Low HR Training

1

Structuring a week (Read 58 times)

Runamuck


    Hi!

     

    So started using the low HR (MAF) for my training late last year.  Unfortunately, not too far into my plans I broke my wrist!  So I was derailed.  But I started up again in March and did most of my running and biking at low HR. I train for triathlons so I run/bike/swim.  My swims weere also relatively low HR.  My MAF is 135.

     

    Now, I think that becuase my running frequency was only 3 days a week and I maxed out at around 135 minutes of running per week, that this is why my MAF pace hasn't improved all that much since I started this late last year.  I will do a MAF test again this next week to see where I'm at, but I can tell by my typical running paces that I'm not much improved.  One thing I can say is that I don't have to do the run/walk thing anymore.  So I suppose there is some positive there.

     

    What I plan to do is focus on running after my triathlon at end of August. I'll take a short break to let a niggling glute issue heal and then start the program. I'm looking for any feedback or advice on my idea.

     

    What I am thinking of doing is starting to run 6 days a week.  I would take my current volume of 135 minutes and break it down so that my short days are 1/10 of the total and the medium are 2 times the short run and the long run is 3 times the short run. So for a 135 min volume week, my starting week would look like this.

     

    Mon = 27 min

    Tues = 13.5 min

    Wed = 27 min

    Thur = 13.5

    Fri = REST

    Sat = 40 min

    Sun = 13.5

     

    From there I would up the time 10% per week if I'm feeling good.  I would also fit in a couple of low intensity swims and bike sessons just to keep some fitness with those sports.  If time starts to get squeezed, I would drop swim sessions.  My swim fitness comes back pretty fast.

     

    I'd appreciate any feedback or advice on the running specific aspect of this plan.  I did forget to mention that I would probably keep this up for around 5 months.  At least that's my idea right now.

     

    Thanks in advance. Smile

      hi! Smile

       

      how much have you been biking and swimming in addition to the running?

       

      135mins of running weekly is really low though for sure if it's all done LHR.

       

      do you know what average HR you run a half marathon at? and what pace?

       

      13.5 minutes of running at LHR is not going to do anything. anything, it's wasted time. you really want to lace up just for that? the same for the 40minute long run, that's not a long run lol

       

      the 10% rule applies to people who are trying to return back to a mileage they were used to in the past.

       

      how much was your mileage before trying to do LHR and how many hard days did you have?

       

      of course the biking and swimming do matter too.

      runnerclay


      Consistently Slow

        hi! Smile

         

         

         

        135mins of running weekly is really low though for sure if it's all done LHR.

         

        do you know what average HR you run a half marathon at? and what pace?


        13.5 minutes of running at LHR is not going to do anything. anything, it's wasted time. you really want to lace up just for that? the same for the 40minute long run, that's not a long run lol

         

         

         

         

        +1

         

        How long is your Maff test?

        Run until the trail runs out.

         SCHEDULE 2016--

         The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

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        runnerclay


        Consistently Slow

          10 miles HR 123 / 146.

          Run until the trail runs out.

           SCHEDULE 2016--

           The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

          unsolicited chatter

          http://bkclay.blogspot.com/

          Runamuck


            Hi,

             

            I've been balancing all three sports doing each 3x per week.  My total combined volume has been between 8 to 11 hours weekly with running taking between 2 to 3 hours per week of that, swimming around the same and the rest is time in the saddle.

             

            Yes, the majority of the running has been LHR.  I only started doing 1 interval run at MAF+5 in the last few weeks.

             

            As for my average HR for a half marathon, I can't say what it is today because the last HM I did was back in 2012 where I ran a 1:46 (8:03/mi pace).  My avg HR was 170.  The reason that was my last one was that I got achilles tendonitis which pretty much sidelined me for a year.  And I've been reluctant increase mileage since then.... until know, hence my idea of this plan to build up conservatively.  But at the same time, I don't want to go TOO conservative.  Not sure what the right amount is.

