I’ve tried so many times to understand the Focus feature Garmin data field and really believe that it could be ideal for doing intervals outdoors but I just don’t get it. I’ve seen Scott’s video and read the Xert webpages plus forum pages, yet I feel missing something.
If it’s just that if my interval targets are 300w and that I do nothing but 300w (except under LTP?), then my focus will be purely the time which Xert understands I can continuously hold 300w. Is that right? But then surely this is of no use on the bike as it would be after-the-fact analysis.
I strongly suspect that this data could be one of the best things for me about Xert but I’m just missing something. Please feel free to link to other convos, though I might probably have already read them. I have an open mind and really want to get it.
The Focus target outdoors is similar to recommended indoor workouts. It’s just a different way to get there by performing irregular intervals that achieve the same strain goal for the day.
While the intervals may be irregular in duration, they do have structure to them.
The Focus field on Garmin provides the target focus to shoot for while the TTE/TTR field helps you gauge RIBs and when to go again.
For example, you can free ride intervals that closely target your 5-minute power (Breakaway Specialist) sandwiched between your warm-up and cooldown portions of your ride. Or the entire ride is slow and easy to meet the endurance goal for the day (Focus: 20:00+).
With a 5-minute power target you’d ride intervals at or slightly above your 5-minute watts on your power curve. Doesn’t have to be exact. They won’t be 5 minutes long as that would drive you to complete exhaustion.
Recovery RIBs should be low watts (ex. 60% TP) so TTR returns close to zero. Then go again.
You also keep an eye on your XSS goal for the day.
When you return and upload the ride, the activity title and details tell you know how well you matched goals for the day.
Think this is where the misunderstanding is. The interval target is based on your power curve before the ride, and is only shown in the advice, not during the ride. The actual ‘after the fact’ (which is actually also available in real time if you use Xert data fields, or Xert EBC) focus reflects everything you actually did during the ride, regardless of whether you actually rode 300w or 400w or 500w intervals. That’s the value of it.
So it’s not re-estimating how long you could hold 300w, but estimating what part of the power curve you actually focused on (based on actual relative contribution from low high and peak ‘systems’ - but don’t think you need the detail). If you did 400w intervals instead of 300w, your focus would end up being maybe 3 minutes rather than the 5 minutes you were aiming for (all made up, just to illustrate), and you’d know you went a bit too hard (or in real time would know to back off to hit the target focus)
but hopefully something clicks for you.