I love seeing the Beats per mile coming down. For me it's the best way of tracking improved fitness.
Recently I've been doing a fair few of my runs in woods and on quite hilly trails and it does mean that the BPM trend isn't always that accurate a way of showing improvements in fitness but if I really like comparing matched runs of my standard routes to track gains in efficiency.
Recently I've found a nice groove for my 70% HR runs where I can keep the HR under control, the cadence up around 180spm and the Beats per mile seem to be on a nice downward trend.
Just need to find some races post lockdown to hopefully capitalise on this
I still struggle to get any sort of decent pace at low HR (under 75%) I need to do far more running at under 75% (intially) and then 70%!
I am around 9mm for 75% and always have been! Think thats why I dont stick with it! Get bored! But I do seem to have some motivation at the moment to do 3 easy, under 75% runs and then 2 sessions per week. Lets see if it lasts before I go back to running 7:30-8mm on every run and getting nowhere
My view is you dont want (or care really) about pace at those effort levels. Its the pace when you work harder that counts. If you dont stick to the easier runs, you miss out on the benefits.
Morning all, I'm fairly new to Fetch, but have been experimenting with HR training for the last 6 weeks or so. I'm running to MAF, which has me at 142 (my Max HR is 195 so this is 142 is about right I think).
I've been running for years, but since lockdown I decided to get involved with HR training mainly as a) there are no races b) previously I get a few weeks of decent training in, but then inevitably get injured so have to do a week or two of lower mileage.
My pace at 142 seemed pretty slow for me as I've yet to do a 5-mile MAF test where I average under 9min/miles, whereas if I'm running well I can run a marathon in under 8min/miles. But I'm determined to stick with it through June at least, and then I'll reassess in July - I may add one interval-type session in July, but I'll decide nearer the time.
I did a MAF test on 20/5 and was pleased with the progress as I knocked 90-seconds off of the 5-miles. But I did another one this week and it was poor for whatever reason, so we'll gloss over that.....!
I've also been devouring everything I can on YouTube - there are some very good stories over there on the Floris Gierman/Extramilist channel. Very inspirational.
Anyway, I hope everyone is well and doesn't mind me jumping in on this thread
Hi BG. Are those YouTube stories to do with heart rate training? I'd be interested to have a look if so. I'm 5 weeks into following a plan from the 8020 running book using heart rate and am quite pleased with the progress.
TheBeard, yes, his channel is all about training to MAF. The interviews have a very simple set up, but he's very good and gets right into it.
This one is a Brit called Jonathan Walton (50 year old who went under 2:30 for a marathon), which I found inspirational. But there are quite a few on there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6pwxJE5iVk
From that, I picked up a few tips such as tracking my routes and spotting improvements (or not) over time, if I have a "bad" week or two don't worry, etc. Jonathan actually got to the point where he trains quite a lot lower than his MAF rate, and uses his MAF rate now as interval training. Crazy, really. Also, Jason Cherriman goes into a lot of detail on that channel and from memory I think he mentioned Fetch, as he is a stats geek (like me) and makes use of the beats/mile data.
If you have a search for Mark Allen (multiple Ironman world champ back in the day), he eventually trained to MAF too.
Not sure if Gobi is listening, but I remember years ago a post he did over on Runner's World. I think it was a comment, not a post, but anyway....
He suggested a very simple training plan, and from memory it was along the lines of: - run 40 miles a week, all easy, except race a parkrun once a week. - continue doing this until you stop getting PBs at parkrun - when you stop getting PBs, up the mileage to 50 and race parkrun once a week. - continue with this pattern, and continue upping the mileage, until you've got no more time to train. - then introduce speed work.
Like I say, for some reason that stuck with me - I think I just liked the simplicity of it. If Gobi is listening, I was wondering if he still goes by that?
I've been training to MAF for 6 weeks and I'm just looking ahead to July/August where I may introduce some speed work, but unsure how to proceed with that bit. It's a few weeks away yet at least as I'm still progressing at the MAF rate anyway, but I'm just thinking ahead.
Wow! Thanks for that. Definitely food for thought. At the moment I'm following the 5k plan and my idea is than do the 10k plan, the half marathon plan and finally the marathon plan. All this assumes there are still no public races 😁
Big G - We have discussed this before and I still can't understand how Maffetone's 180- age can be accurate.
We all know HR max is not a 'badge of honour' and is individual.
My HR Max is 198, my age is 45 so with MAF I run at 135. Bruno is a similar age, has a lower max (think its c170). If we both done this, he would be running at nearly 80% max and I would be running at 68% max.
I agree on the 180-age. For me that would be 128 and thats under 70% of max assuming the 184 I go with is correct. However the variation could be too great.
I think aiming to run around 70% max for most of the running is always a good thing, but it takes some learning
Everything you need to know about training with a heart rate monitor. Remember the motto "I can maintain a fast pace over the race distance because I am an Endurance God". Mind the trap door....
Gobi lurks here, but for his advice you must first speak his name. Ask and you shall receive.
A quote:
"The area between the top of the aerobic threshold and anaerobic threshold is somewhat of a no mans land of fitness. It is a mix of aerobic and anaerobic states. For the amount of effort the athlete puts forth, not a whole lot of fitness is produced. It does not train the aerobic or anaerobic energy system to a high degree. This area does have its place in training; it is just not in base season. Unfortunately this area is where I find a lot of athletes spending the majority of their seasons, which retards aerobic development. The athletes heart rate shoots up to this zone with little power or speed being produced when it gets there." Matt Russ, US International Coach
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Daniels Running Formula. The Definitive Wire.
Jul 2023