Which Training Data for Each Running Workout?

You start the running workout mode on your Cheetah 2 Pro or Active 3 Premium. On the AMOLED display, you see four basic metrics: distance, workout time, current pace and heart rate. This is the factory setting. But did you know that the number of metrics you can monitor while running can exceed eighty, and that you can have as many as ten different workout data screens?

Of course, the point is not to analyze dozens of metrics during every workout and constantly switch between data screens. Too much information can be just as unhelpful as too little. The key is to choose the right metrics for the type of workout you are doing.

You need different data for an easy run, different data for intervals, and yet another set for a long run or a tempo workout. Customizing your workout data screens allows you to adapt your watch to the specific goal of your workout, rather than the other way around.

Let’s take a look at the most popular types of running workouts and see which data is worth having at hand.

RUNS AFTER A TRAINING BREAK AND FOR BEGINNERS

Returning to running after a longer break requires patience. At first, even a very easy pace can cause your heart rate to rise quickly, especially if you are a beginner or are returning after a period of detraining.

For these workouts, the most important metric is time spent exercising, but it is also worth keeping an eye on pace and heart rate. Pace can help prevent you from starting too fast, while heart rate allows you to assess whether the effort is still comfortable. If your heart rate starts rising noticeably despite running at an easy pace, it is worth slowing down or switching to walking. Once your heart rate settles, you can return to an easy jog.

Over time, as your body adapts to the effort, walking breaks will be needed less and less often, and the workout will gradually turn into one continuous, easy run. In this case, distance is not the most important metric. What matters more is controlling the duration and intensity of the effort.

Tip: set up a workout screen with three metrics: workout time, heart rate and current pace. You can leave distance out this time.

EASY AND RECOVERY RUNS

These runs support recovery, help build an aerobic base and prepare the body for harder workouts. Long, easy runs also build endurance and improve the efficiency of energy utilization – something that is particularly important when preparing for a half marathon or marathon.

Which metrics can tell us whether a run is actually easy?

First, pay attention to HRmax, or maximum heart rate, and second, to the five heart-rate zones that the Cheetah 2 Pro and Active 3 Premium use to determine exercise intensity. It is worth remembering that HRmax and the heart-rate zones derived from it are individual values, so your watch may show different values for you than it does for your running friends.

An easy run should be performed in the first or second heart-rate zone. Another useful metric is exercise duration. If you want to monitor pace, treat it primarily as additional information – pace can help you notice when you need to slow down to maintain the intended intensity.

Tip: if the easy run is primarily intended to support recovery, set up a workout screen with two metrics: workout time and heart rate. If the easy run is also a long run aimed at building endurance, add pace as well.

STRIDES

Strides are short, fast efforts performed dynamically but not at maximum intensity. They help improve running technique, stimulate the nervous system and provide a good introduction to more demanding interval training. They can be incorporated into easy runs during the week.

You can measure strides either by distance or by time. If you prefer, for example, 100 m strides, two metrics will be useful: lap distance and lap time. The time recorded for each interval will allow you to control both the pace and the recovery between strides.

For example, you can run 10 × 100 m, with each stride followed by a 60-second recovery jog. If you prefer to focus solely on lap time, you do not need any other data during the strides. You can simply focus on running faster for, say, 20 seconds, followed by 40 seconds of easy jogging, and repeat this 10 times.

Tip: after your warm-up, use a workout screen with just one or, at most, two metrics: lap time and lap distance.HILL REPEATSHill repeats offer many benefits. Slow efforts on steep hills primarily develop running-specific strength, while fast efforts on longer, more gradual climbs can help improve endurance, running technique and VO₂max.

Which data is useful during hill repeats?

First and foremost, the distance and duration of each hill repeat, which can be tracked using lap distance and lap time. These metrics make it easy to control the length and duration of each effort, as well as the recovery time before the next repetition. Current heart rate or a metric showing heart rate as a percentage of HRmax can also be useful. Heart rate should be treated as additional information about exercise intensity, especially during longer hill repeats.

Instead of pace, which can be misleading on an uphill section because of the gradient, running power can provide more information about the effort you are putting in. If you want to compare successive repetitions, use lap power, which shows the average power generated during the given interval.

Tip: monitor the length of the hill repeat (lap distance), its duration and average power (lap time, lap power), as well as current heart rate.

PASSIVE AND ACTIVE CROSS-COUNTRY RUNS

Cross-country running is an excellent training stimulus for developing running strength and endurance. It can be performed on a hilly route or on a loop with one or several climbs. Depending on how it is performed, we can distinguish between a passive cross-country run, where the priority is a steady, controlled intensity, and an active cross-country run, where pace and intensity are gradually increased.

