INSCYD'er and short distance runner Vanessa Scaunet during the European Championships Indoor, Torun 2021.

More and more running coaches use INSCYD to create better training programs and race pacing for their athletes. This blog covers the story of Vanessa Scaunet, who was able to switch her running goal from a 2k cross country to an 800m track race, within 10 days.

Cross country runner Vanessa Scaunet became an INSCYD’er when she performed an outdoor field-test in cooperation with the RUNNING AND MORE lab.

“Because of the test I can now prepare for the upcoming seasons and finetune my trainings to reach my goals!” – Vanessa Scaunet

USING INSCYD FOR RACE DEMANDS AND PREPARATIONS

At that time of her test, Vanessa was preparing for the National Championship cross country short distance: 2000 meters, a distance that is covered in around 7 minutes.

The power demand of such a race is approximately 5.7 W/kg or 2160 Joule/kg. The energy contribution however, differs per person. With Vanessa having a high VO2max and a medium VLamax, approximately 87% of the energy is covered by her aerobic metabolism and only 13% is covered by her anaerobic energy.

Because Vanessa had her metabolic profile in INSCYD, she and her coach where aware of how she produced the needed energy for a 2000m race and knew what her limitations are. For a race of almost 7min, an increase in VO2max would allow her to run faster. On the other hand, the (anaerobic) glycolytic power of the VLamax was already sufficient for a 7 minute race.

To increase VO2max and maintain VLamax, her coach chose specific interval training. Creating highly individual interval training is easy using the INSCYD lactate- and recovery graph

More about that in this blog.

“With INSCYD we were able to optimize her interval training because we knew the exact work-recovery ratio.” – Ivo Roelandt, trainer of Scaunet

PLOT TWIST

While Scaunet was preparing for a 2000 meter cross country, she received a phone call at the end of February, saying she was qualified for the European Championships indoor: 800 meters. A distance that is covered in just around 2 minutes.

The question arose: does it make sense to accept such an unexpected invitation 10 days before an event that is 3.5 times shorter in time length than what you are preparing for? Of course, Scaunet accepted the invitation to the European Athletics Indoor Championships — who wouldn’t?!  She not only accepted it because it is an honor to participate, but she knew she was able to race at a highly competitively level, thanks to the INSCYD test. How?

Predict running race performance

Luckily, Vanessa and her coach used the Performance Projection to get a better understanding of the race demands at the European Championships. The Performance Projection (see video below) allows a coach to simulate any race distance and any speed, based on the real metabolic profile of an athlete.

THE NEW RACE DEMANDS

To cover the 800m in around two minutes, her power output or total energy demand would be approximately 127% of what she was used to in the 2000m race.

Such a high power output equals an oxygen demand of about 83 ml/min/kg. However, Vanessa’s VO2max is in the mid 60s range.

The metabolic demand (oxygen demand) increases when running speed increases. The actual oxygen uptake depends on how well the aerobic energy system is developed. The difference between metabolic demand and energy production via the aerobic system is covered by the anerobic energy system.

“INSCYD shows how the aerobic system and the anaerobic [glycolytic] system interact, like no other standard test does.” – Ivo Roelandt, trainer of Scaunet

This means, almost 20 ml/min/kg of oxygen demand cannot be covered by her aerobic metabolism. Therefore, this needs to be covered by anaerobic – mostly glycolytic – energy. As a result, the aerobic energy contribution is decreased to approximately 72% (instead of 87% during the 2000m), while the anaerobic energy contribution is increased to approximately 28% (instead of 13% during the 2000m).

RACE PERFORMANCE PREDICTION

Knowing the new race demands was interesting, however Vanessa and her coach only knew those demands 10 days before the race. It was too late to change the training program, but predicting the future race performance offered great insight for future training! Let’s have a look.

The INSCYD lactate recovery and accumulation graph shows how fast lactate accumulates at any intensity. Knowing Vanessa’s profile, she is able to reach a maximal lactate concentration of approximately 13-14 mmol/L when fully exhausted. When dividing the maximal lactate concentration by the duration of the race, we know the maximal lactate accumulation rate.

For example, the cross-country race that Scaunet was preparing for at first would take about 7 minutes. With a maximal lactate concentration of 14 mmol/L, the maximal lactate accumulation rate may not exceed 2 mmol/L per minute (14 ÷ 7 = 2). Otherwise, she would hit the maximal lactate tolerance before the finish line.

