Hi all, I have been doing LHR training since Jan this year and have been very strict about it. I have only done two anaerobic training sessions since then, and one 14km race. I've kept under my MAF and have been trying to slowly but steadily increase miles. I've been a little dodgy in that I don't warm up or down properly (due to time constraints) but otherwise have ticked all the boxes - kept hydrated, not eaten before runs etc etc. I haven't done MAF tests cuz there's nowhere suitable near me to do them and also I've been a little afraid. I've enjoyed running MAF-style, as it's helped me enjoy running, not exhaust myself and remain uninjured. However, I don't really feel like I'm progressing in terms of speed. I know you're all going to ask for heaps of minor details. Look at my log. You'll see that I start off really slow in Jan - this is because it was super hot and super hilly where I was running on holidays, then improve to around 7:45 to 8:00 min km, then my times blow out - I tried warming up and down and included this in my overall times - then give up on the warming up/down and go back to around 8:20min km. I seem stuck here. I'm wondering if after four months of exclusively LHR training, I should throw in one anaerobic session per week. I know you're all going to say no, but I need to hear someone else say it....

Thanks for the feedback. I've actually just started Jimmy's increase program, but am only up to about week 4! The problem is that I run in the early mornings around my neighbourhood which is fairly flat. Perhaps I need to do a few circuits of the one or two hills nearby.

Hi Kate, You've been at it since January. That's 4 months of almost pure MAF training (you've had some anaerobic work). I looked at your log, and your weekly training load is kind of low and is probably why you haven't seen more progress in your training times. 14-17 miles per week is very low mileage. Plus, I see nothing resembling a long run. Remember that what you are doing with MAF training is building aerobic endurance. I believe you need to give your body increasing (slowly) amounts of training load to endure in order to do this. The Low HR part is just part of it. You can do without hills if you live in a flat place. Just increase your load, and that means a bit more time on your feet. Get there slowly. No need to run more than 2 hours 2-3 times per week. Eventually, when you feel your ready, you can exceed the 2 hour run and build to a long run of 3:00 but be careful. That being said, running is also supposed to be fun. I see nothing wrong with you choosing to do a race season. If racing is why you are doing low HR training, then by all means go have some fun. Perhaps keep in between mileage below MAF. I always encourage people to experiment, but to do so with the utmost consciousness you can muster. Keep track of data, know why and what you are trying to do, and see each experiment through. There are some that do the 12 week base period, then race the rest of the year, keeping all training miles as MAF training. The races are their speedwork. Some will mix it up during this time, then get back to a base period when they see their MAF tests have gone into the pooper. If you want to do an "anaerobic" session every week, just know why you are doing it, keep track, and see the experiment through. I think it's easy to get religious about MAF--gotta be pure, gotta be pure--and "anaerobic" almost becomes the forbidden fruit. It's not. Just be conscious. Last suggestion: do MAF tests in whatever stage you find yourself. Good way to keep track of your aerobic fitness and speed. I wish you all the best. --Jimmy

Jimmy - you are right about the low mileage. I'm trying to build up (my goal is a half marathon in October) but as I have to leave for work at 7:20am I'm getting up around 5:30am as it is to fit my runs in! I was kind of hoping I'd get faster and therefore could run further in the same time. In answer to your suggestions: - Hills - How far do you need to climb? I did three laps of a small hill (20m rise) this morning - is this enough to make a difference or is it just laughable? - Strides - Can you explain exactly what you mean? Is this just when you run faster every once and a while? If so how far over MAF should I go? Thanks for all your good advice so far!

- Strides - Can you explain exactly what you mean? Is this just when you run faster every once and a while? If so how far over MAF should I go? Thanks for all your good advice so far!

When I do strides, I don't go any certain number over MAF, what I do is one stride for every mile after my warmup. I'll run .9 of the mile at or below my MAF and then for the last .10 of the mile I pick it up to about 10k pace/feel, then I do a short walk to recover. Wash, rinse, repeat. So if I do a 10 mile run, I will do around 8 strides of .10 mile in length each. I don't do any strides on the first mile because that is my warmup or the last mile becuase that is the cooldown. If I'm having a particularly good day, I may do one stride for .05 of a mile every half mile so I double the amount that I do but not the distance that I do them for. Hope that makes sense.