Activities not counting towards load focus / Training load [Solved-ish]

[LMU]

UPDATE Sunday November 16, 2025:

I believe that this issue is resolved. As far as I can tell, the issue is with how Garmin Connect updates their Load Graphs - not with how GOTOES prepares the FIT files. I am open to further comments on this, but here is the solution if you're having this problem. I got the information from this Garmin Forum Post. If you're not seeing the Training Load graph update immediately, I propose two options (IMPORTANT: Make sure that when you export from GOTOES, you use the device name and serial number that matches the Primary Training Device that you specified in Garmin Connect):

• OPTION 1: Wait until the next day. It seems that Garmin does a delayed sync sometimes for files that are manually uploaded. I suspect that manually uploaded files are treated slightly differently than activities that come straight from the primary training device.
• OPTION 2: If you don't want to wait, force a sync on your device. IF you have more than one device, SYNC BOTH - twice. Alternate between the devices when you force sync.

This is a screenshot of Garmin's original reply on the forum.

ORIGINAL QUESTION BELOW:

---

If I remember correctly Activities with a serial number and garmin device counted towards load focus and acute training load when uploaded.

I now encountered the problem, that in the activity itself everything is shown correctly: training benefit, Load etc.
Training benefit is also shown correctly and in color in the graph.
But it does not have an effect on training load though and also doesn't count towards the load focus graphs.
Is there any way to make that work or is it working as intended and I just misremember it having been counted towards the load in the past?

[fulmar2]

You are correct in what you remember- you need a serial number and Garmin Device in order for Garmin to register an activity towards certain Garmin features. However Garmin is constantly making changes and I need to keep up. I don’t use those features myself, so could you please upload screenshots of what you “should” see as well as what you are seeing with GOTOES. Also, can you please upload a FIT file for me to test (preferably one from the screen shot). Then I will try and reverse engineer the file to see what Garmin wants now in order for these features to register on Garmin Connect.

[LMU]

Thanks for the fast reply!

This shows all the correct info in the fit file of a strength activity done the day before yesterday:

If I copy that for testing purposes and shift the time to today ist shows the laod correctly on the training benefit graph but the training load is staying the same while it should increase, if it had been recognized correctly as an activity done today. So the acute laod stays the same with or without the activity:

also the load focus bars do not change even though it should count towards low aerobic load focus.

Heres the original fit file:

20832925862_ACTIVITY.fit

original fit file

(104.01 KiB) Downloaded 117 times

Edit:
Now that I uploaded it to provide the screenshots it also does apparently count towards garmin challenges

[fulmar2]

That file that you provided was generated by GOTOES. I need the original FIT file straight off the device.

[LMU]

My bad.
Should be the correct file now that is attached to the original post.

[BrunoVD]

Hi, did you find solution for this? have similar issue

[fulmar2]

Hey there! Maybe you can help me out some more in identifying the source of this issue. First:

1) How can I get to the screen that you're seeing with training load? I do not look at training load in this way myself, so I want to try and replicate your issue. Please provide the URL on the web if you can.
2) Could you please provide that GOTOES file again? I see you switched it to the Garmin Original... but I'd like to compare the Garmin Original with the GOTOES output. I found this link in the Garmin Forums, and I am wondering if you specified a non-certified app as the device type from GOTOES.. I see that a contributor says, "Activities from certified apps contribute to the Training Status. Currently Tacx Training app (actually Garmin's own), Zwift, TrainerRoad, and Rouvy are approved" - so I'm wondering if this is related.
3) I'm sure you already did this, but just so we're on the same page: did you ensure that the fields (image below) were completed:

Once I hear back, I will continue my investigation.

[LMU]

1. This should link to the screenshotted view of training load over the past 4 weeks which you can reach by going to this overview this overview that also shows the load focus:

   

2. Here it is:

   GOTOES_4699754566715398.fit

   (65.09 KiB) Downloaded 121 times

   I did not change device type at all just used the time shift as far as I'm aware.
3. Yes. they were pre populated and I also tried to change them myself but that had no impact. Also it seems garmin recalculates those anyway if HR data is provided and a serial number was put in there.
   Furthermore in the shifted activity the load is being shown correctly as is the training effect. It just isn't being counted towards acute load an the load focus:

   

So Garmin recognizes the values in the file or recalculates these for the time shifted file and they show correctly in the shifted activity view itself, but they dont seem to have an impact.

