# Outside workout description is not the same as expected intervals

**URL:** <https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890>\
**Category:** TrainerRoad Software\
**Created:** [April 26, 2024, 1:47am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890 "2024-04-26T01:47:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ramirezaa](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/ramirezaa/32/132372_2.png) [@ramirezaa](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ramirezaa)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 1:47am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890/1 "2024-04-26T01:47:15Z")

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As I was reviewing the workout, I noticed the outside workout description is not the same as the expected intervals for the Harrah workout. I have attached an image of the description. It should be saying something about 5x7min intervals and not 35mins at a steady wattage. Is this common?

 ![harrah_description](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/f/a/faa0a2e19e82cc69d476b09b1328f1597e09d2d6.png)

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**Author:** ![Yep](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/yep/32/67179_2.png) [@Yep](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Yep)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 6:19am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890/2 "2024-04-26T06:19:59Z")

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It is common. I think maybe users complained that they couldn’t hold more specific wattage targets outside? I’m really not sure, but I find it annoying, and I’d rather have the outdoor workouts more closely mirror the indoor ones. You’ll also find that in workouts like Cima Mora, where the intensity goes up in steps, the outdoor versions don’t capture the steps at all.

@eddie , any comment on the rationale for the differences?

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**Author:** ![HLaB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hlab/32/60448_2.png) [@HLaB](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/HLaB)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890/3 "2024-04-26T13:35:11Z")

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Its pretty much like that for every Endurance ride, I forget the rationale behind it. I quite often do a workout like Carter which does vary outdoors or recreate the indoors version in Training Peaks to do out doors so its more interesting.

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**Author:** ![Chewie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/chewie/32/90361_2.png) [@Chewie](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Chewie)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 2:18pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890/4 "2024-04-26T14:18:36Z")

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That is normal for endurance rides outside. The zone that they give you is the same as the two interval levels they would have given you indoors.

Hot Take: Endurance rides outside are harder to complete accurately than VO2 workouts…

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**Author:** ![hubcyclist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hubcyclist/32/14363_2.png) [@hubcyclist](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/hubcyclist)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890/5 "2024-04-26T14:24:25Z")

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the real answer is not to worry about wattages for endurance rides and just ride, it holds true inside and outside

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**Author:** ![ZackeryWeimer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/zackeryweimer/32/118962_2.png) [@ZackeryWeimer](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ZackeryWeimer)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 3:40pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890/6 "2024-04-26T15:40:33Z")

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Welcome to the TR Community! 😃

For Outside Workouts, this is common – especially for Endurance workouts.

Many Endurance workouts are divided into intervals for Inside Workouts to break them into more manageable chunks. For a lot of athletes (myself included!), it’s mentally easier to break the workout down into smaller pieces and focus on getting through one interval at a time until the workout is complete. It can be challenging on the mind to see a countdown timer for a very long interval – especially if you’re doing a Zone 2 ride on the trainer that lasts multiple hours.

When it comes to riding outdoors, however, that’s usually less of an issue. Since we’re physically moving through our environment, there’s a lot more stimulation we can focus on (and _should_ focus on so we’re safe!). It’s simpler for athletes to follow along to an Endurance workout that uses a wide percentage of Zone 2 as their power target when riding on the open road with traffic, stop signs, varied terrain, etc.

Hope that clears things up – feel free to let me know if you have any other questions!

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**Author:** ![ramirezaa](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/ramirezaa/32/132372_2.png) [@ramirezaa](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ramirezaa)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 10:47pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/outside-workout-description-is-not-the-same-as-expected-intervals/92890/7 "2024-04-26T22:47:46Z")

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that makes sense! Thank you!
