​ ​150​ ​beats​, and​ ​3​ ​months​ ​later​ ​you repeat​ ​the​ ​test​ ​and​ ​run​ ​3.1​ ​miles​ ​in​ ​30​ ​minutes​, RPE 8 ​at a heart rate of ​140​ ​beats then​ ​lower​ ​heart​ ​rate​ ​at​ ​the​ ​same​ ​pace​ and RPE ​is​ ​a sign​ ​of​ ​fitness.​ ​

Likewise,​ ​if​ ​you​ ​run​ ​3.1​ ​miles​ ​in​ ​30​ ​minutes​ ​at​ ​a heart​ ​rate​ ​150​ ​beats​, RPE of 8 ​, and​ ​next​ ​test​ ​you run​ ​3.1​ ​miles​ ​in​ ​28​ ​minutes​, RPE of 8 ​at​ ​a heart​ ​rate​ ​150​ ​beats,​ ​the same​ ​heart​ ​rate​ , and RPE ​ and​ ​faster​ ​time,​ ​ ​is​ ​a​ ​sign​ ​of fitness​ ​and​ ​improvement.​ ​

The same​ ​idea​ ​applies​ ​to​ bike with ​power.​ ​​​If during your 20-minute bike test you ride 5 miles, RPE 8 at 150 watts, and three months later your ride 7 miles, RPE 6 at 150 watts, more miles lower RPE, the same watts, RPE = increase fitness. Likewise, if you ride 5 miles at 150 watts at RPE 7 then three months later you ride 5 miles in 18 minutes at 150 watts, same power, faster time = fitness.

​Another example of measuing pace at the track, constant flat surface. If you run 3.1 miles in 30 minutes and next times you run 3.1 mile on the same track under similar weather adn wind conditions in 28 minutes, that is a sign of fitness. If you run 3.1 miles and the weather varies for the previous test with wind, extreme heat or cold, and you run 30 minutes, that does not mean you have not improved and looked at other intensity variables like heart rate and rpe help determine improvement

Easy, moderate and hard workout explained

Always train With​ ​Rate of Perceived Effort.

Traning without a GPS, power meter or heart rate monitor? Don’t have a way to capture data. No problem. You can still complete andy training by using the rate of perceived exertion (RPE).

I use RPE to indicate the intensity of the training plans I created on training peaks since it is universal for anyone who purchases a training plan and does not require intensity in any GPS or heart rate monitor. RPE is a 10-point scale. Technology is not a guarantee and can give out in the middle of a training session or race and to avoid panic, the ability and awareness of RPE can prevent you from going too hard early on

RPE is a feeling, not a pace, power, or heart rate. It is important that you learn how to use RPE in addition to whatever additional measures of the intensity you may use. I started the sport in 1992 before GPS and heart rate monitors and believe it to be the best way to learn how your body is responding to the training sessions.

When we only focus on watts, heart rate or pace, we run the risk of misreading our fitness which can result in either an under performance race or going faster than we should be. Let’s say, you are used to running at 7 mph in your race efforts. However, there will be days that you simply won’t achieve that speed—yet the aerobic load remains the same, regardless of your speed. On the flip side, you might not be training hard enough if you are having a great day with fresh legs—you could have been training at 8 mph.

RPE enables you to subjectively measure your level of effort and, when combined with a heart rate monitor or power meter, RPE provides a more complete picture of one’s level of effort. Because of these points, it makes sense to combine the two when communicating the varying intensities of workouts. 

No matter what your power meter or heart rate says, if your threshold -intervals suddenly feel like an RPE of 5, you’re not going hard enough.

Likewise, if you’re running or riding in the endurance heart rate zone on your recovery or long run and it feels hard, like RPE 7-8, dial the pace/intensity down, and if you are already at a slower pace, the higher RPE and slower pace is an indication you might be fatigued, sick

Log RPE for the session for the main set. You can also log RPE for warm ups, cool downs and drills in your training log. RPE of 6 at a certain pace, won’t feel too hard the first 5-10 minutes at a certain pace. Continue that pace for an hour and your RPE will most likely increase at the pace for a certain duration.

Also, note that a short high power/heart rate workout can be low RPE due to shorter duration and a longer workout with lower power/heart rate might have a high RPE due to duration. For example, a 5-hour ride in zone 2 power/heart rate, could easily feel like a 7-8 out of 10 just because it’s so long, even though it has lower workout load. And a 30 minute workout with 30-60 second zone 5 power/heart rate might only be an RPE 5 workout due to lower duration.

If you decide to train by heart rate and/or power you must set your THRESHOLDS correctly in your account profile settings for the bike and run.

