May 24, 2025 • 25 mins
Lots of things to discuss this week - training, nutrition, tips and physiology...oh, and a bit of tech as usual ;-)
There's some wheel tech from DESFIT, triathlete magazine's thoughts on metabolic testing, Garmin's new feature strategy for old watches, a Strava acquisition, Zwift splits from GPLama, some of my deep dives into Garmin's new metrics, and a lot more.
Resources & Links:
Main Channel: https://the5krunner.com
My other channels: https://linktr.ee/the5krunner
—Credits:Content in this episode was generated using AI tools (NotebookLM) based on original content from @the5krunner, and other sources as cited.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the deep dive. We've got quite a bit to get
through today. Lots of interesting stuff
happening in endurance sports. Yeah, definitely.
We're looking at tech, nutrition, training, insights,
basically everything geared towards helping you level up.
Exactly. We've sifted through a lot of
sources and a quick heads up, a lot of the updates we'll touch
on were highlighted over on the 5K Runner, the five runner.com,
(00:23):
which is just a fantastic resource.
Absolutely great site. OK, so let's dive in.
First up, some new cycling tech Desfit on YouTube had a look at
the new Zip three O 3 SW wheels.Ah yes, the ones with the
integrated tyre pressure sensor.That's the one.
The big news is Zip basically built tyre whiz tech right into
(00:44):
the R.E.M. No more, you know, extra sensors
stuck on the valve. Yeah, it's pretty neat.
The integration is seamless. You get the pressure data live
on your handlebars through the SRAM AXS app.
And there's even a little LED indicator on the rim itself for
a quick visual check. Which is super handy.
Think about it, you can make sure your pressure is dialled in
perfectly for whatever road or trail you're on.
Totally. And for you, the athlete, the
(01:05):
potential benefit is, well, better performance, right?
Keeping that pressure optimal means potentially lower rolling
resistance, better handling. Especially when you're hitting
different surfaces like Rd than gravel, it just takes the
guesswork out. And those pre write cheques so
much easier without needing a separate gauge every single
time. Right, it's that kind of smart
tech that can actually make a difference.
(01:26):
Better handling, more confidencein corners, maybe even faster
overall. That real time feedback helps
you learn what pressure actuallyworks best for you in different
conditions. OK, let's dig into the specs of
it. The three O 3 SW is designed to
be pretty versatile, good for Rd, optimised for 35 millimetre
tyres, but it can handle 30 up to 44 millimetre.
(01:46):
And gravel, cyclocross. It covers a lot of bases.
It's a hookless rim design too, about 40 millimetre deep, 25
millimetre internal width, 33 external.
Pretty standard modern dimensions.
Yeah, and Zip worked with Goodyear on specific tyres for
these, the Vector RZ 30 SWS, though apparently mounting them
can be a little tight. Yeah, Desfit mentioned maybe
(02:07):
needing tyre levers or even pliers.
Good to know their centre lock disc come with XDR or Shimano
driver bodies. Can't be sold separately as
usual. Advertise weight around 14140
grammes which is respectable. The sensor itself runs on ACR
2032 battery, the common coin cell, and you need a specific
tubeless valve lined up just right.
(02:29):
OK. And Sealant any issues there?
They recommend using an injection tool or maybe adding
sealant before the bead is fullyseated just to avoid gumming up
the sensor mechanism. Makes sense.
And if you flat you can use a standard tube to get home which
is good, but obviously no pressure sensing.
Then they're apparently working on a tube with the sensor valve
built in. Interesting.
Zip also claims the rim shape helps prevent pinched flats and
(02:51):
they offer a lifetime warranty, which is always nice to see.
Yeah, that warranty is a big plus.
Overall, that versatility seems like the main draw.
OK, moving on, let's talk about keeping our gear going.
The 5K Runner reported that Koros has launched a repair
programme. Oh yeah, I saw that.
This is for the US and Europe initially, right?
UK coming soon. Exactly, it covers models like
the Pace, three, Apex 2, Verdicts, 2 S, the DRA, quite a
(03:15):
few of their recent watches. And the idea is it's a more
affordable way to fix common issues like batteries or
screens. Precisely.
Instead of having to buy a wholenew watch if your battery life
tanks or you crack the screen ordamage a button, you can get it
fixed or exchanged for less. That's a really good move.
The key benefit for you, the athlete is pretty clear, extends
(03:36):
the life of your extensive tech.And it's an exchange programme
so they send you a refurbished replacement which comes with a
one year warranty. Should be faster than waiting
for a repair too. Plus it's, you know, better for
the planet repairing and reusinginstead of just replacing for.
Sure, the process sounds straightforward.
Online request, they send a prepaid label, you pick a
refurbished unit. And the costs seem reasonable.
(03:58):
Yeah, depends on the model and the fix.
Like 59 to $89.00 for a battery,$79 to $119 for screen or button
issues. You said you're broken one back.
They shipped the replacement. Gotcha.
And someone in the comments on that article apparently pointed
out the value. Of course the software updates
too. Yeah, it's saying how those
updates also help extend the watch's useful life, unlike
maybe some other brands. A fairpoint about long term
(04:21):
value. Definitely.
OK, what's next? Let's talk about Strava and
leaderboards again from the 5K Runner.
Strava's taking steps to kick cars off the segments.
The Kom hunters rejoice, or maybe despair, depending.
Yeah, they've rolled out an AI model, the Cars on Segments
model. It's designed to automatically
spot and remove activities that look like they got a lift from a
(04:44):
vehicle. OK, this is a big deal for
leaderboard integrity. The benefit is obvious.
Fairer, more accurate rankings that reflect actual human
effort. Right, It gives you a more
reliable benchmark for how you stack up against others.
So how does this AI work? Is it just looking at speed?
It's more complex than that. It calculates get this 57
different features from the activity data. 57 Wow, like
(05:06):
what? Things like velocity,
acceleration, even the rate of change of acceleration, what
physics called jerk. Also stuff like average VAM on
climbs, how gradient effects momentum.
OK, so it's looking for patternsthat just don't look like a
person's cycling or running. Exactly.
They even use something called the Centrix coefficient,
apparently based on how a reallyfast staff cyclist accelerates
(05:27):
and fatigues, to help distinguish humans from motor
vehicle. That's clever, and they're using
explainable AI. Yeah, X AI using SH AP values.
