Starting MAF training using HR, some questions... (Read 762 times)

I feel like I've pushed to about as fast as I can push this year without going back and doing some serious base building. Based on some things I've read, I've decided to try to strengthen my base using max aerobic factor training (MAF) using a HR monitor. I know a few people here have discussed it before, esp. Ed4, so I was hoping for some encouragement and a few answers. I went for my first run yesterday, and felt terrible! My normal race pace is like 6:30, training paces range from that pace up to 8:30 for my slow days. Using the typical 180 - age MAF formula, my maximum goal HR is 152, so I set my max HR limit to 145, and had to run like an 11:30 mile the first mile, and a 12:20 the second. I ended up doing slow jogs until I hit my limit, then walked until I got under by a little ways, and then jogging again, etc. I ended up averaging 139 bpm, and maxed at 151. So, questions are: 1) Does it get easier to stick to this? I was planning on doing this for 8-12 weeks, but I don't know if I can take it for that long if it doesn't get a little easier soon! 2) What should my lower HR limit be? All discussion I find is discussing the max, and doesn't really mention the min. I guessed 120, so my range was 120-145. I only fell out the bottom of the range twice, at the end of my walks. 3) When doing this kind of training, should I still do a long day? If I deteriorate at the rate I did yesterday, I can't see going much beyond 3-4 miles right now. Normally my long day is 6-7. 4) Should I change my weekly mileage at all starting out? I only get in 15-20 miles a week now, so I figure I'm fine starting at 15 and building from there. I'd like to get to 30+ by the end of the year. But since my form is different and such, should I refrain from increasing distance for a few weeks? Do I still follow the 10% rule, or can I increase more because the runs are less stressful? 5) Anyone who does this lift weights at the same time? I've read it is considered anaerobic, and should be avoided, but I was intended to do some light to moderate upper body lifting. Will this interfere much? If it slows the progress down a little, that is probably alright, but if it negates what I'm trying to do, then I guess I'll pass... So, any encouragement would be appreciated. My head tells me this is a smart thing for me to do, but my heart just wants to run fast. Thanks!

My head tells me this is a smart thing for me to do, but my heart just wants to run fast.

I looked at your log. If you want to build your base, your problem is not the pace of your runs, or your heart rate, but the volume of your mileage. Run more, a lot more, and the pace of your runs will settle into a good range. Low heart rate training is a great way to keep yourself from pushing too hard when you are running high mileage. When you are running low mileage, recovery is not an issue, and neither is pushing too hard. So, if all you are doing is slowing down your running, don't expect an improvement. The improvement will come if the slow down allows you to spend more time running. Building aerobic base is simple--run a lot. Tracking your heart rate is one way to figure out how to run more without pushing too hard, but the goal in base building is running a lot--not running at a particular heart rate. My advice is to use whatever means necessary to run more miles. If the HRM helps you do this, then use it. If not, then don't.

I agree with PerfesserR: I didn't really start to notice serious improvement in pace until after about 250 miles. But then the improvement really accelerated, and it became much more fun. There came a point where the HR monitor spent much more time telling me to speed up than slow down. On the other hand, it only took a week or so before I was much more comfortable staying within a fixed HR range, and adapting my form to a slower pace. So you might find it gets more tolerable soon. I don't think the lower limit matters very much. As long as you're actually running, the miles are what matters. My first runs with the HR monitor (back in late June) were in the 10-11 min/mile range. Now on a good day I've run as fast as 8:45 pace at the same HR, and I don't really start to slow down until after 9 miles. Unfortunately, I'm not so fast lately, since I had to take most of September off from running for various reasons. I'm curious to see how quickly I can get back on the improvement track now that I'm ramping my mileage back up. Also, you'll find that there's a lot of variation from day to day. One day you'll run 9:15, the next 10:00. You didn't actually get less fit, it's just the numerous confounding factors: temp, humidity, what you ate, how much sleep you got, how relaxed you are, etc, etc... I like the fact that running based on HR takes all that into account, and lets you run faster on days when your body is ready to run faster.

One more thing...some of those same people who claim that you can race fast on just MAF training also say that if you exceed your MAF heart rate during MAF training, even for a minute, it negates the whole training session. I don't buy that either.