rTSS very similar between Aerobic and Tempo run

[Pier Luigi Cingolani]

Hi all,

I just recently move over to Suunto watches, and have a question around rTSS which is displayed on the app.

I had a “easy” run (very out of shape + later part of the course was a uphill) yesterday. It was 36mins, 60% spent in zone 2 and 40% spent in low zone 3. App assigned it a rTSS of 32.
Went today for a Tempo run on the same exact route. 29 mins, with 75% of time spent in zone 3 and 4. App assigned it a rTSS of 37.

Aren’t the 2 extremely close despite the effort being substantially different? Is there maybe something I have not set up on the watch biasing the results?

Thanks all in advance!!

[fluca]

@Pier-Luigi-Cingolani rTSS is function of timexintensity.
Your second run is 7 mins shorter of the first. Which is ~20% less.
If you had a second run 36mins long, you’d have had a 45 rTSS (37x1.20)
To me based on your description everything It’s all right.

[Pier Luigi Cingolani]

@fluca Ok thanks for your input there, makes sense. Maybe related question, I am familiar with HR zones, but not with Pace and Power ones. How should I be setting them? Cannot find any documentation on Suunto website on which values are expected there.

[fluca]

@Pier-Luigi-Cingolani There is no rule that I can mention. I share with you the process that works well for me after 20 years in the sport:

Set your HR right
Set you Pace and power zone to match your HR zone
My HR zone 2 upper limit is 144BPM ( aerobic threshold - set physiologically because it’s limit where I am running without ever opening my mouth)
At 144 BPM I am running 242 Watts and 5:50 min/km
242 watts became my Power zone 2 upper limit. 5:50min/km is my pace zone 2 upper limit.

Zone 2 is the most important for me because I try to compete in long events and where I spent 90% of my training time.

The other important one is upper limit of zone 4 which drives all your TSS metrics.
To set this up (once a year, no more), I just use the Training Peaks test: Warm up then run 20-30 mins as fast as you can but ensure you complete the test. Last 20 mins avg HR/PWR/PACE are you respective Lactate Threshold to be set as zone 4 upper limit.

Suunto has a specific SUUNTOPLUS app for that.

Al the rest I set as a consequence spacing evenly between one zone and another.

[Pier Luigi Cingolani]

@fluca faboulus answer, extremely clear! Thanks!

[fluca]

@Pier-Luigi-Cingolani welcome !