It helps them see which of those57 features are most strongly
indicating car. It's not just a black box
decision. Which is good, so it assigns a
probability. Right, A score from zero to 1.
If it's above a certain threshold, the activity gets
(05:49):
flagged before it even appears on the public leaderboard.
Ah. Proactive and the user gets
notified. Yep, prompted to either crop the
dodgy part out or just make the whole activity private.
Seems fair. How effective is it?
They trained it on 10s of thousands of activities and
claim it catches about 81% of the vehicle assisted ones.
It uses gradient boosted decision trees.
XG boost for the tech heads. OK. 81% is pretty good, though
(06:12):
not perfect. No, and they plan future models
for stuff like misclassified activities, bike rides logged as
runs, and E bikes showing up on regular leaderboards.
Those might even be applied retrospectively.
That would clean things up significantly.
They've already removed something like 4.45 million
activities from top ten spots. Oh.
(06:33):
That's a lot of questionable efforts.
Tell me about it. Though one reader did comment
that they've still seen flagged activities appear sometimes, so
maybe there are still a few wrinkles in how Strava handles
the flags. Always teething problems with
new systems I guess. Right.
OK, switching focus now. Sleep cracking.
Looks like Garmin might finally be making a whoop competitor.
(06:54):
Oh really? The screenless band rumour the
5K runner confirmed. It seems that way, yes.
Garmin is apparently developing A screenless band specifically
for sleep tracking, directly targeting Whoop and Aura.
Interesting, so ditching the watch at night for something
smaller. That seems to be the idea.
A dedicated device, less bulky, maybe fewer distractions from
notifications or bright screens during the night.
(07:16):
The benefit being purely focused, detailed sleep data
which we know is just crucial for recovery.
Absolutely. Better recovery insights,
potentially better performance. The band itself is rumoured to
have a vibration alarm, tap gestures for snooze, dismiss and
LED indicators for battery status, green for charged, red
for needs juice. Simple stuff.
(07:38):
And they're calling it a smart device.
Does that mean sensors? It strongly implies an optical
sensor, yeah, probably their latest Elevate Gen 5, possibly
tracking temperature and Spo 2 as well.
And the key feature mentioned isa smart weak alarm.
Ah, so using sleep stage tracking to wake you up
optimally within a window like aura and whoop?
That's the likely implication, yes.
(07:59):
Waking you in a lighter sleep stage so you feel less groggy.
OK, that could be a compelling package if they get it right.
Definitely one to watch. Now sticking with Garmin.
Some news that well, it might not be quite as exciting for
current Garmin owners. What's this?
DC Rainmaker got clarification on the new features announced
with a 4 Runner 970 and the bottom line is those new
features are not coming to existing models like the 4
(08:22):
Runner 260-5965, Phoenix 7 Pro, or Epics Pro series.
Ouch. So new software features are
being tied strictly to new hardware again.
It certainly looks that way. It seems like a shift back
towards that model where major new functionalities require
buying the latest watch. That's disappointing for people
who recently bought a high end Garmin.
(08:43):
The key insight here is that if you want the absolute latest
metrics, you might need to upgrade sooner than you thought.
Exactly. It really could influence your
next purchase decision if you were banking on getting those
features via a software update. And people aren't happy about
it, I assume. No, reading the comments,
there's definitely frustration from owners of recent expensive
watches like the 965 or EPIX Pro.
(09:03):
Feeling a bit burned maybe? Understandable.
It raises concerns about Garmin prioritising new sales over
supporting recent devices, whichcould hurt loyalty long term.
Yeah, and some of these new features like running tolerance
and step speed loss actually require the new HRM 600 chest
strap anyway. OK, so there's a hardware
component limitation. For some, yes, but others seem
(09:24):
purely software based. Whether they might trickle down
eventually, who knows. There's speculation may be tied
to future hardware or even a potential Connect Plus
subscription down the line. Interesting times.
Have users mentioned switching brands?
Some comments mentioned considering Apple or Koros
because of these update policies.
(09:45):
It is worth noting though, that Garmin's regular firmware
updates are continuing, and one small feature, breathing
variations apparently is coming to the Phoenix 7.
So it's not a complete feature freeze, but the big new stuff
seems reserved for the 970 and presumably the upcoming Phoenix
8. That seems to be the picture.
It's also often mentioned that the Edge Cycling computer team
at Garmin seems better back porting features than the watch
(10:07):
team. Yeah, that's a common
observation. OK, let's move on to something
maybe more universally applicable, HRV.
Yes, heart rate variability. The 5K runner had a really
thorough piece on this. It breaks down what HRV is
essentially a way to measure stress non invasively and
compares how Garmin, WOP and Aura track and interpret it.
(10:29):
In the crucial point that emphasises.
It's all about relative changes within your normal range, not
chasing absolute high numbers and definitely not falling for
the simplistic higher is always better idea.
Absolutely critical. Understanding HRV properly helps
you use your wearable data much more effectively for gauging
recovery stress and training readiness.
It stops you from just blindly following a single readiness
(10:51):
score that might not tell the whole story.
So quick recap, HRV reflects beat to beat variation
influenced by the autonomic nervous system, more
parasympathetic activity, generally higher HRV often
linked to recovery stress pushessympathetic activity, usually
lowering HRV. Right, and most wearables now
use all night HRV data, which isgenerally better than short
(11:11):
samples. Aura, WACR, Garmin all do this.
But the gold standard for consistency is still considered.
Manual morning readings using a chest strap and a dedicated app
like HRV for training taken under controlled conditions.
Right. And how do the wearable stack up
against, say, an ECG? The article mentioned
comparisons, showing they all tend to slightly overestimate
(11:33):
HRV. ARA was perhaps a bit closer,
WABA maybe a bit noisier or morevariable.
And Garmin's resting heart rate calculation got some criticism.
Yeah, because it uses the lowest30 minute average in the last 24
hours. It might miss sharp acute
changes in your status right before you wake up, for example.
So the main takeaway for athletes using these devices?
