Low HR Training

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The power of warming up? - cross post from main forum (Read 325 times)

    Hope no-one minds the cross post. I posted this over on the main forum, but I realize that most HR focused people are probably here. I'm not a strict MAF runner, though I have tried it in the past. I found that trying to stay so strictly below a threshold at such a low HR was just an exercise in frustration for me. I raised the limit on my HRmonitor from 149 (MAF) to 160 (still pretty low by most zone training standards). I've loved the results. Anyway, a sorta long post follows, and I'd be interested in what you think about the unusual HR phenomenon that I detail below. -------------------------------cross post----------------------------- I recently came to the realization that I only begin to really enjoy runs once I've hit 3-4 miles. I've read other threads about this before, and I am beginning to think that I am a slow warmer-upper, though you'd never guess it by the way I sweat. That said, I've noticed a strange trend in my HR this week. I use a HR monitor to keep me honest on my easy paces. It's annoying to have the alarm continually going off and trying to slow down, so I started to take it super super easy sometime last week. My avg HR was noticeably lower when I did this, but I easily ran negative splits without ever really noticing that my pace was increasing. My later laps around my loop were just naturally faster at about the same perceived effort. So, none of that is too weird until I compared yesterday and today. Yesterday, I decided to push it up just a little more, and ran like I previously did, bumping my upper HR limit and forcing myself to slow down when I did. I ran positive splits (excepting my warm-up loop), but my average pace was definitely faster than previous runs. Today, I ran super super easy again, staying far away from my HR limit, but again easily running negative splits. The strange thing, however, was that my last loop today at a super easy HR was at a faster pace than my fastest loop yesterday, but I never really bumped up against my HR limit. Sorry this is kind of long, but has anyone else noticed a similar phenomenon?
    Brandon
    gregw


      I noticed the same thing when I was MAFing. You can't just go out and hit MAF 5 minutes in or you'll frustrate the hell out of yourself fighting the monitor the rest of the way. I would take 25-30 minutes to get up to MAF, no matter how slow that made me, and I usually found my overall pace was faster despite the slow start. It was a lot more enjoyable, too.
        Thanks greg. That sounds almost exactly like what I'm seeing.
        Brandon
          I usually run my first km at 125HR, 2nd at 135 and 3rd at 145 and then just let it drift between 145-147. This seems to be suit me nicely. A month or two ago I tried to speed up quicker, because I felt that my legs warmed up really fast. First half of the course was record pace, but my pace dropped really fast in the end and I ended up in slower pace then what my "normal" pace used to be around that time. Sufficient warm up is definitely beneficial. About my pace. I usually run my long runs in two rounds, for example, 2 times 5M course. Usually my first km in first run is 45sec slower then the second run. 2nd km is 30sec slower and 3rd is quite close to the first run.
            I usually run my first km at 125HR, 2nd at 135 and 3rd at 145 and then just let it drift between 145-147. This seems to be suit me nicely. A month or two ago I tried to speed up quicker, because I felt that my legs warmed up really fast. First half of the course was record pace, but my pace dropped really fast in the end and I ended up in slower pace then what my "normal" pace used to be around that time. Sufficient warm up is definitely beneficial. About my pace. I usually run my long runs in two rounds, for example, 2 times 5M course. Usually my first km in first run is 45sec slower then the second run. 2nd km is 30sec slower and 3rd is quite close to the first run.
            So every one of your runs is like a MAF test with a 2k warmup. I may try that for the next few runs. I've noticed that Jesse does it this way.
              I have 3M, 4M, 5M, 6M and 7M courses that I mix when I, finally, do my long runs. I also have checkpoints in approx. 1km, 2km, 3km and in 6M and 7M courses in 7km. This way I can check my pace. I am still using 10y old Polar HRM and it does not have interval function, so I do not record them.
                Something similar happened to me tonight. I have not done many evening runs on the treadmill lately with the exception of short recovery runs. For a number of reasons I ended up on the treadmill this evening for my 10 miler. I did all of the miles at no incline and I never got off the treadmill once I started. I drank a little water every 2 miles. I've never had a heartrate close to this stable, and can anyone explain what the heck happened in miles 8 & 9??? 10 miles, 9:19 avg pace, 144 avg HR (MAF-2) 1. (warm up) 10:51/ /130 2. 9:16/145 3. 8:57/150 4. 8:57/151 5. 8:57/150 6. 8:57/150 7. 8:57/150 8. 8:57/146 9. 8:57/143 10.(cool down) 10:15/135