RW Forum Six - Sub 3:30

DD-  the ultra I did was  just a local 'Kent Challenge' one, but very enjoyable.  I can only aspire to do something like Comrades in the future.

Minni - I'm just using a combination of the RW schedule, plus what's worked for me in the past (i.e. made it up), but I think i'll include some influences from P&D just because it all seems to make sense, even if I can't get the speeds yet.

I've used HR training in the past, more to slow down my long runs than anything else.  Like others, I got bored of wearing the strap and the variation in the heart rate..but I still dust it off every so often.  I got my max from  a 10k I did (189bpm) and have never got close to it since.  Shame.

!5m LSR for me this morning, found it quite tough....a combination of eating too late last night (after 9pm) and not enough fuel this morning (always used to have porridge, but the cupboard was bare apart from Shreddies).  Lesson learnt, must try harder.

Well done everyone on your LSRs this weekend.

 A big fat zero miles run all week for me . Going to try and have a run on my treadmill tomorrow and see how my chest bears up. The cough is just awful though and am thinking a trip tp the doctors may be on the cards soon

BecsA wrote (see)

Hi Minni

I used HR when training using the P&D plan in the Autumn. I had to find my max by doing some intervals though as it's quite a bit higher than the age formulas would suggest.

I found it useful as it helped me slow down my long/easy runs as I'd been doing most of them too quickly, and consequently train more consistently with higher mileage. If you're able to get the effort level right without a HR monitor then there's probably less benefit.

Hi BecsA!  BecsA and others - I've tried to sort my HR out so I could use it for this training but I just could't find my max. By formulas is seems it should be around 179 however, when I tried I could only get it to about 172 at the most.  But, quite a few times my data would show at the end of a run that I had hit up to 194 during a session.  These were usually achieved when I was running a particularly fast bit of a training run.  I doubt whether these were correct readings and just got fed up trying!  My average HR for my recent marathon was 157 with the mas being 168 reached in the final full mile. 

AA I hope you feel better soon.  A trip to the Dr might be worth it...?

 I'm posting a couple of photos from my run this morning....

On the top of a hill fort.

 

Descending off one hill before climbing up another.  Just before the blizzard started....

Minni wrote (see)

Hi BecsA!  BecsA and others - I've tried to sort my HR out so I could use it for this training but I just could't find my max. By formulas is seems it should be around 179 however, when I tried I could only get it to about 172 at the most.  But, quite a few times my data would show at the end of a run that I had hit up to 194 during a session.  These were usually achieved when I was running a particularly fast bit of a training run.  I doubt whether these were correct readings and just got fed up trying!  My average HR for my recent marathon was 157 with the mas being 168 reached in the final full mile. 

AA I hope you feel better soon.  A trip to the Dr might be worth it...?

I did the 2x 3 mins max effort to try to find my max HR. That gave me about 195, but I thought it was probably a bit higher so used 200 to calculate the zones to train in as I wasn't too worried if they were a bit out. Redoing the test recently I got 197 so think that's about right.

I also get occasional v high readings in sessions. Usually means that the HR strap has been moving around. They still annoy me, but after using the HR monitor for a bit I've got a better idea of when to trust the watch and when it's probably playing up.

AA I've got the same thing and it's very frustrating. I'm trying to rest until I'm over it. Hope you get better soon. 

Minni; Your training partner is clearly nuts wearing shorts in those conditions, nice place to run though. I used to run on Dartmoor looks very similar if not so cold.

AA: Get well before you run, I ran a marathon a couple of years ago with what i thought was a mild cold, turned out I had pneumonia, and there was me wondering why I had run 3-40 when I thought I was in 3-30 shape. In the week after I thought I was going to die, so moral is don't chance it.

Lake: Put Comrades on your to do list.

I have a club 8 mile run tonight which is always fast, hours swim at lunchtime.

It looks very bleak on those pics but the area is really quite pretty. 

DD   Is your swim in the pool or open water?  I've been having front lessons but have had to put them on hold until this marathon training is out the way. Its a 55 mile round trip to the pool and can't really justify the time at the moment.  I'll be glad when the nights get a bit lighter and I can get back out on the bike too.  

Comrades looks brilliant - has that been your favourite event to date?

My favourite and least favourite event is the same one!  Its a mountain marathon type (but only 25 miles I think) which takes in 11 peaks of over 2000ft.  I've done it twice and each time I've thought I've been going to die en route only to finish on a high and in tears both times!  The last time I did it I was bordering on hypothermia and if it hadn't been for my team mates recognising the signs I think I would have curled up and died!  

Minni: Weekdays I swim in the pool, its downstairs from my office! Weekends I swim in the sea, this is one of the advantages of living in Dubai. Do you have triathlon aspirations as well? I switched over a) because I had been thinking about it for a long time. b) I started cycling seriously during the first 3 months of 2010 whilst I was out with a torn calf muscle c) I'm getting too old for the constant impact of running.  I enjoy the mixture and feel a lot less tired training more hours than when I just ran.

Favourite races have been Comrades & Boston, greatest achievement Ridgeway. I also love Beachy Head marathon.  I think that our favourite events are often the toughest, its the sense of achievement that makes them so memorable,

Lovely photos, Minni. Well done.

I tried a run on the treadmill this morning and managed 3 miles  chest felt like it was in a vice, I was sweating profusely and was running really slowly, and my legs were dead. So I gave up and did some core work instead. But I am finding it so frustrating now - I was doing really well over Christmas and New Year.

Hope you get better soon too Becs

AA: Take it easy until you feel Ok, it really isn't worth making in worse, you won't lose that much fitness, i rane my first sub 3-30 marathon 7 weeks after being given the all clear for Pneumonia, the rest might have even helped me, the Dr told me to return to training as if I hadn't trained for 1 year, so I ran a 1/2 Marathon the next week!

Minni: Everyone can master swimming its all technique and practice, a coach is essential, I have a olympic tri on Friday on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit, should be good other than I have to rack my bike 3 hours before the start, I hate waiting around. Give the duathlon a go its not going to do you any harm ( be careful with asking me this sort of question as I will race almost anything!).

Recovery runs ... mine have been very slow, between 9.30 and 10.30 m/m.  They didn't used to be that slow but I'm learning that they should not interfere with the important sessions.  By running them so slow I am totally ready for a harder session the next day.

Kiwi - I know I am lucky but sometimes (actually quite often)  yearn for a long flat road!  

Watched my son in his area x-country today.  He didn't qualify for the next stage and had a nasty fall on the ice but finished happy in the first half of the field.  Proud mum!