(11:55):
Focus on your trends. Look for deviations from your
established normal range. That's where the meaningful
insights are signalling responses to training, illness,
travel, whatever stressors. And don't just assume higher is
better. Very high HRV can sometimes pop
up when your body's working really hard to recover after a
massive effort. Exactly, and those combined
readiness scores can be tricky because they often mix up your
(12:17):
body's response with the training load itself.
Good point. So for serious analysis maybe
stick to the raw HRV trend within your baseline morning
chest strap reading. Still best for precision.
Seems to be the consensus for top tier accuracy.
OK, let's switch to fueling. Triathlete Magazine had a piece
on metabolic testing for triathletes.
(12:37):
Understanding your fat and carb burning always important for
endurance. Definitely.
The article explains why it's useful and outlines 3 main ways
to get this info. The key benefit being.
Getting insights into how your body uses fuel at different
intensities. This lets you target your
training zones better, like finding your fat Max, and really
nail your nutrition strategy fortraining and race day.
(12:58):
Makes sense. What are the three methods they
discussed? 1st is the gold standard lab
testing using a metabolic cart to measure oxygen consumption to
CO2 production, often combined with blood lactate testing.
Super accurate. But also expensive and maybe
less frequent. Right.
Yeah, recommended maybe a 1, three times a year, costing
around 200 to $500 a pop. OK, method 2.
(13:20):
Metabolic simulation software. They mentioned Aero Tune as an
example. It uses data from lots of lab
tests to estimate your metabolicprofile based on power data you
provide. Cheaper, maybe $25.00 a month.
Allows for more frequent cheques.
Interesting kind of a virtual lab test and the third?
The most basic and repeatable using your power duration curve
(13:41):
doing Max efforts for say one minute, 5 minutes and 20 minutes
on the bike. The classic suffer FEST testing
protocol. Pretty much you compare your
results to establish charts likeAndy Coggins power profile chart
to see the relative strength of your different energy systems,
the cost, maybe a Red Bull and some serious willpower.
(14:01):
Yeah. So three different ways to get a
handle on whether you're more diesel engine or high octane
sprinter and how to train each system.
Exactly. It helps quantify things and
guide your training intensities for specific adaptations.
Good overview. Now, sticking with efficiency,
what about Garmin's new running economy metric?
The 5K runner covered this too. Yes, another new Garmin metric.
(14:23):
This one aims to measure the energy cost of running at a
steady submaximal pace. Lower numbers are better,
meaning more efficient. OK, so like VO2 measured in the
field but expressed differently.Traditionally it's oxygen
consumption in MLKG min. Garmin's using MLKGOA so the
energy cost per kilometre normalised for body weight.
(14:44):
And the benefit is getting a field based estimate of your
running efficiency, which is a huge factor in endurance
performance. That's the idea.
It can help you understand how efficiently you run and track
improvements from training, maybe shoe changes, that sort of
thing. What goes into Garmin's
calculation? Is it just pace and heart rate?
No, it's more complex. It uses heart rate speed, but
also running dynamics data, stride length, ground contact
(15:07):
time, vertical oscillation and the new step speed loss metric.
So it requires the HRM 600 strapand A compatible watch like the
4 Runner 970. Correct, and you need a few runs
under your belt over 30 minutes each for it to generate an
initial estimate. Excludes indoor trail and runs
with pack way OK. Does Garmin suggest how to
improve? It they mentioned factors like
(15:27):
genetics but also trainable things.
They suggest increasing mileage,strength training and doing
sprints. Standard advice really, right?
How validated is this metric? Have they compared it to lab
measurements? That's the big question.
As far as we know, there's no published validation against lab
based VO2 measurements yet, so it's accuracy and actual action
(15:50):
ability are still a bit uncertain.
So interesting metric, but maybetake it with a grain of salt for
now until there's more data. Probably wise it's viewable in
Connect and as a watch glance, but yeah, the jury's still out
on how precise it is. Gotcha.
And linked to this, there's alsoRunning tolerance.
Yes, another new one from Garminfocused on injury prevention.
(16:10):
The 5K Runner explained this to It's designed to help you avoid
risky training patterns by quantifying impact load.
OK, so trying to measure the actual stress on your joints and
tissues from running. Kind of, yeah.
The benefit is providing guidance for safely managing
your training volume, balancing injury risk with performance
gains. How does it quantify this impact
(16:30):
load? It calculates an equivalent
mileage for each run based on your weight, speed, intensity,
and running dynamics. Plus it accounts for hills.
Equivalent mileage. Interesting.
So downhill running counts for more impact.
Exactly. They estimate walking is about
half the impact of easy running,but downhill running could be up
to three times the impact. Wow, OK, that makes sense
(16:52):
intuitively. So what are the key metrics it
shows you? 2 main ones, Acute impact load,
which reflects the weighted impact of your recent runs, your
sort of daily capacity and tolerance, which is the Max
acute load your body seems able to handle based on your history
adjusted weekly. Right.
And if your acute load exceeds your tolerance?
(17:12):
Caution flag goes up consistently overreaching
increases injury risk, but challenging training can
gradually increase your tolerance over time.
So it's a dynamic measure of your capacity versus your recent
load. Again, needs the HRM 600 and
970. Seems so.
The raw data for the calculationcomes from the strap, likely on
Phoenix 8/2, but probably not older watches.
(17:34):
It sounds potentially useful notas a bragging metric, but for
monitoring yourself during hard training blocks.
Yeah, exactly. A tool to help you decide
whether to push through or back off of it.
OK. And the final piece of this new
Garmin metric puzzle is step speed loss or SSL.
That's right, the 5K runner detailed this one too.
It's measured by the HRM 600 andshown on watches like the 970.
(17:58):
It quantifies how much your forward speed decreases while
your foot is on the ground. Lower is better.
So it's basically measuring horizontal braking force.
Pretty much, yeah. The benefit is getting insight
into that specific aspect of your running form efficiency,
potentially something you can work on to improve.
How's it measured exactly? It's the difference between your
forward speed and initial contact and your minimum forward
(18:20):
speed during stance, measured inSebastus the Chest.
And what influences it cadence over striding?
Both. Lower cadence tends to increase
SSL and so does over striding. More braking means you need more
propulsive effort to get back upto speed.
So smoother, lighter stride. Maybe shorter steps could
improve it. That's the theory.
