Base Training

Hi ChunkyGentleman, Hi Base Trainer, Thanks for your valuable advise. It makes all sense and I shall try and run slower (although it will certainly feel that I have stopped).

I don't have a HR monitor and I must admit that when I tried using my husband's (who's a keen cyclist) I didn't manage to work out my MHR. I've always been pretty fit (having always done lots of sports) but my heart always seems to have a train to catch... I understand however that I have to work according to my heart and I have asked Father Christmas for a monitor... Working on one will most probably be an eye opening experience.

Until then, I shall build up from 40 min (because I can run that distance without stopping) and like you BT, I shall look forward to my breakthrough! Congratulations by the way!

 PS: I really do hope I'll have my heart-rate monitor for Xmas, but I am very dubious after being told by my hubby that "we" have put a deposit on £300 for some skateboarding gear for our 3 boys... Which planet am I from??

Thanks No84, I'm just hoping I don't go back to struggling again tmrw, time will tell.

Welcome to the fold S88, hope the injury isn't too bad and you're able to join us soon.

LL, there are a number of ways you can find your max.  You can find a hill of 100-200 m and run up it 4 or 5 times.  After each rep jog down slowly and increase the effort on the next run up until you go flat out on your last rep.  Another way would be to run a hard 800m rest for a short while and then do a flat out 400m, the number you see after your last rep will be pretty close to your max.  You might want hubby with you in case you collapse in a pile, or if their is a malfunction with the hrm he can take your hr manually  

I started this training before I got my hrm and I was just trying to run nice and easy.  When I got my hrm I realised that my nice easy runs had been run at about 82% or so.  Just try and keep the runs really easy, conversation pace.  When you are done you shouldn't be out of breath at all.  Obviously the better shape you're in, the better your pace will be, but I don't think i've read of anyone who hasn't had to slow down considerably for this appoach to training. 

As far as hrm go, If you don't need/want a hrm with all the bells and whistles then you can get some very basic models pretty cheap(£20ish but no idea about the quality.)  I got a garmin fr50, which I've been really happy with, for £44, and it does everything I need, plus it auto downloads the info straight to your computer when you get within a few metres of your computer.  There is an optional foot pod that you can get with it that will tell you distance and pace but that's an extra £60, well out of my price range at this moment in time.  You can have a look at heartratemonitor.co.uk if you want to look at diff models and prices.  I'm sure there are plenty of other places, but it's worth having a look there cos I think they have pretty decent prices and you can at least get an idea of price ranges,etc.  Hope santa doesn't forget you

Happy basing to all.

Hi Base Trainer, You're so kind with all your advise. (Sorry if I didn'y reply more quickly but I have quite a limited access to the family PC at the moment...)

I have a good hill near home and I shall experiment on finding out my MHR. I should be good fun. (I see if husband could strip himself off his PC for a little while and help me with that).

Otherwise I was starting to plan my training for next week and from what I gathered from the previous postings, I am planning on running for 40 mins at easy pace for the next 5 days.

I have mapped my route on Fetch so that I know where I'm going. This will take the stress out of the work out!

Also, I am going to join the gym because I used to practice and seriously enjoy Pilates. It's really good for the core muscles, which at the moment need a good work out!

Did you go out today? How is the wheather near you? It's torrential here! (Herts)

Hi LL, happy to be of any help.  Enjoy you're max test, a lot of people hate the idea, but I find a peverse sense of enjoyment in the odd bit of self torture.

 The plan sounds good, just run less or take a day off if you feel like you need it.  I'm probably not the best person to ask about upping mileage, as i went from 0 - 40/50km in under a month. When I started running to time instead of distance, I just set my alarm to go off after 20 mins and then turned around and ran back. 

It was raining all day yesterday and i'm not quite that dedicated so I didn't go out.  Today was dry and about 8 degrees so I made it out, but only had time for 40 mins, the pace seems to be improving and I seem to be able to keep my hr down with much less effort.  I noticed that the UK is being hit with some bad weather, hope it improves soon.

Done the test!!! Bloomin' eck, that was hard! How can you like that?!?!?

I enrolled the whole family, my husband and my 3 boys. My older one (9 years old) ran to the meeting point where we met my husband and my other 2 (6 and 4). Hubby at top of hill readu to start the stopwatch to count my hr, one boy at bottom and the other 2, well, we had to throw a rescue party afterwards as they went for a little walk in the wood... LOL

It was b** hard but I think I hit as close to MHR as I could. I ran 5 X about 100 minutes at 43secs each.

My hr was 198 at the end. So here I am prepared and ready for building up my base training!

Marathon! Here I come!!

Congrats on the test, admit it, you enjoyed it really

I realised that you mentioned earlier about your husband having a hr monitor, could you borrow his until you get your own?  Based on your max, I would say try and keep your hr between 140 and 150 until you are running an hour a day.

When is your marathon?

Ha, that would be enjoyable  Maybe I should try it.

Well I finally got through the whole thread, took me long enough.  Now it's time to concentrate on the running, which seems to be improving, as i'm finding it easier to keep to a low hr.

Base trainer, I have a FR50 and have set the HR zones 130-140 .This is the first time i have used this function. Zone alarms set for ON but no alarms going off when im outside the zone.

Any clues?

Have you got ZO HRM set to on?

M.

Like No said make sure you have zones on, zo alarm on, and zo hrm on.  If those 3 are all on it should work. 

Time for a quick run before our xmas party  should read "slow" run really

Thanks for the replies. Yes all 3 set ON. ZONE run OFF. All that is happening is little arrow on corner pointing up or down. If i go + or - set rates should the alarm go off continuously until within zones ?This morning was 1st attempt at using this function.Very annoying, i did the whole run looking at my watch.

Is the alarm loud?

Also should  CHIMES be on?

Ta

Well quick run of 43 mins was done as a work session, 166 av hr, so around 83% of max.  Certainly feels a bit different to my usual runs, but nice to have a slightly faster session About ten mins quicker than same route done at av hr of 151, now when i can do the same route ten mins quicker at the same hr i'll be happy. Todays ten mins quicker means ten mins more drinking 

Happy basing all.  Hope you get the hr alarm working M.

When i go into training mode i get units, zones, zo alarm, zo hrm, then the low and high, then some other stuff.  With those 3 after the units thing set to 'on' it works for me.  It isn't loud but you can certainly hear it if you aren't on a busy road or something.  Don't remember where the chime thing is, but you can always try it.  If it still isn't working get in touch with who ever you bought it from.  I'm not using the zone alarm at the moment cos i run with my mp3 and it means running with one ear free, so I have to look at the watch all the time, but i'm getting better at keeping in the zone.  But i'd certainly change it if it didn't work at all.

Does anyone know if there is a refresh button somewhere on this site?  Or is it meant to auto refresh?

Is it working?