I agree.
Let’s not get sidetracked. I simply shared a screenshot to show an example of TSS being used in running.
I’m an amateur. I’m not bogged down with these numbers. I’m 53 years old, been running for almost 40 years, and happy to run at all.
I just wanted clarification on how, why TSS is shown in TR trading plans.
I don’t know why TR (or anyone else) does what they do. All I know is that if somebody, say, calls CTL “fitness”, or attempts to combine stress (or strain, if based on HR) scores from different sources/sports, they don’t get it. Hopefully you now understand why.
34 minutes at 4:54/km is 44 TSS for me… but I really dont take any notice, I don’t think it is accurate or an appropriate measure, relative between sessions it might be, might have some value.
I think TR has just put together a Tri plan that makes general sense, TSS is not really appropriate as has been pointed out by others in this thread.
RPE and your fatigue levels session to session are the key. Sadly you need to work this out yourself. TR is primarily a cycling specific app, however it can work for multisport.
Yes, I understand. I appreciate your input. Thank you.
I think this is what TR does, but I’m not 100% sure:
If the run is part of their Tri plan, they assign a Run TSS to it. I think it’s calculated by RPE x time. Each grade of RPE is effectively the equivalent of an IF %.
If you do a run on that day, it will be matched. I think the TSS will adjust based on time you ran x the Expected RPE/IF factor. So the TSS shown will or will not be reflective of what you did. The closer you matched the RPE on average, the better.
If you are a TrainingPeaks user, you may well be used to rTSS. This is a run-specific TSS measurement. It uses Normalized Graded Pace (NGP) instead of power. It works with a multiple of 2700 rather than 3600 (45mins vs 1hr). So a run of 45mins at 100% IF (Threshold) = 100 rTSS. A cycle of 60mins at 100% IF = 100 TSS.
Initially, I think TR were using a TSS calculation that looked like it was based on 1hr. So TR and TrainingPeaks run TSS did not align. I’ve noticed the TR-calculated numbers seem to align more closely with my TP numbers, so it’s possible TR have changed this calc, but don’t quote me on that.
Any runs you do that are off-plan will get no TSS score until you either type it in or assign it an intensity.
As to adding bike TSS + rTSS and coming up with anything useful. TrainingPeaks does it if you wish. But I’ve seen plenty of opinions that you should track them separately. I track them both together and apart.
Unfortunately, TR hasn’t implemented any filtering by sport of their TSS chart in the webapp. So this is just an amalgamation.
In the calendar, they are separated, but any off-plan may be missing if you aren’t meticulous in tracking and assigning.
Zombie thread… just want to confirm what I think I read above…
Running TSS isn’t really TSS, and TR hasn’t published how they’re calculating “run TSS”.
And run TSS that’s tracked on the calendar (by adding RPE rating to the run event) doesn’t impact adaptations on the cycling plan.
So, the “total TSS” (run+bike) displayed on the calendar is just a rough estimate, and really only useful to eyeball total training? Say, one week I decide to toss in a random 10 mile trail run, it’ll give a pretty big TSS estimate, won’t cause any adaptation (easy day the next day, etc), so I can either manually adjust the plan (pick a shorter/less intense workout) or just underperform on the next bike workout and let the plan adapt then?
Basically, I’m back to structured workouts after an off year (broken femur a year ago, back on bike in March ‘25, but just rode recreationally, with a lot of swimming and weight training for funsies). Picked an ‘A’ race in mid-February 2026 (50 mile XCM) and a few neighborhood 5-mile trail races in March and April. I’ve trained for run+cycle in the past, this isn’t new, just don’t want to screw up tracking and training plan in TR.
My experience is ‘run’ stress in regards to TR is totally over estimated, that might just be for me, not sure, but doesn’t align to any established run apps in my experience. I think in might align better with a cyclist that has bad or on the poor side of run mechanics, think runner of the sofa.
An easy 6 - 8 km tends to make the next day yellow when I’m nose breathing. (And I’m not a good runner, 3h29 Marathoner.)
Oh, so a run will trigger red/green light adaptations? Interesting… I didn’t think it did that.
Should add I also lift weights 4 days/week and apparently that also triggers yellow/red days as well.
I guess I’ll see how it pans out over the next week or so, since I just built the plan yesterday.
Interesting. I’ve found TR to underestimate my runs compared to intervals and TP.
In what respect?
The load is inflated for myself and even an easy run HR way under LT1 offten results in a yellow day.
RTSS. I thought that was what you meant when you said “run stress”. So, to use a complete sentence, TR gives me far less rTSS for a run than TP or Intervals does.
Ah… yes I agree.
It does, under esimates rTSS, but it over estimates in RLGL and triggers a yellow day for a nose breathing easy run. Sorry I wasn’t clear what I meant.
This. I need to set most of my runs to hard or very hard to get a reasonable TSS in TR.
I do the same. If it’s Endurance, I make it Tempo or Threshold, etc.
Same.
Maybe the same reason it over estimates the stress for RLGL. The calculation is just out.