(18:40):
It's adjusted for hills, lower SSL, uphill, higher downhill.
Not calculated on treadmills or while walking and needs steady
forward motion. Gotcha.
Is there a normalised version? Yes, step speed loss percent,
SSL percent, which accounts for your pace.
That's the recommended one to look at.
Does it relate to say, strides metrics like leg spring
(19:01):
stiffness? It's different.
LSS is more about vertical forceand displacement.
SSL is purely about that loss ofhorizontal speed during ground
contact. Right, and again needs the new
hardware. Does Garmin give guidance on
good SSL values? They have a colour coded chart,
good, OK, bad, but no specific target numbers or detailed
(19:22):
improvement advice yet. Pure comparison data would be
helpful there. True, and this SSL is a key
input for their running economy metric you said.
Yes, it's one of the crucial running dynamics metrics feeding
into that RE calculation. So while maybe not the most
critical metric on its own for everyone, it's important for
Garmin's overall efficiency picture.
Makes sense. Could be interesting to test
(19:43):
different foot strikes and see how it changes your SSL.
Definitely. OK.
Shifting away from individual metrics to platform news,
Strava's been busy acquiring companies.
Yeah, first runner and now the breakaway cycling app.
Saw that on the 5K runner in pulse points.
Exactly, the Drake Away was incubated by Y Combinator.
Seems focused on cycling training.
(20:03):
So Strava is clearly looking to bolster its training features,
especially for subscribers. Seems like the strategy
integrating the Breakaway's tools could offer more
sophisticated cycling guidance within Strava.
What kind of tools does Breakaway have?
Details are a bit sparse, but itsounds like advanced training
components. Maybe some overlap with Wahoo,
Sisya, PES10, Zert, that kind ofthing, but packaged uniquely.
(20:27):
Aimed at keeping subscribers sticky, no doubt.
And they'll integrate it slowly,yeah.
Expected to be at arm's length initially, similar to Rana.
OK, what about hardware comparisons?
Did the Quantified Scientist look at the new West WOOP strap?
He did compare the West Woop Strap MG, which is likely the
sensor in the five point O against the four point O focused
on heart rate accuracy during weightlifting and one run.
(20:49):
One run injury. Yeah, unfortunately so.
The running data is limited, butthe key benefit is seeing if the
new sensor offers accuracy improvements.
And the verdict? Especially for weightlifting,
which is notoriously tricky for wrist HR?
Well. During weightlifting, both WP
straps showed significant inaccuracies and dropouts
(21:09):
compared to an Apple Watch, which also had issues during
high intensity. So chest straps still for
weights? Pretty much what he concluded.
ECG straps are just more reliable for that kind of
activity. And the running comparison.
The limited run data hinted thatthe MG might be slightly more
accurate than the four point O, but it's very preliminary.
OK. Do the sensors look different
(21:31):
physically? Apparently not much.
The layout is similar, so any difference could be internal
sensor upgrades or maybe firmware tweaks.
Gotcha. Did he mention anything else?
Yeah, spread some disappointmentthat features like health span
or exclusive to the Five Point Ofeeling they could likely run in
the Four Point O hardware too. The feature dating question.
Again, exactly. He encouraged listeners who've
(21:52):
upgraded to share their experiences.
Fair enough. And any news from Aura?
Yes, Pulse points, hashtag 55 reported.
Aura pushed out updates to improve activity tracking.
Oh good. What specifically?
They're claiming better accuracy, like 61% fewer step
counting errors. Workout detection is now 247,
which is good for shift workers.And calorie estimates.
(22:14):
Improvements there too, plus newthird party integrations and
crucially, Apple Health Kit and Health Connect data can now
populate into the Aura app. Oh, that's handy.
And more unified view. So better activity data overall
contributes to that bigger picture of training load and
recovery. Precisely.
More reliable inputs, OK. What about Polar?
Any updates there? Their subscription fitness
(22:36):
programme, the Adaptive TrainingPlans, has expanded Pulse I
mentioned. It's now on iOS and available
fully in the US. Good it was.
You're up in Android only before, right?
Yeah, so now more accessible offer structured science based
plans. And the cost?
About $9 US per month. The 14 day free trial or
equivalent in pound zeros. OK, a few more quick tech
updates. Yeah, the watch face platform
(22:58):
face are updated for Wear OS 6 is new watch face push feature
basically ensure seamless syncing of third party faces.
Good for customization fans, keeps things working smoothly.
Some hardware rumours, Samsung. More leaks suggesting the Galaxy
Watch 8 series will bring back the Classic line, possibly
mixing Watch 6 Classic and WatchUltra design elements expected
(23:19):
this summer. Could be interesting new options
there and a maze fit. Zip Health, their parent
company, hinted at 2 new watchesin their earnings call, maybe a
Balance 2 and AT Rex, three Refresh.
So more choices coming from a maze fit too.
Looks like it. And finally, the Apple Watch
camera rumour still dead. Seems so.
Pulse Points reported the project is shelved again despite
(23:42):
some internal work on concepts. Camera equipped Airpods are
still apparently in the works though.
Right. So no wrist based FaceTime
anytime soon? Doesn't look like it.
OK, wow, that was a lot to cover.
As we wrap up this deep dive, it's clear things are moving
fast. And endurance sports tech and
training. Definitely, we're seeing much
smarter sensors like in those zip wheels giving real time
data, more focus on platform integrity from Strava and these
(24:06):
incredibly detailed metrics fromGarmin trying to quantify
efficiency and injury risk. Plus ongoing competition in
wearables with dedicated sleep trackers and constant software
updates trying to provide more value.
Yeah, the overarching theme seems to be getting more
granular, more personalised data, moving beyond just
tracking what you did to understanding how you did it and
(24:27):
how your body responded. Absolutely.
So for you listening, the question is which of these
developments really resonates with your training?
Is it the real time bike tech, the new running metrics, better
sleep tracking, or maybe just keeping your current gear
running longer with repair options?
And this flood of data brings upa really crucial point to think
about, doesn't it? With all the sophisticated
tracking and guidance, how do you strike that balance?