The lactate recovery- and accumulation graph below, shows that the running speed (x-axis) at a lactate accumulation rate of 2 mmol/l/min (y-axis) is approximately 5.4 m/s.

Knowing this speed enables coaches to create a pacing strategy for a race and helps them predict (running) race performance.

The Lack of Pyruvate & Lactate accumulation graph shows how fast your athlete accumulates lactate (fatigue) at any given intensity. The lactate accumulation depends on the lactate production in the Glycolytic system (VLamax), lactate combustion in the Aerobic system (VO2max) and body composition

However, Vanessa now had to prepare for a 2 minute race. In our example, this would allow for a lactate accumulation rate of 7 mmol/L per minute (14 ÷ 2 = 7). By looking at the pace that matches this lactate accumulation rate, Scaunet’s trainer was immediately able to see whether this was a competitive pace. And it was…

This can be seen on the lactate curves that are created, using the performance projection in INSCYD. This shows a lactate curve for the 2000m and the 800m, using Vanessa’s already existing metabolic profile derived from her first INSCYD test. Using this graph, it is now pretty simply to read her speed at her maximum lactate concentration….

The lactate graph shows the lactate concentration (y-axis) at the finish, depending on running speed (x-axis) and distance.

Further improvements

The performance projection allows her coach to “play around” with her metrics as well. Instead of only projecting her performance for a yet unknown race, it is also possible to edit one or several of the metrics of her metabolic profile. He can then find out how much time she saves with a higher VO2max, how gaining or losing 1kg of body mass affects her race results, or what the maximum lactate concentration would be if she increases her VLamax by doing more anaerobic training.

All this can be answered BEFORE prescribing a training program or signing up for the next Championships.

European Athletics Indoor Championships – Torun 2021

Vanessa Scaunet survived the qualifications and made it to the semi-finals. She finished in 18th position at Europeans. We want to congratulate Vanessa Scaunet on her performance and thank the performance lab and her coach for sharing this story.

Want to know how you can better train and coach your running athletes, using INSCYD? Schedule a free personal demo now!

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Should my Track and Field runner increase or decrease VLamax?

In our previous article about Why the best track and field running coaches look beyond VO2max, we talked about the importance of knowing your athlete’s anaerobic power (VLamax). We showed that having a too low VLamax can easily cost you more than 5 seconds in an 800m race, while a too high VLamax can cost…

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Belgian Hammers – Road to Olympic Mixed Team Relay

The Belgian Triathlon Team Mixed Relay won the Olympic qualifier in Lisbon. As a result, they will compete in the Tokyo Olympics on July 31. What is their formula for success and how do they use INSCYD to create race winning training programs? Read it in this blog. ABOUT THE TRIATHLON MIXED TEAM RELAY Triathlon…

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Anaerobic threshold (FTP): why you might be overthinking it

How many times have you looked at your power meter or heart rate monitor and wondered if you were going too far above your threshold? Although it is reasonable not to kill yourself ‘just because’ when you’re out training and racing, you might be surprised by how little you actually know about one of the…

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INSCYD Training Zone Builder - cycling

Stop using old-fashioned Training Zones – instead try this

The way training zones are determined and used hasn’t changed for decades, as if nothing happened in sport science lately. It’s time to throw them out of the window and start creating training zones that actually matter. Let’s start right away. TRAINING ZONES MOST COACHES USE – AND WHY IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE Currently,…

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How To Apply The Norwegian Method To Training

The Norwegian Training Method is gaining attention after the success of Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfelt in triathlon. In this blog post, you will learn how to apply the Norwegian Method in 3 simple steps to increase your triathlon performance. We will discuss the training philosophy, how to control intensity with lactate measurements, and the…

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Breaking the ice of Iceland’s swimming performances

Iceland is often associated with geysers, volcanoes, cold water and a generally hostile landscape. Although it’s an island, you hardly think of Iceland as a swimming country or destination. But even this remote country, home to more than 300,000 inhabitants, has its own swimming federation – the Sundsamband Íslands, SSÍ. And its swimmers have already…

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The Ultimate Guide to Running Economy: How to Improve and Measure It

Improving running economy is probably the most efficient way to shave off minutes from your 10k or (half) marathon time. At the same time, it’s an overlooked metric that is often wrongly measured. That’s why it’s time for a change! This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about running economy (RE): from theory…

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How mid distance running coaches use INSCYD – case study

INSCYD’er and short distance runner Vanessa Scaunet during the European Championships Indoor, Torun 2021. More and more running coaches use INSCYD to create better training programs and race pacing for their athletes. This blog covers the story of Vanessa Scaunet, who was able to switch her running goal from a 2k cross country to an…

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INSCYD test. Partner: Triathlon Training Academy

INSCYD test: protocol, results, cost and more.

