I am NOT a regular heart rate monitor wearer however I got a new garmin that has one. For my second run yesterday (also lifted weights right before dinner and ran right after dinner) I decided to wear it. I knew I'd be going nice and easy and I wanted to see if the data backed up how I felt. Needless to say my heart rate was in the fat burning zone and not in aerobic. Is that recovery pace? I wouldn't bother asking however I am actually for the first time trying to REALLY TRAIN. I like to push the envelope and it would be really nice if I had parameters.
MTA: since I'm basically training myself I'm hoping to use the HR monitor as a back up tool. I know how I feel however I have a problem with going too easy ( habit I got into with Ultra running) so I'm working on my pacing for each type of run/workout
Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson
Feeling the growl again
Well, first, there is no real difference between aerobic/fat burning zone. You're burning more fat the slower you go (if you are running LONG enough), and you are almost 100% aerobic at anything below threshhold pace, so there's no real meaning.
So are these recovery runs or easy runs? The reason I ask is, if it is a recovery run, pace is completely immaterial. Run as slow as you want. Better even to err on the side of too slow than too fast; going fast is not the purpose of a recovery run.
Easy runs, bulk mileage runs, you do want to get the pace ROUGHLY right. And rough means rough. So my 10K pace is probably no better than 5:30 right now....tempos 5:40ish. Pretending heat is not the limiting factor, that means my easy runs are 6:40-7:00/mile. If I needed a recovery run I'd go 7:00-7:15. And remember I tend to run all of this a bit faster, given my race times, than most people (it works for me).
Now, if I had a twin doing the same training and racing and their easy runs were 7:00-7:30 and recoveries 8:00, would I tell them they were wrong? Well, no, I would say it is not what I do but it is not enough different to call wrong.
HR is tough, I never had much luck using it and hated the constant checking of the watch or beeping when I got out of zone but felt fine. If you want to use it as a backup I would calibrate it by running by feel then checking it to see what it says. Use that to establish the zone you want to be in and set accordingly so it lets you know if you slow too much.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Well, first, there is no real difference between aerobic/fat burning zone. You're burning more fat the slower you go (if you are running LONG enough), and you are almost 100% aerobic at anything below threshhold pace, so there's no real meaning. So are these recovery runs or easy runs? The reason I ask is, if it is a recovery run, pace is completely immaterial. Run as slow as you want. Better even to err on the side of too slow than too fast; going fast is not the purpose of a recovery run. Easy runs, bulk mileage runs, you do want to get the pace ROUGHLY right. And rough means rough. So my 10K pace is probably no better than 5:30 right now....tempos 5:40ish. Pretending heat is not the limiting factor, that means my easy runs are 6:40-7:00/mile. If I needed a recovery run I'd go 7:00-7:15. And remember I tend to run all of this a bit faster, given my race times, than most people (it works for me). Now, if I had a twin doing the same training and racing and their easy runs were 7:00-7:30 and recoveries 8:00, would I tell them they were wrong? Well, no, I would say it is not what I do but it is not enough different to call wrong. HR is tough, I never had much luck using it and hated the constant checking of the watch or beeping when I got out of zone but felt fine. If you want to use it as a backup I would calibrate it by running by feel then checking it to see what it says. Use that to establish the zone you want to be in and set accordingly so it lets you know if you slow too much.
Thanks for the reply Spaniel!
After I posted I realized recovery pace was immaterial
At this point I'm using the HRM as back up. I've gotten as far as I have with my running trusting myself, but this is the first time I'm actually focusing on speed. My husband a former high school cross country guy, who I've been running with off and on since I started running has been trying to tell me that I run too conservative, which I am really starting to believe. My 5k race's aren't much faster than 2 years ago however my heart rate has lowered and my pace has sped up for said lower heart rate (about 10 or so beats lower at a 2-2:30 minute faster pace)
MTA: I admittedly have run this summer's 5k race's at tempo pace because not only does it take the pressure off, I really haven't done the work I need to race at 5k pace. With the data I get I'll feel more comfortable trusting myself when I start my Anaerobic part of my training plan
I feel like a brand new runner lol
Yeah. 5Ks are hard to run well unless you've done your homework (ie intervals). I don't feel I've run a good one in 5 years for that reason.
Hawt and sexy
The MAF chick is checking in to say you are doing just fine. You know more about this stuff than you let on girl. If you want to continue to see if you can get faster, keep close to that MAF HR for most of your runs. The recovery runs are what ever speed you want, sometimes MAF, sometimes slower. With you doing doubles, you probably only need a couple of recovery runs a week Remember to add +5 to your MAF if you have been uninjured for a year, no cheating. The rest is just the top of MAF and if you are doing speedwork, just do it a couple times a week. Remember, we are old, and a long run can count as a hard day, so some of us just do the speed stuff once a week and add striders 3 or so times a week.. You never were a serious LHR trainer and you seem to be doing just fine though.Just sayin'
I'm touching your pants.