Also while tinkering and experimenting myself I found that this tool seems to parse even more fields compared to gotoes. Also if you change the training effect values with that those values are not being recalculated once you uplad to gamin connect.
But still this also doesnt add to load or load focus then.


Thanks for looking into it!


Edit:
I just put the file into gotoes again and time shifted shifted it to today. I then changed the device type to edge 510 and the activity type to cycling. With the serials number oof my instinct 2 it now did affect load, even though in the activity it shows the instinct 2 as the recording device. Probably because of the serial number. Heres the file for comparison:

GOTOES_8393685760235696_edge.fit

(65.07 KiB) Downloaded 101 times

[fulmar2]

On Garmin Connect, which of those two devices is set as your “Primary Training Device?” This may be the missing link (that you have to select your Primary Training Devoce for it to count towards your load).

[LMU]

My instinct 2 is set as my primary training device, which is why I normally don't change that.
In the file counted to load the device type was changed to edge 510 but the serial number was the one from my instinct 2. In Connect it then shows the instinct 2 as recording device not the Edge, which I don't even own.

[fulmar2]

Thanks for helping me troubleshoot this.

EXPERIMENT 1:

I took a screenshot of my own Training Load:

Next, I uploaded your ORIGINAL FILE (the one directly form you Garmin Device), and then I checked my Training Load:

As far as I can tell, your Crossfit Workout did NOT have any effect on my own Training Load - and that was the ORIGINAL GARMIN FILE. I hovered over the October 29th date of the activity (and the flanking dates on either side), and the training load before and after was unchanged. Therefore, I don't see any reason why running the same file through GOTOES would cause this file to report a different value for training load in my case.

Another thing I noticed was that the TRUE values for the training load (i.e. the Training Load Values that GOTOES allows you to override) are NOT respected by Garmin Connect.. in other words, if you try to override the values, Garmin Connect will overwrite the values that you enter with their own calculation. I already knew about this issue and posted about it here. This is NOT a GOTOES bug... it is a limitation imposed by Garmin where they started ignoring the values in the "Session" field and applying their own algorithm based on the heart rate data. Of course, their own algorithm on the website matches the algorithm on the device, which is why you get the same numbers on their website as you do on your device.

EXPERIMENT 2:

I took your file, and used the GOTOES FIT FILE EDITOR to change the device to my Primary Tracker and I also changed the serial number and software version to match my Primary Tracking Device. The advantage of using this tool is that you can make surgical changes to the file - leaving EVERYTHING else untouched, and only edit certain fields.

Private information redacted

I then uploaded the modified file to my account, and it STILL did not change my training load...

So I am a bit baffled how this is supposed to work; if I have a file that is directly off a Garmin and I load it into my account, why doesn't the training load from that file change my graph? I did read on some blogs that there might be a delay before the status is updated... but I'm not certain that is true.

CLARIFICATION NEEDED:

So just to be crystal clear (because I cannot replicate your issue due to the fact that even your ORIGINAL file does not register training load...):

1) You generate a file with GOTOES using your preferred settings (with Instinct as the device) and it does NOT count towards your training load.
2) You generate a file with GOTOES using the EXACT same settings... except that you change the device from "Instinct" to "Edge 510" - no other variable is changed, and in this case, Garmin displays the training load.

Are the two above statements true? If so, this sounds a bit like Garmin's other recent bug found here. I will keep testing once I hear back from you.

[fulmar2]

UPDATE TO MY PREVIOUS REPLY

I woke up this morning with the intention of revisiting this topic to do further research. I had been staring at those graphs so long yesterday that I noticed a subtle change this morning. Just to be sure, I grabbed the screenshot from yesterday and I hovered over the October 29th date (the date of the activity you supplied me). It turns out that I had FORGOTTEN TO DELETE THE TEST FILE FROM MY ACCOUNT YESTERDAY!

Before

This is a a screenshot of what my load looked like yesterday - even with the activity loaded into my account!

After

This is a a screenshot of what my load looked like this morning

The Actual Activity Values

This is what I see on the activity page.