(24:50):
How do you blend these data-driven insights with your
own intuition, your own feel foryour body, that experience
you've built up? That's the key challenge, isn't
it? Using the data as a powerful
tool, but not. Comes from integrated
experience. Definitely check out the 5K
Runner at The Five runner.com and the other sources for more
(25:13):
detail on all this. For sure, lots to Mull over
until our next deep dive. Keep exploring, keep training
smart, and listen to your body as well as your tech.
Welcome to the deep dive. We've got quite a bit to get
through today. Lots of interesting stuff
happening in endurance sports. Yeah, definitely.
We're looking at tech, nutrition, training, insights,
basically everything geared towards helping you level up.
Exactly. We've sifted through a lot of
sources and a quick heads up, a lot of the updates we'll touch
on were highlighted over on the 5K Runner, the five runner.com,
(00:23):
which is just a fantastic resource.
Absolutely great site. OK, so let's dive in.
First up, some new cycling tech Desfit on YouTube had a look at
the new Zip three O 3 SW wheels.Ah yes, the ones with the
integrated tyre pressure sensor.That's the one.
The big news is Zip basically built tyre whiz tech right into
(00:44):
the R.E.M. No more, you know, extra sensors
stuck on the valve. Yeah, it's pretty neat.
The integration is seamless. You get the pressure data live
on your handlebars through the SRAM AXS app.
And there's even a little LED indicator on the rim itself for
a quick visual check. Which is super handy.
Think about it, you can make sure your pressure is dialled in
perfectly for whatever road or trail you're on.
Totally. And for you, the athlete, the
(01:05):
potential benefit is, well, better performance, right?
Keeping that pressure optimal means potentially lower rolling
resistance, better handling. Especially when you're hitting
different surfaces like Rd than gravel, it just takes the
guesswork out. And those pre write cheques so
much easier without needing a separate gauge every single
time. Right, it's that kind of smart
tech that can actually make a difference.
(01:26):
Better handling, more confidencein corners, maybe even faster
overall. That real time feedback helps
you learn what pressure actuallyworks best for you in different
conditions. OK, let's dig into the specs of
it. The three O 3 SW is designed to
be pretty versatile, good for Rd, optimised for 35 millimetre
tyres, but it can handle 30 up to 44 millimetre.
(01:46):
And gravel, cyclocross. It covers a lot of bases.
It's a hookless rim design too, about 40 millimetre deep, 25
millimetre internal width, 33 external.
Pretty standard modern dimensions.
Yeah, and Zip worked with Goodyear on specific tyres for
these, the Vector RZ 30 SWS, though apparently mounting them
can be a little tight. Yeah, Desfit mentioned maybe
(02:07):
needing tyre levers or even pliers.
Good to know their centre lock disc come with XDR or Shimano
driver bodies. Can't be sold separately as
usual. Advertise weight around 14140
grammes which is respectable. The sensor itself runs on ACR
2032 battery, the common coin cell, and you need a specific
tubeless valve lined up just right.
(02:29):
OK. And Sealant any issues there?
They recommend using an injection tool or maybe adding
sealant before the bead is fullyseated just to avoid gumming up
the sensor mechanism. Makes sense.
And if you flat you can use a standard tube to get home which
is good, but obviously no pressure sensing.
Then they're apparently working on a tube with the sensor valve
built in. Interesting.
Zip also claims the rim shape helps prevent pinched flats and
(02:51):
they offer a lifetime warranty, which is always nice to see.
Yeah, that warranty is a big plus.
Overall, that versatility seems like the main draw.
OK, moving on, let's talk about keeping our gear going.
The 5K Runner reported that Koros has launched a repair
programme. Oh yeah, I saw that.
This is for the US and Europe initially, right?
UK coming soon. Exactly, it covers models like
the Pace, three, Apex 2, Verdicts, 2 S, the DRA, quite a
(03:15):
few of their recent watches. And the idea is it's a more
affordable way to fix common issues like batteries or
screens. Precisely.
Instead of having to buy a wholenew watch if your battery life
tanks or you crack the screen ordamage a button, you can get it
fixed or exchanged for less. That's a really good move.
The key benefit for you, the athlete is pretty clear, extends
(03:36):
the life of your extensive tech.And it's an exchange programme
so they send you a refurbished replacement which comes with a
one year warranty. Should be faster than waiting
for a repair too. Plus it's, you know, better for
the planet repairing and reusinginstead of just replacing for.
Sure, the process sounds straightforward.
Online request, they send a prepaid label, you pick a
refurbished unit. And the costs seem reasonable.
(03:58):
Yeah, depends on the model and the fix.
Like 59 to $89.00 for a battery,$79 to $119 for screen or button
issues. You said you're broken one back.
They shipped the replacement. Gotcha.
And someone in the comments on that article apparently pointed
out the value. Of course the software updates
too. Yeah, it's saying how those
updates also help extend the watch's useful life, unlike
maybe some other brands. A fairpoint about long term
(04:21):
value. Definitely.
OK, what's next? Let's talk about Strava and
leaderboards again from the 5K Runner.
Strava's taking steps to kick cars off the segments.
The Kom hunters rejoice, or maybe despair, depending.
Yeah, they've rolled out an AI model, the Cars on Segments
model. It's designed to automatically
spot and remove activities that look like they got a lift from a
(04:44):
vehicle. OK, this is a big deal for
leaderboard integrity. The benefit is obvious.
Fairer, more accurate rankings that reflect actual human
effort. Right, It gives you a more
reliable benchmark for how you stack up against others.
So how does this AI work? Is it just looking at speed?
It's more complex than that. It calculates get this 57
different features from the activity data. 57 Wow, like
(05:06):
what? Things like velocity,
acceleration, even the rate of change of acceleration, what
physics called jerk. Also stuff like average VAM on
climbs, how gradient effects momentum.
OK, so it's looking for patternsthat just don't look like a
person's cycling or running. Exactly.
They even use something called the Centrix coefficient,
apparently based on how a reallyfast staff cyclist accelerates
(05:27):
and fatigues, to help distinguish humans from motor
vehicle. That's clever, and they're using
explainable AI. Yeah, X AI using SH AP values.
It helps them see which of those57 features are most strongly
indicating car. It's not just a black box
decision. Which is good, so it assigns a
probability. Right, A score from zero to 1.
