Subjective Fatigue Assessment After Running: Application of the RPE Scale and POMS Questionnaire

Introduction

Heart rate is objective data, and pace is objective data, but there is one type of information that no sensor can capture—your own feelings. Sports science research has long confirmed that subjective fatigue assessment is highly correlated with physiological fatigue indicators. Borg’s RPE scale (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and the POMS (Profile of Mood States) questionnaire from psychology are the most widely used subjective tools in both research and practice.

More importantly: these two tools are completely free and take only 2–5 minutes to complete.

The RPE Scale: Borg 6–20 and CR10

The Borg 6–20 Scale (Original Version)

When designing this scale, Borg deliberately made the score multiplied by 10 roughly equal to heart rate—although this is a rough estimate, it is very convenient in practice.

The CR10 Scale (Revised Version, More Suitable for Daily Use)

Application of CR10 in training logs: After each training session, record the “average RPE during training” (CR10) and the “RPE felt 1 hour after training.” If the post-training RPE consistently remains above 7, it indicates insufficient recovery.

Why Is Subjective Assessment Scientifically Grounded?

Noakes’ (2012) “Central Governor” theory posits that the brain pre-regulates exercise intensity based on whole-body status (blood glucose, body temperature, muscle fatigue, psychological factors), and the subjective feeling of this process is RPE. In other words, RPE reflects the brain’s integrated assessment of whole-body fatigue status, not just muscle fatigue.

Research shows:

• The RPE difference before and after training (Session RPE) can predict the risk of overtraining
• Consecutive days of elevated RPE (under the same training plan) are an early warning sign of fatigue accumulation
• The correlation between RPE and lactate threshold in well-trained runners is as high as r=0.85 or above

The POMS Questionnaire: Systematic Assessment of Mood States

POMS (Profile of Mood States) is a questionnaire that assesses short-term emotional states. It was originally used in clinical settings and was later widely adopted in sports science to monitor overtraining.

Simplified POMS (Suitable for Daily Self-Assessment)

Each morning or before training, rate the following six dimensions on a 1–5 scale:

The “Iceberg Profile”: Healthy, high-performing runners’ POMS profile takes the shape of an iceberg—“high vigor, low on the other five items.” If this profile collapses (vigor drops, fatigue/tension rises), it is an early warning sign of overtraining.

How to Apply This in Training?

Daily 5-Minute Monitoring Protocol

1. 2 minutes after waking up: Rate resting heart rate + the simplified POMS items of vigor (1–5) and fatigue (1–5)
2. After training ends: Record the workout type + Session RPE (CR10 scale)
3. Every Sunday: Review the week’s RPE trends and POMS values to determine next week’s training intensity

Training Intensity Adjustment Guidelines

Special Considerations for Taiwanese Runners

Taiwan’s work culture (long hours, high stress) has a significant impact on running training. Work stress consumes recovery resources just the same—if a work week is particularly busy, the tension and fatigue dimensions of POMS will naturally rise. In such cases, you should proactively reduce training intensity rather than “use running to release stress” (which actually worsens fatigue).

Practical Recommendations

• Create a simple daily assessment card (using a phone notepad or paper), taking no more than 5 minutes per day
• Set a “red alert line”: if RPE ≥ 8 or POMS vigor ≤ 2 for 3 consecutive days, enforce a recovery week
• Keep subjective assessment data and Garmin/Strava data in the same place—only by cross-referencing the two does the data become meaningful
• There is no need to use the full version of POMS (65 items); the simplified 6–10 items are sufficient for runners

Conclusion

The best training monitoring tool is not your watch—it’s you. RPE and POMS give you a systematic language for listening to your body, allowing fatigue to be detected and addressed before it becomes an injury. Numbers and feelings together form the complete picture of your training.

Related Reading

• RPE and sRPE: The Cheapest and Most Underrated Training Load Monitor
• RPE Perceived Exertion in Running: How to Use Subjective Feelings to Adjust Pace
• RPE Feel-Based Pacing: A Study on the Accuracy of Subjective Fatigue Perception in Long-Distance Running
• RPE Rating of Perceived Exertion: Why “Feel” Is the Most Underrated Training Instrument