Screenshot 2025-11-14 at 7.09.25 AM.png (16.88 KiB) Viewed 4711 times

So, what it now looks like to me is this: When you load a file into Garmin Connect - EVEN IF IT HAS LOAD DATA, Garmin doesn't always immediately update your graph. I accidentally left your file in my account, and somehow overnight, the graphs changed. I know that I took that "before" screenshot AFTER I had uploaded your file to my account, and the load was unaffected. This may also explain why you saw a change from the mysterious Garmin 530 file when you uploaded the next day. You weren't seeing the result from the 530, but instead the delayed update from the GOTOES file you had uploaded before.


I still find it curious that my original load was 550 and after adding 28 "units" of exercise load, it was increased to 586. That doesn't pencil out mathematically.

**UPDATE November 14, 2025 @ 7:25AM:
I just figured out how we got from 550 to 586 with a load of 28... I just found this forum that mentions that the load is increased by 28%. When you take the load of 28 and multiply it by 1.28 (i.e. 28%) you get 35.84, which rounded up is 36. 550 + 36 = 586 !!!

How are we getting an additional 28% load?

**UPDATE November 16, 2025 @ 8:03AM:
I have been continuing to investigate this issue, and found this forum post that seems to match your situation exactly! Again, not an issue with GOTOES, but instead a quirk in how Garmin handles Training Load updates - especially with 2 devices.

TL;DR
Garmin has two versions of Training Load in circulation:

• Legacy 7-Day Training Load
• New Acute Load (weighted, 10-day decay, +28% adjustment)

Some users see a mix depending on firmware version.


I think that the best way to come to a resolution on this would be to contact Garmin Technical support and try to learn more about how Training Load is calculated. Unfortunately, I think their algorithm is bit of a black box - even to the technical guys on the phone. At this point, however, I cannot say confidently that there is an issue with GOTOES. GOTOES clearly inserts the Primary Benefit, the Aerobic / Anaerobic Training Effect, and the Training Load into the exported files: This can be seen in the viewer.

I would like to resolve this issue, but I think that we have learned something today. There is almost certainly a delay for manually uploaded files. I hope that you can contact Garmin and supply this forum with answers to how and when the load values are modified and calculated. Thanks!!

[LMU]

I'll quickly respond even if this seems to be somewhat solved and more a problem on Garmins end and not with gotoes as you said.

It is very interesting, that the load updated for you, even though the graph does not represent the increased load for that day.
When I first encountered that issue the load did not update even after a few days and a lot of synching of my devices. I also tried to put those files on the device by usb filetransfer let it upload throught the instinct 2 by synching.

regarding the clarification:
I only changed the device type and the activity type to cycling as i thought the edge is a cycling device.
Maybe the changed device type made my "primary training device" process the load while it didn't when it seemed it came from that very own device before? Just a wild guess.

[fulmar2]

Actually, if you zoom in, you can see that the dot did move upwards a couple pixels. That is how I initially noticed it! The load for that activity was very low (28) compared to my typical load… so percentage-wise that is why it appeared that way…

Having said that, though, I am not sure WHICH of my test files actually contributed to the load one day later. My guess it is the one where I specifically specified my Primary Training Device (with serial number)…. Unfortunately after my discovery, I deleted the file from my account and did not think to verify which file it was. All I know is that the training load did NOT show up after I loaded ANY of the files (including your original)… but then it showed up later because I had accidentally left one of my GOTOES modified files inside the account.

**I'm not sure if you saw, but at the very top of this thread, I added notes on how I think one can update the load graph - which is to manually sync all of your Garmin Devices - in sequence - twice.

I’m not sure how much more you want to pursue this, but I could continue conducting experiments to hone in on just how this feature works… but if you’re satisfied we can also just let it go. Honestly, I think this question is best put to Garmin Tech support… but at the same time, I would not mind understanding it better in case other GOTOES users approach me with the same question. Often times people come to me and say, “GOTOES doesn’t work because…..” but after pulling my hair out for weeks, I find that the issue is with the receiving platform, not GOTOES. I strongly suspect that this is the case here.

Let me know if you want me to experiment further or if you discover any more developments.

[LMU]

You're right, I didn't look cloesly enough

saw the update on synching devices twice although I did synch manually more than two times everytime I uploaded a testfile through the device itself or garmin connect.
I'm fine with resting that case.
I'll post an update should get to experiment wiht that further and find something new.