If it's above a certain threshold, the activity gets
(05:49):
flagged before it even appears on the public leaderboard.
Ah. Proactive and the user gets
notified. Yep, prompted to either crop the
dodgy part out or just make the whole activity private.
Seems fair. How effective is it?
They trained it on 10s of thousands of activities and
claim it catches about 81% of the vehicle assisted ones.
It uses gradient boosted decision trees.
XG boost for the tech heads. OK. 81% is pretty good, though
(06:12):
not perfect. No, and they plan future models
for stuff like misclassified activities, bike rides logged as
runs, and E bikes showing up on regular leaderboards.
Those might even be applied retrospectively.
That would clean things up significantly.
They've already removed something like 4.45 million
activities from top ten spots. Oh.
(06:33):
That's a lot of questionable efforts.
Tell me about it. Though one reader did comment
that they've still seen flagged activities appear sometimes, so
maybe there are still a few wrinkles in how Strava handles
the flags. Always teething problems with
new systems I guess. Right.
OK, switching focus now. Sleep cracking.
Looks like Garmin might finally be making a whoop competitor.
(06:54):
Oh really? The screenless band rumour the
5K runner confirmed. It seems that way, yes.
Garmin is apparently developing A screenless band specifically
for sleep tracking, directly targeting Whoop and Aura.
Interesting, so ditching the watch at night for something
smaller. That seems to be the idea.
A dedicated device, less bulky, maybe fewer distractions from
notifications or bright screens during the night.
(07:16):
The benefit being purely focused, detailed sleep data
which we know is just crucial for recovery.
Absolutely. Better recovery insights,
potentially better performance. The band itself is rumoured to
have a vibration alarm, tap gestures for snooze, dismiss and
LED indicators for battery status, green for charged, red
for needs juice. Simple stuff.
(07:38):
And they're calling it a smart device.
Does that mean sensors? It strongly implies an optical
sensor, yeah, probably their latest Elevate Gen 5, possibly
tracking temperature and Spo 2 as well.
And the key feature mentioned isa smart weak alarm.
Ah, so using sleep stage tracking to wake you up
optimally within a window like aura and whoop?
That's the likely implication, yes.
(07:59):
Waking you in a lighter sleep stage so you feel less groggy.
OK, that could be a compelling package if they get it right.
Definitely one to watch. Now sticking with Garmin.
Some news that well, it might not be quite as exciting for
current Garmin owners. What's this?
DC Rainmaker got clarification on the new features announced
with a 4 Runner 970 and the bottom line is those new
features are not coming to existing models like the 4
(08:22):
Runner 260-5965, Phoenix 7 Pro, or Epics Pro series.
Ouch. So new software features are
being tied strictly to new hardware again.
It certainly looks that way. It seems like a shift back
towards that model where major new functionalities require
buying the latest watch. That's disappointing for people
who recently bought a high end Garmin.
(08:43):
The key insight here is that if you want the absolute latest
metrics, you might need to upgrade sooner than you thought.
Exactly. It really could influence your
next purchase decision if you were banking on getting those
features via a software update. And people aren't happy about
it, I assume. No, reading the comments,
there's definitely frustration from owners of recent expensive
watches like the 965 or EPIX Pro.
(09:03):
Feeling a bit burned maybe? Understandable.
It raises concerns about Garmin prioritising new sales over
supporting recent devices, whichcould hurt loyalty long term.
Yeah, and some of these new features like running tolerance
and step speed loss actually require the new HRM 600 chest
strap anyway. OK, so there's a hardware
component limitation. For some, yes, but others seem
(09:24):
purely software based. Whether they might trickle down
eventually, who knows. There's speculation may be tied
to future hardware or even a potential Connect Plus
subscription down the line. Interesting times.
Have users mentioned switching brands?
Some comments mentioned considering Apple or Koros
because of these update policies.
(09:45):
It is worth noting though, that Garmin's regular firmware
updates are continuing, and one small feature, breathing
variations apparently is coming to the Phoenix 7.
So it's not a complete feature freeze, but the big new stuff
seems reserved for the 970 and presumably the upcoming Phoenix
8. That seems to be the picture.
It's also often mentioned that the Edge Cycling computer team
at Garmin seems better back porting features than the watch
(10:07):
team. Yeah, that's a common
observation. OK, let's move on to something
maybe more universally applicable, HRV.
Yes, heart rate variability. The 5K runner had a really
thorough piece on this. It breaks down what HRV is
essentially a way to measure stress non invasively and
compares how Garmin, WOP and Aura track and interpret it.
(10:29):
In the crucial point that emphasises.
It's all about relative changes within your normal range, not
chasing absolute high numbers and definitely not falling for
the simplistic higher is always better idea.
Absolutely critical. Understanding HRV properly helps
you use your wearable data much more effectively for gauging
recovery stress and training readiness.
It stops you from just blindly following a single readiness
(10:51):
score that might not tell the whole story.
So quick recap, HRV reflects beat to beat variation
influenced by the autonomic nervous system, more
parasympathetic activity, generally higher HRV often
linked to recovery stress pushessympathetic activity, usually
lowering HRV. Right, and most wearables now
use all night HRV data, which isgenerally better than short
(11:11):
samples. Aura, WACR, Garmin all do this.
But the gold standard for consistency is still considered.
Manual morning readings using a chest strap and a dedicated app
like HRV for training taken under controlled conditions.
Right. And how do the wearable stack up
against, say, an ECG? The article mentioned
comparisons, showing they all tend to slightly overestimate
(11:33):
HRV. ARA was perhaps a bit closer,
WABA maybe a bit noisier or morevariable.
And Garmin's resting heart rate calculation got some criticism.
Yeah, because it uses the lowest30 minute average in the last 24
hours. It might miss sharp acute
changes in your status right before you wake up, for example.
So the main takeaway for athletes using these devices?
(11:55):
Focus on your trends. Look for deviations from your
established normal range. That's where the meaningful
insights are signalling responses to training, illness,
travel, whatever stressors. And don't just assume higher is
better. Very high HRV can sometimes pop
up when your body's working really hard to recover after a
massive effort. Exactly, and those combined
readiness scores can be tricky because they often mix up your
(12:17):
body's response with the training load itself.
