How Garmin classifies different run types

Garmin’s sports watches are super sophisticated, breaking down our workouts into crazy-specific categories. For runners looking to take their game to the next level, these classifications are gold. But they also might be a bit confusing. Here is what each of them means.

We’re talking Anaerobic, High Aerobic, and Low Aerobic runs – each one targeting different aspects of your fitness. Anaerobic is all about speed and power, while High Aerobic balances endurance and speed. The Low Aerobic stuff? That’s the foundation, building up your base and helping you recover.

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Weave all these run types into your training, and you’ll be crushing your goals before you know it.

Anaerobic runs: Sprint and anaerobic capacity

As mentioned – anaerobic runs focus on speed and power, which are critical for activities requiring short, intense bursts of energy. Garmin breaks this down into two subcategories:

• Sprint: Short, high-intensity intervals at close to maximum speed. These runs primarily build speed and muscular strength. They have minimal aerobic impact due to their short duration but can significantly enhance anaerobic capacity and overall power.
• Anaerobic Capacity: Sessions of intense effort, often involving interval training, where you push beyond the VO₂ max range (105-130% VO₂ max) with active recovery in between. This type of run improves anaerobic endurance, giving you the ability to sustain intense efforts over time.

These runs offer limited aerobic benefits, as their short duration doesn’t allow for sustained oxygen consumption. Instead, they are all about maximizing muscle power and the ability to perform under oxygen-limited conditions.

High aerobic runs: VO₂ max, threshold, and tempo

This is where it starts to get more confusing. High aerobic runs bridge the gap between aerobic endurance and speed, focusing on sustaining high effort for an extended period.

Garmin classifies these as VO₂ max, threshold, and tempo runs.

• VO₂ Max: VO2 max runs aim to improve the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize. These high-intensity interval workouts push the cardiovascular system to its limit, typically involving 5 x 4 minute intervals at close to VO2 max effort with short rests. The goal is to directly improve cardiovascular fitness and oxygen efficiency.
• Threshold: These are runs that involve steady efforts just below the lactate threshold – the intensity where your body starts producing more lactic acid than it can clear, leading to fatigue. By training near this threshold, runners can improve their body’s ability to process lactate, allowing them to sustain faster paces for longer. Common threshold workouts also often include interval sessions.
• Tempo: Tempo runs involve a moderate to hard effort sustained over longer periods. This “comfortably hard” pace makes it challenging to hold a conversation. For example, a 60-minute tempo run can significantly improve aerobic fitness by pushing the body’s endurance limits and enhancing overall pace sustainability.

High aerobic runs require sustained effort and are great for building the stamina needed for competitive racing. They balance speed and endurance, targeting improvements in oxygen consumption, endurance, and lactate processing.

Low aerobic runs: base and recovery

Low aerobic runs, focused on base building and recovery, provide foundational conditioning and aid in recovery without adding much strain to the body.

• Base: These runs are the cornerstone of aerobic training, involving longer durations at low to moderate intensities. A base run could last from 60 minutes to multiple hours, depending on the training goals. It maintains and builds aerobic endurance, supporting cardiovascular health without placing excessive strain on muscles and joints.
• Recovery: Short, low-intensity runs that facilitate muscle recovery without pushing the body too hard. Recovery runs typically last less than 30 minutes and help remove metabolic waste from the muscles, reducing soreness and stiffness after intense workouts.

Both base and recovery runs play crucial roles in a balanced training plan. While base runs gradually improve overall endurance, recovery runs help the body recuperate, ensuring that athletes are ready for the next challenging workout. These types of runs should not be overlooked. In fact many endurance athletes train at 80/20 – meaning 80% of their runs are low aerobic.

Summary table of run types

Here’s a summary table of Garmin’s training categories to illustrate the differences across these run types:

Garmin’s run types – anaerobic, high aerobic, and low aerobic – give you a structured way to train. Mix these runs to target endurance, power, and recovery. Each one serves a specific purpose, helping you prep for your goals.

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