I replaced the batteries in my watch and heart rate monitor. I decided that since I'm running slow anyway and I'm stuck on the treadmill for lots of my runs (though not this week, I think), I may as well give low heart rate training a go. I know that my aerobic capacity is crap right now, given the lackadaisical running I've been doing over the past month:
Last week: 4 days in a row, total of 18 miles
Week before last: a single 7 mile run
Week before that: one long run of 15 miles
Week prior to that: 3 runs, 23 miles total
One month ago: 6 runs, 40 miles total
I've said it before, I'll say it today: I'm a slacker.
There are many, many different theories on how to do low heart rate training. I'm going with Maffetone (you don't have to read the whole article, scroll down to the 180 Formula for details). One size (pretty much) fits all. I know that I have a pretty high max heart rate (but what it actually is, who knows? I'm not doing a stress test!), my resting HR is not great right now (60-65), and I am really not feeling like I'm in any kind of good aerobic shape. So, Maf's 180 formula is general enough for me. It's likely close enough that it will do some good.
Has it done anything so far? Nope. There's not a lot of agreement on how long to do this to see results (results are defined as running faster than you could before at a lower heart rate than when you first started this plan), somewhere between 8 to 12 weeks, I believe. That works for me. I'll take it easy on my next two races... not that I was going to bust out some serious speed or anything... and then start reintroducing tempo stuff toward the end of June.
If I can get through this without some part of my body hurting or breaking, I may plan something for fall. But at least this is capturing my attention and I'm looking forward to running instead of dreading it. Ooooh! Fun! Let's see if I can keep the annoying watch from beeping at me! No? Well, let's trying breathing deeper (works, for awhile). No? Let's change the stride a little (works sometimes). No? Oh hell, I'll slow down some.
6 comments:
I've always wanted to figure out the HRM thing myself. It looks confusing to me. I'll check back and see how its going!
math smart is a whole 'nuther kind of smart.
that is all.
:)
Or you know you could just have a resting heart rate of 40 like me :)
haha hi-larious I be. You are tapering off for your race, yeah that can be your excuse. I is fun...have fun running.
Hey!!!! Since when are you doing the Madison Half-Marathon??? You know they have hills right? Your mortal enemy. That and republicans, and Stalin, but he's dead.
My advice: don't get so wrapped up in trying to keep your HR below the number you get, it's gonna creep up towards the end of run no matter what, but I've had success with keeping the average HR below that number. And it takes time for it to pay off, like at least 6 weeks to notice anything, so just about the time you toe the line with Crane and I in Madtown!
I've tried this before, so I know that my HR will creep up as the run progresses and that I'll have to slow down the longer I go. So far, I've been pretty zen about the whole thing. It just made me anxious the last time I tried it.
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