During the first part of the preparation for the running season, it is worth focusing on the passive cross-country run, which should be performed at an easy pace. Workout duration is more important than the distance covered. It is also worth monitoring heart rate. It will naturally rise on uphill sections, so instead of trying to maintain the same pace as on flat terrain, it is better to slow down or use running power. This metric helps assess the effort required to run, taking into account factors such as changes in speed and terrain gradient.

A view showing the elevation profile of the route can also be useful. Knowing that a climb or descent is approaching makes it easier to manage your effort – you will know when to slow down before a climb and where you can allow yourself to run faster.

Once your body has adapted to the effort, it is worth introducing the active cross-country run. Here, a specific distance and pace become more important, but on a hilly route it is useful to monitor two types of pace information at the same time. On flat sections, monitor current pace, while on climbs, Grade Adjusted Pace can be useful. This is pace adjusted for elevation gain and loss, making it easier to assess running intensity regardless of the terrain. Heart rate is also worth monitoring so that you do not start the workout too aggressively and still have enough energy for the finish.

If you perform an active cross-country run on a relatively short loop with one climb, you can also treat it as a progression run. For example, over 10 laps, you can gradually increase your pace every two laps. In this type of workout, average lap pace or average lap power, as well as current heart rate, will be useful.

Tip: during a passive cross-country run, primarily monitor workout time, heart rate and running power, and use the elevation profile as additional information. During an active cross-country run, focus on distance, pace or Grade Adjusted Pace, and heart rate. On a short, repetitive loop, lap pace or lap power can also be useful.

INTERVALS AND TEMPO RUNS

Fast running intervals help develop speed and increase VO₂max. However, intervals should always be preceded by a warm-up, including at least a 15-minute easy run or a few easy kilometers. During the warm-up, pay attention to your heart rate as well. If it does not start rising too quickly during the easy run, this is a sign that your body is ready for the intervals.

During intervals or tempo runs, other metrics will be more useful: lap time, lap average pace and lap distance, meaning the time and distance of the interval and its average pace. After completing each interval and starting the recovery between fast efforts, press the lower-right button so that the watch starts measuring the next interval from zero.

Displaying only three key metrics on the screen during intervals has several advantages. It allows you to focus on the most important information. If you are running intervals on a track, lap time is particularly useful. If you are running in a forest or on the road, monitor the distance and average pace of the interval. After pressing the lower-right button, you can also use these metrics to control the duration and distance of the recovery between intervals.

For longer intervals or tempo runs, a metric showing your current HRmax percentage can also be useful. If it is too high, slow down slightly.

Tip: set up two workout screens. The first should show heart rate, pace and either distance or warm-up time. The second, intended for intervals, should show lap time, lap average pace and lap distance. If you run intervals based on time, you can use just the first two metrics. For longer intervals, e.g. 3 km, it is also worth monitoring your HRmax percentage.

PROGRESSION RUNS

Progression runs are an excellent way to develop endurance and are a good preparation for workouts performed at threshold pace, particularly when training for 10K, half-marathon and marathon races. The challenge, however, is distributing your pace correctly. If you start too fast, you may run out of energy in the second half of the workout. Even a slight uphill or a headwind can raise your heart rate, and trying to maintain the same pace can then lead to premature fatigue and make it difficult to complete the planned distance.

Which metrics can help you stay in control during a progression run?

Lap distance can be particularly useful. If you have 15 km to cover, you can divide the workout into five 3-km sections. After completing each section, press the lower-right button. The watch will start measuring the next section from zero.

The principle is simple – the average pace of each successive section should be a few seconds faster. That is why it is useful to monitor both current pace and the average pace of the current section, or lap pace.

Current pace can fluctuate frequently during a given section due to terrain or wind. The average pace for the entire section provides a broader view of the effort and helps you stay in control of your training plan.

It is also worth monitoring heart rate. It will naturally rise as the workout progresses and the pace gradually increases. What should catch your attention is an unexpectedly rapid increase in heart rate early in the workout. In that case, it is worth adjusting the workout or running the following sections more slowly. Heart rate can also rise because of an uphill section or a strong headwind. In such situations, slow down. The more important metric is the average pace for the given section.

Tip: four metrics will be useful: lap distance, lap pace, current pace and heart rate. You can also add a second screen with additional data: total distance, current running power and gradient. These metrics can be particularly useful on routes with varied terrain.

HOW TO CUSTOMIZE TRAINING DATA?

Start a sport mode on your watch, such as Outdoor Running. The watch will display a message indicating that it’s searching for GPS.

At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see Settings. Swipe up on the screen or press the lower-left button to open it. You’ll see three options: Training, Navigation, and Workout Settings. Select Workout Settings, then tap Data Page.

This is where you can customize your data screens. You can create up to 10 different views, with each view displaying anywhere from 1 to 8 data fields.

To add a new view, tap the blue circle at the top of the screen.

To choose which data you want to see, simply tap any of the data fields. The watch will then show you nearly 100 metrics, organized into 13 categories, so you can build a setup that works best for you.

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