             

            My mileage has been on the low side because I've been balancing the 3 sports.  So even before LHR training, I was getting in around 11 to 15 miles a week.  I know that's not much as far as running goes, but with balancing the other sports, that's what it's been.  I typically would do 1 or 2 hard days when I was in race specific phase.  

             

            As for my MAF tests, I've been running for an hour including the warmup and cooldown. So usually there's 2 to 3 miles where I'm running at MAF.

              ah that's a lot of volume. I don't know if that matters and if so in what way.

               

              but if you want to improve in running specifically, I definitely suggest you cut back on the other two sports (low maintenance level only) and try to add some of that volume to the running.

               

              specific suggestion: maybe start from 4 hours and 4 days of running.

               

              after 2 months of LHR, you would want to add some faster stuff gradually, but nothing too hard, keeping the rest at LHR.

               

              as for achilles, make sure it wasn't shoe related.

               

              good luck Smile

              Runamuck


                Thanks. Well right now I'm fairly healthy. Achilles is fine.  I seemed to strain my but muscle a couple weeks ago when I did a long run which was probably longer than I should have. I was over zealous and did 6 miles when the longest before that was 4 miles.  Anyway, I'd love to get back up to 13 to 14 miles for my long run so I can do some HM's next year. But I dont want to by stoopid and risky about it.  My butt muscle is feeling much better now. Just don't feel like I want to really go intense on my runs until my triathlon in 12 days.

                 

                So I'm ok with doing 4 days running starting next month and backing down the other two sports a bit. I'd even do 5 days if that were not going to cause injury. But I've haven't run 5 days per week in many years.. probably not a good idea right?

                 

                So maybe I do go with 4 days as a starting point. How do you suggest structuring that in a week?  Say I want to start at 4 hours a week volume.

                 

                What are you thoughts about that?

                 

                Thank you.

                  sounds like a plan to me. Wink

                   

                  4 days: maybe do it like this:

                   

                  off day, 1 hour run, 45 min run, off day, 1 hour run, off day, 1.5 hour run

                   

                  are you going to use the same HR range for each run? if yes, then, if you want, you can try adding strides twice a week (say, to the 2nd and 3rd runs in the above schedule). shouldn't put you into any anaerobic mode and it helps keep some speed alive, which will be useful once you transition to anaerobic phase of training.

                  Runamuck


                    Yep, I'd use the same HR range for all the runs. So I'll add some strides too as you suggest.

                     

                    What about volume build up? Is a 10% buildup too little on a weekly basis when doing LHR running? Or is that about right?

                     

                    Or should I just stay at this amount of running for a while and just let my aerobic system improve over time?  Maybe add a 5th day of running after a while?

                     

                    I've read that 5 or 6 hours of weekly volume is a good target for LHR running.  Should I strive for that?

                      Yep, I'd use the same HR range for all the runs. So I'll add some strides too as you suggest.

                       

                      What about volume build up? Is a 10% buildup too little on a weekly basis when doing LHR running? Or is that about right?

                       

                      Or should I just stay at this amount of running for a while and just let my aerobic system improve over time?  Maybe add a 5th day of running after a while?

                       

                      I've read that 5 or 6 hours of weekly volume is a good target for LHR running.  Should I strive for that?

                       

                      I don't know, it depends on what your body will handle, try and see how hard it feels at 4 days, if after 3 weeks of doing this you still feel like it's pretty easy to keep this up then you can add a 5th day.

                       

                      if you find you feel good -at least for a while- with a specific number of days, 4, 5 or even 6 then you can try increasing the length of some workouts by a few minutes each week (one of the 1 hour runs can become a midlong run and the long run can be made longer, etc.), until you get to a level where you feel it's still not too much but not too little either.

                       

                      you can stay at this level for a while until your body fully adapted to it and it no longer elicits improvements so easily... time then to move up to another level.

                       

                      have fun Smile

                      Runamuck


                        Yeah, that makes sense.  Thanks for the input!

                          np Smile

                          runnerclay


                          Consistently Slow

                            Posted in wrong thread

                            Run until the trail runs out.

                             SCHEDULE 2016--

                             The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

                            unsolicited chatter

                            http://bkclay.blogspot.com/