Training Load and Fatigue

Stride tracks two key numbers that help you understand how your training is going: Load and Fatigue. You can show both as tiles and on the Training Load chart on your dashboard, and they appear on the app's Home screen, in its Charts tab and against each day on your calendar.

What is Load?#

Load represents your cumulative training load: how much training stress you have built up over recent weeks. It is a weighted average of your training score over the past 42 days, giving more weight to recent sessions.

A higher Load means you have been training consistently and building volume. A lower Load means you have been training less. Load changes gradually because it reflects a longer window of training. On the dashboard, your current Load is compared with your Load 30 days ago, so you can see whether you are building or tapering.

What is Fatigue?#

Fatigue is your Load minus your acute load. Acute load is a weighted average of your training score over the past 7 days, so it reacts quickly to recent sessions, while Load moves slowly. Today's Fatigue includes any training you have already done today, so it updates as soon as a session syncs. Sessions still planned for later today only count towards the projection.

When your recent training is above what you are used to, acute load climbs past Load and Fatigue goes negative. The more negative it is, the more tired you are likely to be. As you rest, acute load falls back and Fatigue rises towards zero and then above it. So a higher Fatigue number means you are fresher, not more tired.

The Fatigue value is colour-coded on the dashboard, the calendar and the Training Load chart:

• Amber: above -10. You are fresh: either tapering on purpose, or not training enough relative to your Load to keep building it.
• Green: from -30 to -10. The target zone for most training. Your recent training is above your usual load by a manageable amount, which is what builds Load.
• Red: below -30. Your recent training has been very heavy relative to your Load. Keep an eye on how you feel and consider extra recovery.

On the dashboard, your current Fatigue is compared with yesterday so you can see daily changes.

Training Score#

Both Load and Fatigue are built from your training score. Every activity you complete gets a training score based on its duration, intensity and type. Harder and longer sessions score higher, and the scores feed Load and Fatigue automatically.

Strength sessions count too. Once you log the sets, the session is scored from the weight you moved relative to your body weight, and it feeds Load and Fatigue like any ride or run. Strength Training explains the score.

The Training Load Chart#

The Training Load chart plots your Load as a smooth line over time, with Fatigue on its own scale in the colours above. Use the buttons above the chart to show or hide Load, Acute load and Fatigue, as well as calendar Annotations and Stride AI Status and Reports. Hover over any day to see its Load, Acute load and Fatigue to one decimal place. Planned training continues the line as a dashed projection, so you can see where a block or a taper will take you.

Every screen works out a day the same way, using your local date, so the numbers on the dashboard, calendar and app always agree.

Reading Fatigue Over Time#

Watching Fatigue over time is useful for spotting patterns. You might see it drop into the red during heavy training blocks, then climb back into the green or amber during recovery weeks.

How to Use Load and Fatigue#

• Building Load: consistent training over weeks gradually increases your Load. This is a good thing and shows you are building a base.
• Managing Fatigue: if your Fatigue stays in the red for too long, you may be overreaching. Plan recovery days or easier weeks to let it climb back into the green.
• Tapering: before a target event, you want to keep Load high while Fatigue rises towards zero or into the amber. That combination means you are fit but fresh.
• Returning from a break: if you have taken time off, your Load will have dropped. Build back gradually, because a sudden jump in training pushes Fatigue sharply into the red.