Good point. So for serious analysis maybe
stick to the raw HRV trend within your baseline morning
chest strap reading. Still best for precision.
Seems to be the consensus for top tier accuracy.
OK, let's switch to fueling. Triathlete Magazine had a piece
on metabolic testing for triathletes.
(12:37):
Understanding your fat and carb burning always important for
endurance. Definitely.
The article explains why it's useful and outlines 3 main ways
to get this info. The key benefit being.
Getting insights into how your body uses fuel at different
intensities. This lets you target your
training zones better, like finding your fat Max, and really
nail your nutrition strategy fortraining and race day.
(12:58):
Makes sense. What are the three methods they
discussed? 1st is the gold standard lab
testing using a metabolic cart to measure oxygen consumption to
CO2 production, often combined with blood lactate testing.
Super accurate. But also expensive and maybe
less frequent. Right.
Yeah, recommended maybe a 1, three times a year, costing
around 200 to $500 a pop. OK, method 2.
(13:20):
Metabolic simulation software. They mentioned Aero Tune as an
example. It uses data from lots of lab
tests to estimate your metabolicprofile based on power data you
provide. Cheaper, maybe $25.00 a month.
Allows for more frequent cheques.
Interesting kind of a virtual lab test and the third?
The most basic and repeatable using your power duration curve
(13:41):
doing Max efforts for say one minute, 5 minutes and 20 minutes
on the bike. The classic suffer FEST testing
protocol. Pretty much you compare your
results to establish charts likeAndy Coggins power profile chart
to see the relative strength of your different energy systems,
the cost, maybe a Red Bull and some serious willpower.
(14:01):
Yeah. So three different ways to get a
handle on whether you're more diesel engine or high octane
sprinter and how to train each system.
Exactly. It helps quantify things and
guide your training intensities for specific adaptations.
Good overview. Now, sticking with efficiency,
what about Garmin's new running economy metric?
The 5K runner covered this too. Yes, another new Garmin metric.
(14:23):
This one aims to measure the energy cost of running at a
steady submaximal pace. Lower numbers are better,
meaning more efficient. OK, so like VO2 measured in the
field but expressed differently.Traditionally it's oxygen
consumption in MLKG min. Garmin's using MLKGOA so the
energy cost per kilometre normalised for body weight.
(14:44):
And the benefit is getting a field based estimate of your
running efficiency, which is a huge factor in endurance
performance. That's the idea.
It can help you understand how efficiently you run and track
improvements from training, maybe shoe changes, that sort of
thing. What goes into Garmin's
calculation? Is it just pace and heart rate?
No, it's more complex. It uses heart rate speed, but
also running dynamics data, stride length, ground contact
(15:07):
time, vertical oscillation and the new step speed loss metric.
So it requires the HRM 600 strapand A compatible watch like the
4 Runner 970. Correct, and you need a few runs
under your belt over 30 minutes each for it to generate an
initial estimate. Excludes indoor trail and runs
with pack way OK. Does Garmin suggest how to
improve? It they mentioned factors like
(15:27):
genetics but also trainable things.
They suggest increasing mileage,strength training and doing
sprints. Standard advice really, right?
How validated is this metric? Have they compared it to lab
measurements? That's the big question.
As far as we know, there's no published validation against lab
based VO2 measurements yet, so it's accuracy and actual action
(15:50):
ability are still a bit uncertain.
So interesting metric, but maybetake it with a grain of salt for
now until there's more data. Probably wise it's viewable in
Connect and as a watch glance, but yeah, the jury's still out
on how precise it is. Gotcha.
And linked to this, there's alsoRunning tolerance.
Yes, another new one from Garminfocused on injury prevention.
(16:10):
The 5K Runner explained this to It's designed to help you avoid
risky training patterns by quantifying impact load.
OK, so trying to measure the actual stress on your joints and
tissues from running. Kind of, yeah.
The benefit is providing guidance for safely managing
your training volume, balancing injury risk with performance
gains. How does it quantify this impact
(16:30):
load? It calculates an equivalent
mileage for each run based on your weight, speed, intensity,
and running dynamics. Plus it accounts for hills.
Equivalent mileage. Interesting.
So downhill running counts for more impact.
Exactly. They estimate walking is about
half the impact of easy running,but downhill running could be up
to three times the impact. Wow, OK, that makes sense
(16:52):
intuitively. So what are the key metrics it
shows you? 2 main ones, Acute impact load,
which reflects the weighted impact of your recent runs, your
sort of daily capacity and tolerance, which is the Max
acute load your body seems able to handle based on your history
adjusted weekly. Right.
And if your acute load exceeds your tolerance?
(17:12):
Caution flag goes up consistently overreaching
increases injury risk, but challenging training can
gradually increase your tolerance over time.
So it's a dynamic measure of your capacity versus your recent
load. Again, needs the HRM 600 and
970. Seems so.
The raw data for the calculationcomes from the strap, likely on
Phoenix 8/2, but probably not older watches.
(17:34):
It sounds potentially useful notas a bragging metric, but for
monitoring yourself during hard training blocks.
Yeah, exactly. A tool to help you decide
whether to push through or back off of it.
OK. And the final piece of this new
Garmin metric puzzle is step speed loss or SSL.
That's right, the 5K runner detailed this one too.
It's measured by the HRM 600 andshown on watches like the 970.
(17:58):
It quantifies how much your forward speed decreases while
your foot is on the ground. Lower is better.
So it's basically measuring horizontal braking force.
Pretty much, yeah. The benefit is getting insight
into that specific aspect of your running form efficiency,
potentially something you can work on to improve.
How's it measured exactly? It's the difference between your
forward speed and initial contact and your minimum forward
(18:20):
speed during stance, measured inSebastus the Chest.
And what influences it cadence over striding?
Both. Lower cadence tends to increase
SSL and so does over striding. More braking means you need more
propulsive effort to get back upto speed.
So smoother, lighter stride. Maybe shorter steps could
improve it. That's the theory.
(18:40):
It's adjusted for hills, lower SSL, uphill, higher downhill.
Not calculated on treadmills or while walking and needs steady
forward motion. Gotcha.
Is there a normalised version? Yes, step speed loss percent,
SSL percent, which accounts for your pace.
That's the recommended one to look at.
