I don’t have a specific question at this point but as a user of your multisport training plans I wanted to create a forum for those of us who are not exclusively focused on cycling.
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That can totally be arranged! Thanks for pointing this out @daniel.hodgman & welcome to the FasCat forum!
Running zones - I have a 10k Test Run in my schedule, but nothing about which formula to use after I have done it. There are several ways how to set up running zones, can FasCat coaches provide some information regarding that?
Swimming zones - same question. I have 10x100 as swim test and then I know how to generate T-Pace, but then what? Next swims are in “race pace” and “tempo pace” or 10SR, or 20SR. I do not have a glue what that should be. Thus some materials or references to some models or explanations would be great.
Im starting next week 6 weeks to hilly 70.3 plan.
Enter your NGP pace from the 10K into TrainingPeaks settings (if it isn’t automatically added after you upload your data). Choose Threshold Pace for the Auto Calculation Type and the CTS for Running to set up your zones. Just like HR or power, TrainingPeaks will automatically calculate target paces for your runs based on your threshold numbers so you don’t have to memorize all of your zone numbers.
Since tech doesn’t work as well in the water yet, it’s better to use seconds rest (SR) from your Threshold Pace rounded to the nearest 5sec (unless you are lucky enough to have a digital clock at your pool where it’s easier to see exact seconds!). Just like the bike, “Race Pace” depends on your specific race & swimming ability. A trained swimmer in a 70.3 should be able to hold a steady highTempo pace in their race, but a newer swimmer will need to go a little slower because they’ll be swimming for a longer duration.
Again, just like the bike & run, TrainingPeaks automatically calculates target paces for swims based on your Threshold Pace. But round to the nearest 5sec so you can use the clock on deck.
*Pro tip - use the clock on deck for pacing your efforts & determining rest, NOT your tri watch. You’ll go faster, stay more focused, and get a better feel for pacing than if you are constantly twisting your arm to try & see your watch on every wall. There’s enough distractions in an open water race, your watch shouldn’t be one of them!
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Since there aren’t rest periods displayed in Training peaks, then decoding rests is a bit tricky.
So just to be 100% sure decoding of swimming exercise is following:
-
12x100 Tempo/70.3 Race Pace on 10SR:
10 sec rest after each 100 and pace i get from TrainingPeaks - right? -
4x50 build (25 moderate/25 fast to faster):
Since no SR then just follow the pace given from TP and after that one, just take next drill.
tnx in advance!
Displaying rest periods in the TP workout builder would make the swim workouts nearly impossible to read, that’s a lot of columns!
Since the pool is a fixed distance, it’s easier to use a fixed target interval rather than a fixed recovery time with a variable distance, like you might do on the bike or run. So if your threshold pace is 1:30/100, for example, you could swim the 12x100 Tempo pace at 1:45/100 in order to get that 10sec rest without going at full threshold pace. If you can’t maintain about 10sec rest on a 1:45, then you probably need to work on your feel for pacing in the water, something that’s a little easier to develop in the pool but critical for open water!
The 4 x 50 should be on 10SR, that’s a warm up set. Again, the TP workout builder isn’t really great for swimming workouts, but it’s a nice way to illustrate the differences in speeds/pacing for the different sets.
Still a bit confusing. Am familiar with both ways: a) fixed rest interval + predefined pace or b) fixed target interval (rest interval depends on pace). Now the question still remains what does the 10SR mean. Is it suggested rest time or not?
Example: if we have T-pace 1:30 and row in training peaks is: 12x100 Tempo/70.3 Race Pace on 10SR
Then the pace should be somewhere 1:35 maybe for 70.3. So I guess in perfect conditions I do each 100m with 1:35 and take 10sec rest. Total target time 1:45. If pace varies a bit I still look at the total target time. I would do that exercise like that. Do I understand it correct?
Another question is how the TP calculates those paces from % of my T-pace. I have tried several ways to understand, but still have not found 100% matching formula for those paces. Still ± few seconds here and there. Perhaps its the yards vs meters (I use meters and let the TP change it).
Last issue is about this exercise: “2x200 Build on 15SR”
In one week I have “2x200 Build” and next one “2x200 Build on 15SR”. It looks same in TP, thus I believe thats just typo. General goal of this exercise it to build up pace continuously during the distance and fit to target interval time? Since pace in TP and rest seconds doesnt add up anyhow, then in case of T-pace 1:30 what should I do?
Home it all makes to understand the trainings better 
Every coach has a bit different way to write it down.
You are correct, the “rest interval” is best built into the interval target , ie 1:35 + 10SR = 1:45/100. It will never be exactly precise like riding a smart trainer, but the better you learn to pace yourself, the more precise you’ll be on coming in at the same time with every repeat.
The 10x100 Threshold test is the easiest way to calculate your T-pace in the pool, but remember to round to the nearest 5sec. TrainingPeaks will estimate from your data, but swimming data accuracy is not as good as the bike or run, even in the pool.
“Build” means start at a slower effort & accelerate your speed through to the end of the prescribed distance. Again, it’s a way for you to work on your pacing. You can do it by 25 or by 50, as long as you are ramping up the speed & the last 25 is faster than the first. If you look at the sets in the TP workout builder, they calculate a time based on whatever threshold number is in TP, that’s a good estimate to start from. Those times do not include the recovery. So if you come in on the 1st 200 on the 3:15, leave for the 2nd one 15sec later (3:30) and try to come in on the 2nd one around 3:15 again.
It’s more important to be consistent and learn to pace yourself than to be perfectly exact with the clock in the pool. But just like biking & running, if you want to go faster, you have to go faster 
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Question regarding running tempo. If the description is following “Run 30min Z2, 30min Tempo, 30min Z2, 30min Tempo” and I follow previously mentioned “CTS for Running” as my zones, then Tempo zone is threshold speed. That means pretty hard run. Almost all out I would guess.
Most other models to calculate zones typically say that Tempo zone is Z3, thus something between threshold and Z2 (base endurance).
So which should I believe? Description text and follow the pace according to zones, or common sense and keep my pace under lactate threshold?
Tempo is sub-threshold, i.e. a pace you can sustain for longer than an hour but (likely!) not for a full marathon. Depending on your running background, this may be closer to a 10-15K or half marathon pace.