Overall,​ ​I​ ​like​ ​to​ ​train​ ​with​ ​heart​ ​rate,​ ​power​ ​, and​ ​pace​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​how​ ​I​ ​feel​ ​and​ ​monitor​ ​RPE,​ ​within​ ​each​ ​sport​ ​, and​ ​often​ ​race​ ​without​ ​technology​ ​and​ ​rely​ ​on​ ​feel.​ ​I​ ​still primarily​ ​train​ ​and​ ​race​ ​by​ ​RPE​ ​cause​ ​I​ ​don’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​controlled​ ​by​ ​numbers. ​Maybe​ ​old school,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​successful​ ​before​ ​technology.

Instead of using mileage or workout splits as end goals, I use them to provide feedback.

In the chart below I outline how RPE correlates to training zones.

Key​ ​Points​ ​to​ ​Keep​ ​in​ ​Mind

• Assess​ ​your​ ​current​ ​level​ ​of​ ​fitness​ ​and​ ​set​ ​your​ ​training​ ​paces​ ​and​ ​zones
• Swim Test, Bike Test, Run Test
• Warm-ups​ ​and​ ​cool-downs​ ​are​ ​done​ ​in​ ​zone​ ​1-2,​ ​RPE​ ​1-4.
• Main​ ​Sets​ ​are​ ​generally​ ​done​ ​in​ ​zone​ ​2-5,​ ​RPE​ ​4-10,
• Cool Downs are done in zone 1-2, RPE 1-5
• Follow​ ​the​ ​principle​ ​of​ ​progression​ ​to​ ​avoid​ ​injury,​ ​burnout​ ​, and​ ​loss​ ​of​ ​motivation
• Keep​ ​in​ ​mind​ ​factors​ ​that​ ​affect​ ​​intensity​ ​​​​can​ ​include,​ ​illness,​ ​emotional​ ​stress, medications,​ ​sleep,​ ​dehydration,​ ​low​ ​glycogen​ ​levels,​ ​caffeine,​ ​heat​ ​, and​ ​humidity

Effort​ ​Type	RPE	Zone	Heart​ ​Rate	Power	How​ ​does​ ​it​ ​feel
ACTIVE RECOVERY	RPE​ ​1-2	Zone​ ​1	<68%​ ​of​ ​ATHR	<55%​ ​of​ ​FTP	Very​ ​easy,​ ​used​ ​in​ ​warm​ ​ups and​ ​cool​ ​downs Minimal​ ​sensation​ ​of​ ​leg effort/fatigue​ ​•​ ​Used​ ​for active​ ​recovery​ ​after strenuous​ ​training​ ​days
ENDURANCE	RPE​ ​3-4	Zone​ ​2	69-83%​ ​of​ ​ATHR	56-75%​ ​of​ ​FTP	All​ ​day​ ​pace​ ​or​ ​classic​ ​long slow​ ​distance​ ​(LSD)​ ​training​ ​• Sensation​ ​of​ ​leg​ ​effort/fatigue generally​ ​low.​ ​Ironman​ ​racing effort
TEMPO	RPE​ ​5-6	Zone​ ​3	84-94%​ ​ATHR	76-90%​ ​of​ ​FTP	More​ ​frequent/greater sensation​ ​of​ ​leg​ ​effort/fatigue. “Kind​ ​of​ ​hard”​ ​Half​ ​IM​ ​racing effort
LACTATE THRESHOLD	RPE​ ​7-8	Zone​ ​4	95-105%​ ​of​ ​ATHR	91-105%​ ​of FTP	High​ ​Effort,​ ​progress sustainability​ ​from​ ​5-20 minute​ ​intervals.​ ​Sprint​ ​and OLY​ ​distance​ ​racing​ ​effort
VO2​ ​MAX	RPE​ ​9-10	Zone​ ​5	Above​ ​level​ ​4, your​ ​HR​ ​won’t​ ​go up​ ​at​ ​the​ ​same levels​ ​as previously​ ​since intervals​ ​are shorter.​ ​It’s​ ​best to​ ​rely​ ​on​ ​RPE from​ ​this​ ​level onwards	106-120%​ ​of FTP	Typical​ ​intensity​ ​of​ ​longer (3-8​ ​min)​ ​intervals​ ​intended to​ ​increase​ ​VO2max.​ ​•​ ​Strong to​ ​severe​ ​sensations​ ​of​ ​leg effort/fatigue.​ ​Sprint​ ​distance racing​ ​for​ ​experienced athletes

Andy​ ​Coggan​​ ​and​ ​​Joe​ ​Friel​​ ​​A​ ​Quick​ ​Guide​ ​to​ ​Setting​ ​Up​ ​Zones