Hi everyone,
I am a paying subscriber and I regularly use Zwift Run for uphill workouts on my treadmill.
My smart treadmill correctly transmits the incline data to Zwift, and the app displays and logs the total elevation gain (ascent) perfectly. However, the calorie calculation is heavily underestimated.
It is clear that Zwift’s running algorithm completely ignores the incline variable for energy expenditure, relying only on flat-ground speed and body weight. Even though my heart rate spikes on a 20% or 30% incline, Zwift calculates the exact same calories as if I were walking or running on a flat surface.
Since third-party platforms like Garmin Connect and Strava accept the calorie data written in the Zwift .FIT file without recalculating it, my daily energy expenditure tracking gets completely messed up.
We need Zwift to update its running algorithm to either:
- Include the elevation/incline data in the mechanical work equation for calorie calculation.
- Allow the option to estimate calories based on Heart Rate data (via HRM) when incline is detected.
I am using a Garmin HRM strap which tracks my real effort perfectly, but the software completely ignores it for calorie estimation. Please fix this limitation for the running community.
Thank you!