RunningAHEAD - Topic: Some of my runs.

Intherunning

posted: 8/15/2006 at 12:50 PM
modified: 8/15/2006 at 12:58 PM

Joe!, this is turning into an old runner's club. Let's hope we get some young ones to start posting. The 4 of us who have been posting, we are all in our 50's! Anyway, Joe I just use a basic model Polar HRM. I saw a newer, but similar, model at WalMart the other day for around $60.00. Here is a link to a great site where you can establish your good training heart rate. http://www.marathonguide.com/training/articles/HeartMonitorTraining.cfm I use a HRM faithfully. It is like my speedometer. I determine my intensity solely by what that thing is telling me. I've had some conversation here as to how, by keeping my rate in a certain range, my pace has improved. That's because as you become more fit, the heart rate you will find your heart rate fall. (Just like your resting HR.) So in order to maintain that same range, you need to turn over the legs faster. By the way, increasing turn over is far more efficient for stepping up the pace than trying to develop a longer stride. Check out the site. John PS Be careful of that hot weather in Texas! Think of us northerners come December through March!

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Forrest

posted: 8/15/2006 at 1:16 PM
modified: 8/15/2006 at 2:33 PM

As my mileage increases I intend to try eating on the runs as well. I used to freeze powerbars and break them into bite size pieces and wrp them up in plastic wrap and unwrapped as needed. That worked for me during my Marathoning days but I was not diagnosed T2 back then. I'm hoping it will still work. I also carried half gaterade and water in addition to water stations in the races. I think I should take my own advise and slow down my running. I've started out doing sub 10:00/mile runs and I think that is too fast to begin running again. I don't use a heartrate monitor. You should talk to StarflightHe determines his run pace by it and he lives by it. I just use the percieved effort method. You can generally tell by how you feel or if you can carry on a conversation but can't whistle you are in a good training pace. If you have trouble talking normally your heart rate is probably to high. The monitor is probably a better way to go. Are you using all the features available on this site? They are the best I've seen anywhere. You can enter your profile, make routes and it will calculate the distance for you and it's very accurate, enter all your times and distances, a great shoe tracker automatically adding the miles to whatever shoe you wear in your run. There are many more features like graphs that I have not got into as I just started logging this week. Dave

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Bear_Poop

posted: 8/16/2006 at 6:20 AM
modified: 8/16/2006 at 7:01 AM

I do use a HR monitor on each run and it does help a lot. It really helps with the heat because it slows me down and keeps me from over heating. I run Tue through Fri in the late afternoon and Sat and Sun and about every Fri in the AM. I'll bet my logs show a pace difference with temp. I only have 22 miles total and my pace is still around 12:30 or so. I have not been doing speed work and I have read that you really should have a good base of about a year of running first. I bought a Omron HR-100C off of Amazon for less than $35. It is very basic but does the job. Now I find I wish it had a memory or an average HR feature. YEP!! Just checked. My AM runs average under 12:30 while my afternoon runs average over 12:30. AM Runs 11:47 to 12:53 while the afternoon runs range 12:17 to 13:11

To paraphrase an old poster: Today is the first day of the rest of your training. It doesn’t matter where you started or how far you’ve come. Today is the day. Your training didn’t start 6 weeks ago. Your training started the last time you hit the road. John “the Penguin” Bingham Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire

Intherunning

posted: 8/16/2006 at 7:30 AM

Starflight. Smart approach to speedwork. Let your fitness improvements take care of speed for now. As you become more fit, it will allow you to pick up the pace. Once fitness has leveled off and your weight loss stablized, then try some modest speed work. But you're right, get a good base going, otherwise you be beating yourself up with the speedwork which would be premature at this point.

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Forrest

posted: 8/16/2006 at 9:27 AM

Starflight - I agree with John. You should be focusing on your fitness improvements and not so much on your speed. (remember you are moving a lot faster than when you used to walk only) Reducing the number of walk breaks at your HR level is great. As John says the speed will naturally improve as your fitnes improves and you achieve your weightloss goal. Congrats on your resting HR reduction. Obviously you are hitting the important goals. Keep it up!! Dave

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Bear_Poop

posted: 8/16/2006 at 9:48 AM

Currently I am using the 220-age for MHR and have set the monitor to alarm at 65% and 80%. But now after more research I am wondering what formula to use. I have seen ranges from 168 to 179 in most cases. That would really change my running!! Any advise?

To paraphrase an old poster: Today is the first day of the rest of your training. It doesn’t matter where you started or how far you’ve come. Today is the day. Your training didn’t start 6 weeks ago. Your training started the last time you hit the road. John “the Penguin” Bingham Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire

JoeOs

posted: 8/16/2006 at 10:35 AM

Guys, It seems like the HRM is the way to go. Trying to figure out the work out zones though. When to run at 80%, 85%, or 70%??? Boy I didn't think this could get so complicated. I started out just running to get in shape, but that desn't seem to be enough, had to add some goals.Egads! But it is fun to see progress. Dave, if I try and talk, I'd have to talk to myself, people look at me wierd allready. Look at that old man running and talking to himself! Joe

Age is not an illusion

Intherunning

posted: 8/16/2006 at 10:38 AM
modified: 8/16/2006 at 10:42 AM

Starflight--try this website if you haven't already. Scroll down and check out step #3 "Calculate Your Training Zones" which will help you out. It's a good site with lots of good info. Joe--check it out too if you're interested. John http://www.marathonguide.com/training/articles/HeartMonitorTraining.cfm

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Forrest

posted: 8/16/2006 at 11:12 AM

Quote from JoeOs on 8/16/2006 at 10:35 AM:

Guys, It seems like the HRM is the way to go. Trying to figure out the work out zones though. When to run at 80%, 85%, or 70%??? Boy I didn't think this could get so complicated. I started out just running to get in shape, but that desn't seem to be enough, had to add some goals.Egads! But it is fun to see progress. Dave, if I try and talk, I'd have to talk to myself, people look at me wierd allready. Look at that old man running and talking to himself! Joe

I never thought about talking or singing to yourself - I guess you would look weird! I keep forgeting most of you do your runs by yourselves. I am lucky I have a lot of runners that I trained to run marathons in the past are helping me out with my comeback. They all say they are returning the favor. It does make things easier. Especially on those days that you feel like skipping a run. You feel obligated when you know others are counting on you to show up. You should look into finding other runners. I know some peope live in areas where it is difficult to find them. There should be some out there especially at your speed and distance. Try the site that John recommends for your monitor I have the old style monitor that you have to wear around your chest and I just didn't like it for running. By the way , chatting with others on your runs make themseem shorter.! Dave

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Bear_Poop

posted: 8/16/2006 at 12:00 PM

Quote from Intherunning on 8/16/2006 at 10:38 AM:

Starflight--try this website if you haven't already. Scroll down and check out step #3 "Calculate Your Training Zones" which will help you out. It's a good site with lots of good info. Joe--check it out too if you're interested. John http://www.marathonguide.com/training/articles/HeartMonitorTraining.cfm

A good site. Currently I am using the 220-age (Formula 1) and it works out as follows: 220-52=168 168*.65=109 168*.8=135 Under this system on 1.3 miles averaging 12:30 miles I must slow to a fast walk about 5 times (less if I am running in the cool of the morning} When my HR recovers to 125 I start running again Per Forumla 2: 205-26=179 179*.65=116 179*.8=143 This one would almost let me run the entire 1.3 miles which would imporve my pace. Formula 3: 214-42 (80% of 52)=172 172*.65=112 172*.8=138 Again this allows for more run, but not as much as formula 2 HOWEVER!! Why is there always "however"???? Should I follow step 3 and use my resting HR in the above I get more numbers and ranges.RHR as messured in a BP check last week ws 49 F1 is 126 for 65% and 144 @80% F2 is 133 @65% and 153 @80% F3 is 129 @65% and 147 @80% All formulas increase my max range from 9 bpm to 18 bpm Roll eyes

So the $64K question is which formula should I use? Being that the author of the linked site didn't say not to use step 3 with any formula, I'll take it as a given that step 3 is REQUIRED of all three formula

To paraphrase an old poster: Today is the first day of the rest of your training. It doesn’t matter where you started or how far you’ve come. Today is the day. Your training didn’t start 6 weeks ago. Your training started the last time you hit the road. John “the Penguin” Bingham Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire

Forrest

posted: 8/16/2006 at 12:46 PM

I think that only you can tell which formula to use. If you feel exhausted or overly tired after using the formula that allows a higher HR then you probably should drop down to a formula that allows a lesser high zone. It's not worth running at a higher HR if you body says "no".just to get better speed numbers. Once your fitness alows you to do your run without walking your numbers automatically improve.HRM is just a tool to keep you in a healthy running range for your body. At this stage as I have said b4 the focus shouldn't be on speed. Once you are able to completely run your distance you just need to add 10% a week to that distance to acheive improvement. Dave

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Bear_Poop

posted: 8/16/2006 at 1:05 PM

b4 the HM use I was running 1 mile with no walking. Then I started with the HM and was slowing down to keep within the set range. I THINK that the slowing down tires out my legs faster, but not sure at this point. So I guess the plan is to increase the range starting with the lowest increase per formula and see how I feel after a few runs. While I want to see improvement in speed (who dosen't?) I am more concerned and focused on running my distances without that walking segments. Also I must remember that in the afternoon the temp is up and that effects distance, HR and pace etc. Got to focus on not over thinking all this too. RELAX and EJNOY!!

To paraphrase an old poster: Today is the first day of the rest of your training. It doesn’t matter where you started or how far you’ve come. Today is the day. Your training didn’t start 6 weeks ago. Your training started the last time you hit the road. John “the Penguin” Bingham Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire

Forrest

posted: 8/16/2006 at 1:40 PM
modified: 8/16/2006 at 1:58 PM

Yes, weather conditions, terrain (hilly or flat), what you eat, how you feel , how hard you are pushing yourself , how much sleep you had and taking a day off all contribute to your performance on any given day. HRM is a great tool but there are a lot of factors that go into your performance results. Obviously, if you have ran an entire mile your monitor is paying off by telling you that you were going too fast and out of your maximum target range. That's a good thing! Another way you can use your monitor is to see how fast your heart rate drops during your cool down walk.(One should never just stop) You can record the minutes and use it to determine how fit you are getting. The faster your heart rate goes back to normal the fitter you are! Recovery rates are just as important as your resting HR. to determine your fitness as you are obviously into tracking numbers. Like you said : RELAX & ENJOY THE SPORT Dave

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Bear_Poop

posted: 8/16/2006 at 2:05 PM

My cool down is a .3 mile walk back down the little hill I use as my starting point down to my driveway, then another 300 feet down the driveway to the house. By that point my heart rate is in the middle 90s. Later I check my BP and my rate averages 57 with a BP of 117/65 over the last 30 days. Not bad as a year ago I was on meds for the same BP readings!

To paraphrase an old poster: Today is the first day of the rest of your training. It doesn’t matter where you started or how far you’ve come. Today is the day. Your training didn’t start 6 weeks ago. Your training started the last time you hit the road. John “the Penguin” Bingham Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire

Forrest

posted: 8/16/2006 at 2:16 PM

Me too! I was amazed at how low my BP is after a run. I was expecting to be higher but that was an nice surprice and a good reason to get back into running! Dave

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Diabetic Runners

Some of my runs. (Read 871 times)