Does it relate to say, strides metrics like leg spring
(19:01):
stiffness? It's different.
LSS is more about vertical forceand displacement.
SSL is purely about that loss ofhorizontal speed during ground
contact. Right, and again needs the new
hardware. Does Garmin give guidance on
good SSL values? They have a colour coded chart,
good, OK, bad, but no specific target numbers or detailed
(19:22):
improvement advice yet. Pure comparison data would be
helpful there. True, and this SSL is a key
input for their running economy metric you said.
Yes, it's one of the crucial running dynamics metrics feeding
into that RE calculation. So while maybe not the most
critical metric on its own for everyone, it's important for
Garmin's overall efficiency picture.
Makes sense. Could be interesting to test
(19:43):
different foot strikes and see how it changes your SSL.
Definitely. OK.
Shifting away from individual metrics to platform news,
Strava's been busy acquiring companies.
Yeah, first runner and now the breakaway cycling app.
Saw that on the 5K runner in pulse points.
Exactly, the Drake Away was incubated by Y Combinator.
Seems focused on cycling training.
(20:03):
So Strava is clearly looking to bolster its training features,
especially for subscribers. Seems like the strategy
integrating the Breakaway's tools could offer more
sophisticated cycling guidance within Strava.
What kind of tools does Breakaway have?
Details are a bit sparse, but itsounds like advanced training
components. Maybe some overlap with Wahoo,
Sisya, PES10, Zert, that kind ofthing, but packaged uniquely.
(20:27):
Aimed at keeping subscribers sticky, no doubt.
And they'll integrate it slowly,yeah.
Expected to be at arm's length initially, similar to Rana.
OK, what about hardware comparisons?
Did the Quantified Scientist look at the new West WOOP strap?
He did compare the West Woop Strap MG, which is likely the
sensor in the five point O against the four point O focused
on heart rate accuracy during weightlifting and one run.
(20:49):
One run injury. Yeah, unfortunately so.
The running data is limited, butthe key benefit is seeing if the
new sensor offers accuracy improvements.
And the verdict? Especially for weightlifting,
which is notoriously tricky for wrist HR?
Well. During weightlifting, both WP
straps showed significant inaccuracies and dropouts
(21:09):
compared to an Apple Watch, which also had issues during
high intensity. So chest straps still for
weights? Pretty much what he concluded.
ECG straps are just more reliable for that kind of
activity. And the running comparison.
The limited run data hinted thatthe MG might be slightly more
accurate than the four point O, but it's very preliminary.
OK. Do the sensors look different
(21:31):
physically? Apparently not much.
The layout is similar, so any difference could be internal
sensor upgrades or maybe firmware tweaks.
Gotcha. Did he mention anything else?
Yeah, spread some disappointmentthat features like health span
or exclusive to the Five Point Ofeeling they could likely run in
the Four Point O hardware too. The feature dating question.
Again, exactly. He encouraged listeners who've
(21:52):
upgraded to share their experiences.
Fair enough. And any news from Aura?
Yes, Pulse points, hashtag 55 reported.
Aura pushed out updates to improve activity tracking.
Oh good. What specifically?
They're claiming better accuracy, like 61% fewer step
counting errors. Workout detection is now 247,
which is good for shift workers.And calorie estimates.
(22:14):
Improvements there too, plus newthird party integrations and
crucially, Apple Health Kit and Health Connect data can now
populate into the Aura app. Oh, that's handy.
And more unified view. So better activity data overall
contributes to that bigger picture of training load and
recovery. Precisely.
More reliable inputs, OK. What about Polar?
Any updates there? Their subscription fitness
(22:36):
programme, the Adaptive TrainingPlans, has expanded Pulse I
mentioned. It's now on iOS and available
fully in the US. Good it was.
You're up in Android only before, right?
Yeah, so now more accessible offer structured science based
plans. And the cost?
About $9 US per month. The 14 day free trial or
equivalent in pound zeros. OK, a few more quick tech
updates. Yeah, the watch face platform
(22:58):
face are updated for Wear OS 6 is new watch face push feature
basically ensure seamless syncing of third party faces.
Good for customization fans, keeps things working smoothly.
Some hardware rumours, Samsung. More leaks suggesting the Galaxy
Watch 8 series will bring back the Classic line, possibly
mixing Watch 6 Classic and WatchUltra design elements expected
(23:19):
this summer. Could be interesting new options
there and a maze fit. Zip Health, their parent
company, hinted at 2 new watchesin their earnings call, maybe a
Balance 2 and AT Rex, three Refresh.
So more choices coming from a maze fit too.
Looks like it. And finally, the Apple Watch
camera rumour still dead. Seems so.
Pulse Points reported the project is shelved again despite
(23:42):
some internal work on concepts. Camera equipped Airpods are
still apparently in the works though.
Right. So no wrist based FaceTime
anytime soon? Doesn't look like it.
OK, wow, that was a lot to cover.
As we wrap up this deep dive, it's clear things are moving
fast. And endurance sports tech and
training. Definitely, we're seeing much
smarter sensors like in those zip wheels giving real time
data, more focus on platform integrity from Strava and these
(24:06):
incredibly detailed metrics fromGarmin trying to quantify
efficiency and injury risk. Plus ongoing competition in
wearables with dedicated sleep trackers and constant software
updates trying to provide more value.
Yeah, the overarching theme seems to be getting more
granular, more personalised data, moving beyond just
tracking what you did to understanding how you did it and
(24:27):
how your body responded. Absolutely.
So for you listening, the question is which of these
developments really resonates with your training?
Is it the real time bike tech, the new running metrics, better
sleep tracking, or maybe just keeping your current gear
running longer with repair options?
And this flood of data brings upa really crucial point to think
about, doesn't it? With all the sophisticated
tracking and guidance, how do you strike that balance?
(24:50):
How do you blend these data-driven insights with your
own intuition, your own feel foryour body, that experience
you've built up? That's the key challenge, isn't
it? Using the data as a powerful
tool, but not. Comes from integrated
experience. Definitely check out the 5K
Runner at The Five runner.com and the other sources for more
(25:13):
detail on all this. For sure, lots to Mull over
until our next deep dive. Keep exploring, keep training
smart, and listen to your body as well as your tech.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.