This article covers everything you need to know about the INSCYD testing protocols, test results, testing cost and many more. Let’s start by addressing a common misunderstanding. Image: INSCYD partner Triathlon Training Academy Before we can dive into the INSCYD test, we have to understand what INSCYD is. INSCYD is a software tool that allows…

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Go Long, Ultra Long, With INSCYD

Want to race or run super long races, like the Race Across America, Cape Epic, Dirty Kanza or the Transcontinental? We’ve got you covered! As Certified Sports Nutritionist Coach Sofi Marin (INSCYD user since 2017) says: “During a 4-hour ride, you can underfuel and get away with it. However, during a 48-hour event, it’s essential…

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INSCYD skiing test

Next level metabolic analysis in XC skiing

Just because INSCYD is well accepted in cycling – with partners like Team Jumbo Visma, Movistar and Alpecin-Fenix – doesn’t mean INSCYD is limited to cycling. In fact, the first INSCYD license purchased ever was in swimming – via the French Institute of Sports INSEP. If you are a coach, test lab or federation, who…

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Does the anaerobic threshold really occur at 4 mmol/l blood lactate?

Many performance labs and coaches determine the anaerobic threshold based on a lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l during an incremental test. This article answers whether that is a valid method of assessing the anaerobic- or lactate threshold.  Share this insightful article with athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts who can benefit from a deeper understanding of lactate…

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SEG RACING ACADEMY PARTNERS UP WITH INSCYD

(Tägerwilen, Switzerland, 8 March 2019) – INSCYD, the world’s most advanced software for performance analysis, and SEG Racing Academy partnered up for the next three years. Talent Support & Identification SEG Racing Academy is an U23 development team that competes at continental level with the aim of educating and developing riders to the next step.…

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Breaking 5: overcoming the bike split barrier in IRONMAN

McCutchen going sub-5 and improving his Ironman bike split by more than 10 minutes in just 12 months Going sub-5 for the bike leg of an Ironman is a true milestone. Getting even faster after this benchmark is clearly harder, but not impossible. Just look at age–grouper Matthew McCutchen (47) from Aliso Viejo, California. McCutchen…

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Glycogen stores in the exercise body

Muscle Glycogen and Exercise: all you need to know

Muscle Glycogen and Exercise: all you need to know Glycogen is the most important energy substrate during exercise, especially at higher intensities. Since most races require such high intensities, glycogen is important to every athlete who wants to be strong, fast and become a winner. Regardless of the intensity at which you exercise, at some…

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INSCYD partner Triathlon Training Academy

3 Key Metrics Athletes Want to Know: How to Collect and Use Them

As a sports performance coach, you’re well-versed in creating training plans and guiding your athletes to success. However, are you providing them with the metrics they truly crave? Our survey revealed that athletes are highly interested in 3 specific metrics, which most coaches often overlook. Here are these 3 metrics, along with tips on how…

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Heart rate in swimming training zone

INSCYD integrates Heart Rate in Training Zones

We are happy to announce that from now on, heart rate is integrated into our training zones. That means you can now describe a FatMax training zone – or any other training zone – based on heart rate. Image: INSCYD partner Triathlon Training Academy In the past, INSCYD training zones were described based on speed…

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TrainingPeaks vs INSCYD

TrainingPeaks vs INSCYD

This article talks about the differences between a training platform like TrainingPeaks and INSCYD performance software. We also show how teams like Alpecin-Deceuninck combine both tools to prepare their pro athletes for key races. *Although we compare INSCYD with TrainingPeaks, the same is true for other training platforms like Today’s Plan, AZUM, etc. Prefer watching…

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Breaking 7 at “La Marmotte” – with INSCYD

Henrik Kraglund on his way to break the 7-hour mark at La Marmotte 2019 There are several badges of honour in the world of endurance sports. For some, it is running a marathon in less than three hours, or qualifying for the Ironman World Championships. For pure cyclists, on the other hand, it can be…

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Mesics vs INSCYD: The Best Software For Lactate Tests

Not sure which software to use for analyzing lactate tests in your human performance lab? Checkout this comparison between Mesics (LC lactate) vs INSCYD, and decide which tool fits your lactate- and spiroergometry diagnostics lab best. To prevent confusion: Mesics is the company name. Their product is called Winlactat. Soon the product name will change…

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