Runner's Daily Metrics Reference

Daily Metrics to Monitor

1. Body Battery (Garmin)

• Optimal Range: 50-100 (good recovery and readiness to train)
• Low (<30): Indicates fatigue or poor recovery (consider rest)
• High (>80): Suitable for high-intensity workouts

2. Resting Heart Rate (RHR)

• Elite Runners: 40-50 bpm
• Well-Trained: 50-60 bpm
• General Fitness: 60-70 bpm
• Warning Sign: If RHR increases by >5-10 bpm, it may indicate fatigue, stress, or illness.

3. Power-to-Weight Ratio (Running FTP / Body Weight)

• Beginner: 2.5 - 3.5 W/kg
• Intermediate: 3.5 - 4.5 W/kg
• Advanced: 4.5 - 5.5 W/kg
• Elite: 5.5+ W/kg
• Your Goal: Improve from 4.59 W/kg towards 5 W/kg

4. Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

• Excellent Recovery: 70-100 ms (higher is better, low stress, high parasympathetic tone)

• Good Recovery: 50-70 ms (healthy individuals)

• Fatigue: 30-50 ms (under mild stress)

• Warning Sign: A drop of >30 ms may indicate poor recovery, high stress, over training or poor sleep

  ⚠️ Note: HRV is highly individual. What's low for one person may be normal for another. Trends over time are more useful than single readings.

5. Sleep Duration & Quality

• Total Sleep: 7-9 hours per night

• REM Sleep: 1.5-2 hours This is the dreaming stage of sleep. It typically occurs 90 minutes after you fall asleep and recurs several times throughout the night, getting longer in later cycles.

  • What happens in REM:
    • Brain is highly active (like you're awake!)
    • Dreams occur
    • Memory consolidation and emotional processing
  • REM is vital for:
    • Learning
    • Creativity
    • Mental recovery

• Deep Sleep: 1-2 hours This is the most physically restorative stage of sleep. It typically happens more in the first half of the night.

  • What happens in Deep Sleep:

    • Muscles repair
    • Growth hormone is released
    • Immune system strengthens
    • HR and breathing slow down

  • Deep sleep is essential for:

    • Physical recovery (especially for athletes)
    • Tissue repair
    • Energy restoration

6. Running Cadence (Steps per Minute)

• Optimal Range: 175-185 spm

7. Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR)

• Your Current LTHR: check yours from fitness app (ex: 175 bpm)
• Goal: Improve pace at LTHR with Zone 2 & tempo runs

The optimal range for Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR) varies based on fitness level and training background. It is typically:

• Untrained Individuals: 70–80% of Max Heart Rate (HRmax)
• Recreational Runners: 80–85% of HRmax
• Elite Endurance Athletes: 85–90% of HRmax

Formula to Estimate LTHR

A common way to estimate LTHR is:
LTHR = HRmax * (0.80 to 0.90)

Where HRmax is your maximum heart rate.

Example Calculation

If your HRmax is 190 bpm:

LTHR = 190 * 0.85 = 161.5 bpm

8. VO2 Max (Aerobic Capacity)

• Your Current VO2 Max: check your fitness app (ex: 50 ml/kg/min)
• Target: 60+ ml/kg/min (Elite Level)

9. Running Efficiency & Vertical Oscillation

• Optimal Vertical Oscillation: 6-8 cm
• Warning: If >10 cm, focus on core strength & shorter ground contact time

10. Hydration & Weight Fluctuations

• Daily Fluid Intake: 2.5 - 3.5L/day(depends on your body weight + workout sweat loss)
• Post-Run Weight Loss:
  • >2% loss: Suggests dehydration → Increase electrolytes

11. Muscle Oxygen Saturation (SmO2) - If Available

• Optimal: 60-80% during easy runs
• Low (<50%) may indicate fatigue or oxygen inefficiency

Tracking & Frequency

Metric	Daily	Weekly	Monthly
Body Battery	✅	-	-
Resting HR	✅	-	-
Power-to-Weight Ratio	-	✅	✅
HRV	✅	-	-
Sleep	✅	-	-
Cadence	✅	✅	-
LTHR	-	✅	✅
VO2 Max	-	✅	✅
Vertical Oscillation	-	✅	✅
Hydration	✅	-	-
Muscle Oxygen (SmO2)	-	✅	✅

Action Plan for Improvement

• Monitor daily trends and adjust training load accordingly.
• Increase Zone 2 training to enhance aerobic efficiency.
• Strength & Plyometric Workouts to improve power and cadence.
• Track sleep & HRV to ensure optimal recovery.
• Hydrate properly and balance electrolytes for performance sustainability.