Even pros pay attention to it. "One huge component I lacked in college and my early career was power," Stephanie Bruce, 38, pro runner with Hoka Northern Arizona Elite, tweeted earlier this year. "I'm proud that after years of strength work and heavy lifting and hills, we have greatly improved my power and stayed essentially injury-free for 6+ years." Less than two weeks after that tweet, in January 2022, Bruce won the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona half marathon in Phoenix.
Who wouldn't want to run faster and stay injury-free? Power is yet another piece of the puzzle that can inform your training so you can get the most out of every run. And now that it's more accessible than ever, it's time to tap into it.
What power tells you about performance
Imagine a sprinter's wide-open stride, and the amount of force they generate with each step. That's power. When it comes down to the numbers, though, "power is one of those metrics that you can use to gauge how hard you're going," says Chris Myers, PhD, CSCS, a coach with Peaks Coaching Group and coauthor of Triathlon Training with Power.
What sets it apart from other metrics: It gives you a real-time effort assessment. Pace and heart rate, which can be affected by several external factors, won't do that. Power is kind of like your rate of perceived exertion-but instead of subjectively rating your perception of your effort during a workout on a scale of 0 to 10, you're getting a quantifiable metric that can inform your training.
Power is also a measure of efficiency, or running faster with less energy: "If you can generate more power with every step while at a lower heart rate or faster pace than in previous workouts, that's a sign of improvement," says Colleen Brough, PT, DPT, director of Columbia RunLab at Columbia University.
How to get a power measurement
This story is from the Issue 03, 2022 edition of Runner's World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 03, 2022 edition of Runner's World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PARENTING THROUGH RUNNING
I GRAB MY headlamp and run down the driveway, heading out for the quiet streets an hour before sunrise.
STOP LISTENING TO MUSIC WHILE YOU RUN! (TRY AUDIOBOOKS INSTEAD)
I'VE RUN MORE than 30 marathons over the past 20 years, but I recently found one hack that has made my last two training cycles the most fun I've ever had logging a ton of miles: audiobooks.
RISE OF THE "ILLEGAL" RUNNING SHOES
Banned shoes emerged courtside long before they found their way onto a marathon course.
THE SECRET TO SPEED IS IN YOUR BLOOD
Some of the world's best runners credit this unorthodox Norwegian training method for their success. Is it right for you?
TEAM BONDING AND AMATEUR FILMMAKING
I WENT TO my first high-school cross-country practice freshman year in jean shorts, mostly walking as I heaved and huffed.
I NEED A DRINK RUN
TO KEEP THE cold at bay one December night in 2022, my friend Justine and I got together for some mulled wine, a hot drink as delicious as it is sentimental to me, reminding me of holiday gatherings and Christmas markets back home in the Czech Republic.
HOW TO START A RUN WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT
I'VE ALWAYS FELT validation when reading a story about writers and their love of procrastination.
THE CASE FOR NOT RUNNING
I HAVE TO let you in on a little secret: I haven't been running much these last few months, and it's the best decision I've made.
THANKS, SPECTATORS!
IN THE EARLY MORNING hours of Marathon Sunday, the nerves hit me even before I donned the shirt I made for the race, with \"ALY\" across my chest in hot-pink glittery letters.
HOW FAR CAN RUNNING LAKEYOU AFTER A DECADE OF ADDICTION!
WHEN MITCH AMMONS FINALLY GOT CLEAN, HE COULD BARELY JOG A HALF MILE. NOW HE'S LINING UP WITH SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S TOP DISTANCE RUNNERS AT THE 2024 OLYMPIC MARATHON TRIALS.