Slow go

It's been just slow running this week.

Only 7 miles per day with missing Tuesday. The knee started acting up at mile seven on the treadmill, but not out on the road.

Hoping to do 20 tomorrow at Red Rock (Richard Dean Anderson) or Afton.

It might take 4-5 hours at this pace, but it sure is relaxing.

I know Adam is doing 2 hours at RTA, but I can't run his pace right now.

Anybody for some distance at Afton?

Long run plan for March

20 tomorrow
20 next Sat
50k test at Chippewa on March 22nd with Adam and "the gang" (I guess whoever shows up)

Another 20 - 25 on the 29th, and then Chippewa in April.

I plan to keep it low hr until race day, then flip on the light switch to put my Aerobic Capacity to the test.

Anybody game?

Back from the south

Yes,

I am lucky enough to have parents who retired in a warm spot (at least warmer than here).

We spent 2 1/2 weeks on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. For the golfers out there, they live on the 6th fairway of Harbour Town Golf Course. For those of you who are not, it's the tournament the weekend after the Masters. I retired from golf many years ago, so I don't play anymore. It's a great place to bike and run with no crowds, though.

Most of my runs were avg hr at 140, 1 - 1 1/2 hours. I did get in a 20 mile run, but it took 3.5 hours, all on the beach. I saw tidal changes. I felt like I was walking.

I can tell I am improving my fitness as I can now run at a 9 min pace for a while without getting over 140 bpm. I plan on taking the Hadd test on Monday to see where I am.

I will get around to some pics one of these days.

Low HR Training update

It is tough to measure progress when I am only running "slow", but I feel I am making progress.

It is now not only easy to run 10 miles, but I am neither sore nor tired after the run. I usually would feel tired later in the day after a 10 mile run (or longer), and would feel fatigue in my legs (not pain).

I almost feel as I am not working out, but I know this not to be the case. In fact, calorie speaking, I am only burning 10-20 percent fewer calories per hour.

I have locked in to a 6.5 mph pace at zero incline as my low HR base mode. Yesterday I ran 12 miles at this pace and averaged 131 bpm. The last few miles averaged in the upper 130's. I am finding that the more I do this, the longer it takes into the workout for the average to start increasing.

Another interesting thing I have learned is that I sweat A LOT LESS. I did not even finish a 20 oz bottle yesterday, and had to go to the bathroom real bad towards the end (usually not a problem). Could it be that I have always stressed my system? I have thought for many years that during the summer months, I am chronically dehydrated, no matter what I do. Maybe this is all in my head.

My knee still feels awkward from that minor injury in Jan, but can still run long on it at this pace without making it feel bad.

I am beginning to like this low HR stuff. I will do at least 60 miles this week. Normally this would start to destroy me, but not today.

Starting Tuesday I get to run in warm weather, so it will be interesting to see how it affects my hr.

Until then.

Low HR Training

After the recent re-visit of low heart rate training and discussion, I remembered that about 15 years ago I was intrigued by the same subject. I was reading, you will be surprised, an Anthony Robbins book.

I remembered reading a story about a guy who advocated low HR training, and had great results to show for it. I went to Barnes & Noble looking for the book, they even searched it, and nothing existed from this author, or the subject for that matter. I figured he was probably a quack (as some say Tony Robbins is). HR monitors were just coming on the market, but were big, clunky and expensive. I even worked in a Bike shop, and were still expensive with my huge discount.

So, that was the end of my interest in low HR training. And, I knew 2:30 marathon runners who did not do it. I decided to take my advice from much better trained and higher performing runners. I good and bad idea at the same time. This might account why I did not race for 10 years.

After reading some of the links on Adam's blog, I kept remembering my 1 day stint of low HR training. His links, Hadd and Maffetone with kudos given to Mittleman made me dig up that book where I read it.

I found it today. There were two guys quoted in the book
Maffetone
Mittleman

LOL!

I guess I was way ahead of my time. I ordered a book by each of them today on Amazon, although it was not the original book I was looking for. That book was "The 1,000 mile race of life" by Maffetone.

Nobody had ever heard of him in 92.

Mark Allen, the famous Iron Man Triathlete endorses his methods.

Ironically, we had an autographed poster of Mark up in the shop I worked in.

Funny

So I did a Hadd test to start low HR training for the next 2 months. I already have done 2 weeks or so of it, and it is mentally tough.

The results are on Adams blog, so you can see the boring data.

The part I found interesting was how hard it was to keep my HR low at low speeds, but once I hit a certain point, I had to increase my speed a lot more to get to the next avg hr group.

If this works really well for me, I will continue it up until 2 weeks before Chippewa 50k.

Boring blogging for the next month

I knew winter would get the best of me. All the best intentions in the fall can't overcome the lack of desire which comes this time of year.

I decided (after much reading) to switch to strictly low HR training for the next two months. (Thanks Adam for the links on your blog).

Although I have been a runner most of my life, I don't think I have run intentionally at a such a low heart rate for long periods of time (distance, and days).

On a good note, we are going to down to visit my parents in south Carolina for most of February, so I get to have a little sun and warmth.

My plans for the next month are 50-70 miles per week, max HR 149.

In hindsight, my best years did have late winter/early spring running at easy paces. I did not make much progress following the "typical" marathon training plans. I always started them with a strong "base", but maybe not. I will evaluate in early/mid March to see how long I will extend it.

The first 20 at the HR will be interesting. I will probably have to run halfway around Hilton Head Island.

right now 6.5 mhp is where that HR lands. 3:15 20 mile run will be tough mentally, but at least it won't be on the dreadmill.

Valiant Effort to Carl and Allan

I just checked the update on the HURT 100 mile race, and both Carl Gammon and Allan Holtz dropped after the 100k point. My guess is that they knew they would not make the 36 hr cut, but we will have to hear their reports.

This was to be be Carl's first 100, and he chose one of the hardest. I prayed for you during my treadmill run today, Carl!

I can only imagine what he had to go through to get to that point.

I guess this means you will be joining us on the Superior 100!

I don't like winter

I think I was a bear in my last life, and would just be hibernating at this point.

My knee seems to be better.

I did 12 on the treadmill yesterday, 10 at an 8 min pace, the the last 2 at nine minutes pace. I know what y'all are thinking. That is not "Long Slow Distance", but I just get soooo bored on the treadmill that I can't concentrate for longer than an hour at slower than 8.5 min/mile.

I think this is the period every year where I just don't care about running anymore. The lack of sun, smells, etc... take the juice away from me which get me running.

I took today off, not sure what I will do tomorrow. Probably experiment with tempo pace again to see if the knee holds up.

Even though it is the dead of winter, the first race (50k) is a short 3 months away, hard to believe. I like a big race earlier in the spring.

The plan is to put in a couple of 20 milers if Feb, and do my first training 50k in March.

Winter sucks