Running power meters 4: the Power2Run app

(Google Translation from Dutch to English)

BY 

HANS VAN DIJK & RON VAN MEGEN

JANUARY 12, 2018 04:56

In the new series on running power meters, we have shared our first experiences with the new Garmin Running Power in two articles .

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The arrival of Garmin Running Power is a good development. We were not yet very satisfied with the results, but we were also very enthusiastic because our predicted running revolution "Running with Power!" Once picked up by Garmin will break through to a broader audience. "Our friend Guido Vroemen, sports physician and trainer at SMA Midden-Nederland, asked Now to test the Power2Run app, this app is a running power meter from the US based California company Inspyridon Technologies , named after Spyridon Louis, the Greek who won the first modern Olympic marathon in 1896. The Power2Run app is only available for iPhone and other devices with an iOS operating system, such as Apple Watch and iPad.

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What does the Power2Run app offer?

The app shows your running speed in real-time using the barometer and accelerators of the iPhone. Afterwards the app gives a summary of the average power during the running session (in Watts), the specific power (in Watts / kg body weight), the total elapsed time (there is a car pause for traffic lights and such), the distance traveled , the average pace, the elapsed time, the calories consumed, and the number of meters that you went up or down. On the way you see the current values ​​and you get a summary per kilometer split on the screen of your iPhone.

 

These are basic data that are already sufficiently complete for the simple practical use of a running power meter. You can view the results after the training or competition on your iPhone, or download them as a file and then upload them in, for example, Garmin Connect and TrainingPeaks to further analyze them. The Power2Run app you can try for free. After 10 data exports, you are expected to purchase Power2Run premium for € 5.49.

 

Power2Run is a novelty compared to the competitors Garmin Running Power and Stryd that can be chosen in advance on the surface on which you are going to run. After all, it makes a difference to calculate whether you are on the running track, road or a trail. We have gone deeper into the influence of the subsoil on ProRun. We suspect that Power2Run works with a correction factor for the subsurface. With the influence of the wind on your performance, Power2Run does nothing.

 

Introduction to Power2Run in practice

Ron has done a training on the road with the Power2Run app and his iPhone; a training with hills and longer fairly flat paths. On the flat is walked with different tempos. Garmin Running Power and Stryd are naturally included.

 

The first thing to notice was that the GPS of the iPhone with 17.43 km gives a different value for the distance traveled than the Garmin 935XT (GPS and Glonass) with 17.73 km, and the most accurate known Stryd with 17,695 km . This GPS aspect appears to work quite a bit in the times of the kilometer splits of the iPhone and therefore also in the power calculations by Power2Run. Power2Run comes to an average power of 237 Watts before training. Stryd comes at 246.2 Watt. Garmin is again a lot and too high at 324 Watts.

 

In the graph, we split the energy consumption calculated using Power2Run's data per km split as ECOR (Energy Cost of Running) and placed the altitude profile from Garmin Connect below.Garmin is 51 m up and 62 m down. The iPhone for Power2Run with respectively 53 m and 63 m on almost the same.

 

Up to the first climb, Ron walked at a pace of 5: 40 / km. Its usual ECOR is then 1.02 kJ / kg / km.After the last descent Ron walked in 5: 00 / km; the corresponding ECOR is then normally a fraction above 1.00 kJ / kg / km. The graph shows that Power2Run is invariably below these values.

 

The climb of km 6 has an average increase of 2% (20 m height gain). The decrease in km 12 is also 2% on average. With the knowledge from our books Running with Power! and The Secret of Running we calculate that the ECOR of Ron on these slopes 1.09 and resp. 0.89 kJ / kg / km.Power2Run comes out on resp. 1.10 and 0.93 kJ / kg / km.

 

TrainingPeaks

We have downloaded the vPower.tcx file with all Power2Run data into TrainingPeaks. This went smoothly. All usual analyzes can be performed. As an example we give a piece of a screen with the power distribution in the training.

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Conclusions

Power2Run makes smart use of the possibilities that newer Apple products offer. The power values ​​are very close to reality. Power2Run is therefore considerably better than the IQ app Garmin Running Power.

 

Power2Run is - especially for the price - very suitable for runners who want to get acquainted with running power meters. For power users, Power2Run is still too much in its infancy.

 

You can read the effect of all factors on your performance in our book

Running with Power!

The book is a revolution in running field. The book explains the background and benefits of running power meters that are currently on the market. Like cyclists, runners can now also optimize their performance in training and in the race with the extra information of their wattage! From the writers of The Secret of Running.

The ISBN numbers are:

paperback 978-90-821069-7-8

e-book (ePub3) 978-90-821069-8-5

e-book (Adobe DRM pdf) 978-90-821069-9-2

Hans van Dijk and Ron van Megen

www.hardlopenmetpower.nl