Make the Most of Your COROS: Tips for Novice Runners

Starting a running journey is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. With COROS, you have access to tools and insights designed to guide you every step of the way. In this article, we’ll explore three essential features—Training Load, Structured Workouts, and Running Fitness—to help you train smarter this year.

Getting Started with Training Load

Training Load is one of the most valuable metrics for new runners using COROS. Every activity you complete is assigned a Training Load value, which reflects the stress placed on your cardiovascular system. This metric, calculated with data from your heart rate, pace, and Effort Pace, allows you to compare activities from different forms of exercise, and how they impact your body. It also powers advanced features like Base Fitness and Training Status to help guide your progress.

Training Load seen in a post-workout summary

Why is Training Load important? It allows you to see how each workout impacts your overall fitness and recovery. At the end of each week, EvoLab adds all your Training Load values of the week to provide a Weekly Training Load score. This trend can be quickly seen through your COROS app, or be monitored more closely on your COROS Training Hub. Once EvoLab has enough available data, it also provides a recommended range to hit each week, taking into account your loads from previous weeks.

Weekly Training Load on the COROS Training Hub

By monitoring this metric, you can avoid overtraining and ensure your effort levels are sustainable for long-term improvement. It’s particularly useful for beginners who may be unsure about balancing intensity and rest.

COROS Education: Good heart rate data is key for the most accurate Training Load calculations. The highly-accurate COROS Heart Rate Monitor is the perfect tool to ensure you are getting the best measurements. If using the HR monitor on your watch, proper placement on your wrist and ensuring the strap isn’t too loose will result in better performance.

Dial In Your Running Fitness

Understanding your current fitness level is essential for setting realistic goals and tracking progress. The Running Fitness feature in COROS helps you do just that. By analyzing your data, COROS establishes personalized pace zones tailored to your abilities. These zones serve as a roadmap, guiding your effort during workouts to ensure you’re training effectively.

The Running Fitness Score and your Threshold Pace Zones are similar, but have a few key differences. The "Endurance" factor of running fitness encompasses both the Recovery and Aerobic Endurance zones. Meanwhile, "Threshold", "Speed", and "Sprint" correspond to the Threshold, Anaerobic Endurance, and Anaerobic Power zones, respectively.

Learn More: For more information on each pace zone and how to apply them to your training, check out our article on pace zones for precision training.

Why are pace zones important? They allow you to focus on different aspects of fitness, such as endurance or speed. Running too hard on easy days or too easy on hard days can hinder your progress. With pace zones, you’ll know exactly how to structure your runs for maximum benefit.

COROS continuously updates your pace zones based on your recent performance. As you improve, your zones will adjust to reflect your new fitness level. This ensures your training remains challenging yet achievable.

Following Structured Workouts or a Training Plan

Consistency is the cornerstone of successful running, and following a set of workouts can help you stay on track. COROS makes it easy to add these to your training calendar. Whether you’re looking to create your own workouts or download pre-designed plans, the flexibility is yours.

You can create training plans & workouts in the COROS mobile and desktop apps

COROS offers official training plans and workouts for athletes at every level. These plans are designed by expert coaches to suit beginners, intermediates, and advanced runners alike. The plans will also use your personalized pace zones (calculated via your Running Fitness) to cater each workout to meet your fitness level. By syncing these plans to your watch, you’ll have clear guidance on what to do each day, reducing guesswork and ensuring progress.

When a workout is on your calendar for the day, your watch will ask if you want to follow the scheduled plan. If you agree, it will walk you through every step of the workout, alerting you if you go outside the designed intensity range.

Maximize Your COROS Experience

COROS is more than just a watch—it’s a training partner designed to help you succeed. By leveraging features like Training Load, Structured Workouts, and Running Fitness, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your performance and how to improve it. The path to becoming a better runner starts with a single step, and COROS is here to guide you on that journey.