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The Training Balance

Successful endurance training is about finding the right balance between stress and recovery. Stride helps you manage this balance through three key metrics: Load (fitness), Fatigue (tiredness), and Form (readiness).

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Load: Your Fitness Bank Account

Load represents your current fitness level. Think of it as your “fitness bank account” - the cumulative training you’ve done over the past 42 days.

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How Load Works

• Calculated from: 42-day exponentially weighted average of Training Score
• Increases when: You train consistently
• Decreases when: You take time off or reduce training
• Rate of change: Slow - takes weeks to build or lose significantly

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Building Load Safely

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Progressive Load Building

• Week 1-4: Build slowly, +3-5 Load/week
• Week 5-8: Moderate building, +5-7 Load/week
• Week 9-12: Consolidate gains, +2-4 Load/week
• Week 13: Recovery week, maintain or slight decrease

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Load Targets by Athlete Type

Athlete Level	Typical Load Range	Weekly Hours	Description
Beginner	20-40	3-5	New to structured training
Recreational	40-60	5-8	Training for fitness/fun
Enthusiast	60-80	8-12	Regular events/races
Competitive	80-100	12-15	Racing seriously
Elite Amateur	100-120	15-20	Podium contender
Professional	120+	20+	Full-time athlete

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Fatigue: Your Recent Effort

Fatigue shows how tired you are from recent training - calculated as your 7-day average Training Score.

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Understanding Fatigue Patterns

• Spikes quickly: Hard week = high fatigue
• Drops quickly: Easy week = low fatigue
• Daily fluctuation: Normal and expected
• Relative to Load: Compare to your fitness level

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Fatigue Guidelines

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Fatigue Relative to Load

• Fatigue > Load: You’re training hard, building fitness
• Fatigue = Load: Maintaining current fitness
• Fatigue < Load: Well rested, ready for hard efforts

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Absolute Fatigue Levels

• Under 40: Very fresh, might be detraining
• 40-60: Normal training, well balanced
• 60-80: Hard training block
• 80-100: Very hard training, monitor closely
• Over 100: Risk of overtraining, consider rest

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Form: Your Performance Readiness

Form = Load - Fatigue. It indicates how ready you are to perform.

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The Form Scale

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Managing Form for Events

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3 Weeks Before Event

• Form around -20
• Still building fitness
• High training load

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2 Weeks Before

• Form around -10
• Begin tapering
• Reduce volume, maintain intensity

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1 Week Before

• Form approaching 0
• Significant volume reduction
• Openers and easy rides

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Race Day

• Form +5 to +10
• Fresh and ready
• Peak performance

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Practical Application

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Weekly Training Patterns

Build Week (Increasing Load)

• Monday: Rest or easy
• Tuesday: Intervals
• Wednesday: Endurance
• Thursday: Tempo/Sweet Spot
• Friday: Rest or easy
• Saturday: Long ride
• Sunday: Endurance
• Result: Fatigue > Load

Recovery Week (Absorbing Training)

• Reduce volume by 40-50%
• Maintain some intensity
• More rest days
• Result: Fatigue < Load

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Reading Your Numbers

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Advanced Strategies

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Periodization Using Load/Fatigue

Base Phase (12 weeks)

• Gradually build Load from 50 to 80
• Keep Form between -10 and -20
• Focus on volume over intensity

Build Phase (8 weeks)

• Maintain or slightly increase Load
• Add intensity, may see higher Fatigue
• Form can go to -25 during hard weeks

Peak Phase (3 weeks)

• Maintain Load, reduce Fatigue
• Form rises from -15 to +5
• Race ready at end

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Using Form to Guide Training

Form Range	Training Decision
Below -30	Take rest day, risk of overtraining
-30 to -20	Normal hard training, monitor fatigue
-20 to -10	Balanced training, ideal for most days
-10 to 0	Fresh, good for intervals or testing
0 to +10	Peak form, race or maintain
Above +10	Too fresh, losing fitness, train more

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Building Load Too Fast

   • Leads to injury or burnout
   • Stick to 5-7 point weekly increase

2. Chronic High Fatigue

   • Never recovering properly
   • Include regular easy weeks

3. Chasing High Form Year-Round

   • Positive Form means you’re not training enough
   • Reserve for important events

4. Ignoring the Numbers

   • Feeling terrible with “good” numbers? Rest anyway
   • Numbers guide but don’t dictate

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Recovery Strategies

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When Fatigue is Too High

• Take a complete rest day
• Do active recovery (50% FTP or less)
• Reduce workout intensity by 10-20%
• Focus on sleep and nutrition
• Consider massage or stretching

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Planning Recovery Weeks

Every 3-4 weeks:

• Reduce weekly volume by 40-50%
• Keep 1-2 intensity sessions but shorter
• Add extra rest day
• Let Form become less negative

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Next Steps