Low Heart Rate Training - An Experiment! ~~~~

A funny one with which to start!  According to the M.A. formula, I'm to keep heart rate between 90 and 100 bpm.  Short of standing still on the spot or lying down on the cycle path, there was no way even  by walking the entire time, that I could get heart rate anywhere near the lower end, instead it stayed always over the top!

Our parkrun course including a short detour from the cycle path to Phillip Street which I found to be a cul-de-sac, and back to Briars.

75 minutes ....all walking!

AHR 113 bpm!


MHR 142 bpm!

TE 2.6  =  Maintaining!  What?

I don't know why my heart rate was as high as it was -   wish I could understand these things! -  that's what the Garmin said but then again, I don't know how infallible or not the Allen formula is and neither do I know how accurate the Garmin and its heart rate monitor are.  In any case, I want to give this low heart rate training a fair trial over a couple of months, as long as I'm not wasting my time!  It'll be interesting to see results then.  In the meantime, I'll continue with it except for Saturday Parkruns which will be my one flat tack run for the week!

Walking for 78 minutes is not one of my favourite things, so I was happy to have Borodin's spirited "Polovtsian Dancers" to listen to on the way out and back,

.....and then finally up the grassy hill to the somewhat appropriate (or perhaps not?) lovely version of Frank Sinatra's "My Way"!

Fishers Ghost 5km, 2016 ~~~~

•             I tried to be restrained in praise of myself on Facebook but no such rule applies here in my own little blog where I can say what I like and/or think!  I was so surprised  and so happy to win 1st place, for the 2nd year in a row, in the F70+ age category!  Surprised?  I'm thrilled to bits and tickled pink, especially when I walked some hills and expected nothing more than to finish.  Just one statistic... TE = 4.7  = Overreaching!

Today's run has done wonders for my flagging enthusiasm lately and I'm now looking forward to starting up afresh next week with something different from what I've been doing in past months  some Mark Allen low heart rate training on 3 days and then going out my hardest (whatever that is!)at Saturday's Bowral Parkrun.  Interesting runs ahead!

With no other running events in the next few months, I feel free and excited to experiment during the hot months ahead with Allen's method.  I hope to have the patience needed to stay with it!

                                      

• 
  

•             

2016 Marsdens Law Group Fisher's Ghost Fun Run / 5 KM / NORMA WALLETT

NORMA WALLETT

Bib Number 0155

Event 5KM

Gender FEMALE

Division F70plus

OFFICIAL RESULT

00:38:01

AVERAGE PACE: 07:36

OVERALL

259

OF 446
(41.93%)

FEMALE

131

OF 258
(49.22%)

F70plus

1

OF 6
(100%)

NET TIME

00:37:24

AVERAGE PACE: 07:28

OVERALL

261

OF 446
(41.48%)

FEMALE

132

OF 258
(48.84%)

F70plus

1

OF 6
(100%)

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Fishers Ghost 5km tomorrow ~~~~

Hoping it won't be so humid tomorrow as it is here today after last night's rain and pleased I was a volunteer and not a runner at Bowral parkrun this morning! 

20 minutes easy running around the school after letting the chooks out and collecting the eggs!! 

Two Days to Fishers Ghost 5km~~~~~

Today is just so absolutely bloominlootly glorious here, it's difficult to see how tomorrow, Saturday, has a forecast for thunderstorms, but that's what the weather app says!  It is a bit humid, a few clouds are starting to sneak in and I'm a volunteer at tomorrow's Bowral Parkrun!

2 days before Fishers Ghost 5km:

Easy 25min run with 4-8 strides .... I did 6 strides!

Easy Distance Run ~~~~ 3 days to Fishers Ghost 5km.

An easy distance run leading up to Fishers Ghost 5km on Sunday :::: 30 - 50 minutes

Bowral Parkrun course:  A very warm to hot morning; the grass on both sides of the cleared grassy hill is as high as a giraffe's eye!!

I did 50 minutes

6.3km

AHR 122bpm

MHR 174bpm

Avg. Cadence 171 spm.

TE  =  4.2!!!!!  =   HIGHLY IMPROVING!!    What a thrill that is!!

The Ladies Who Lunch ~~~~

Two of us, Sonia Graham and myself at the Royal Hotel, Bowral!  As with running, there's little I enjoy more than having lunch with friends and talking running, running watches, the latest apps - not always running related - on our smart phones, shopping for clothes we've bought lately and more we intend to buy in the near future, laugh a lot and, at the same time, enjoy a really delicious lunch.  That's how two hours just melted away this afternoon.  Thank you, Sonia, it was just what I needed and it's exactly how I love to spend a few hours!

Road Intervals ~~~~~

Drove from school to Scarlett Street, paced out a 200m stretch marked by trees etc on either side of road.  First, 1.5k warm-up


12 x 200m in 1:24 (based on 36min 5km time)

1:18;  1:24;  1:47;  1:18;  1:11;  1:18;  1:23;  1:17;  1:02;  1:14;  1:03;  1:18

Forgot to look up program for RI, but made up one of my own!  Started each repeat when HR dropped from approx. 121 to 93 bpm, i.e. just a few seconds walking around before starting off again.  I feel this short session went well and I very much enjoyed it!

Scarlett Street

For This Week Leading Up to Fishers Ghost 5km ~~~~~ Sunday, November 13.

Monday - Off

Tuesday -  Track :::  12 x 200m

Wednesday - Lunch, Royal Hotel, Bowral.

Thursday - Easy Distance Run : 30-50 minutes

Friday - Easy Distance Run : 25 minutes + 4 - 8 strides

Saturday (after parkrun volunteer)  - Easy Jog 20 minutes

Sunday : Fishers Ghost 5km!

Low HR Training (cont.) ~~~~~

Thursday, when I last ran, was on our flat (except for grass hill) parkrun course; today, was rough, up and down hill on Diamond Fields Road and Buckmans Lane, so it's difficult (for me!) to compare the two days' training and probably too soon anyhow. In any case, I don't know how to work these details out, so all I can do is write down today's stats and look at them compared to last Thursday's.


8km in 90 mins.

AHR 99 bpm :::: (last week 100 bpm)
MHR 124 bpm ::::(last week 121 bpm)

TE  2.3 =  'Maintaining' :::: (last week 2.0  = 'Maintaining')

Training by Heart Rate ~~~~~~

I needed something different for a while so have decided on Mark Allen method which I've used before when I felt I was getting nowhere except exhausted with training by pace.!  For me HR between 93 and 103 has to be it.

Bowral parkrun course, gorgeous morning, newly mowed grass hill,  5km run keeping HR nearer to lower number.  Nothing to lose by doing this for some weeks; after Fishers Ghost nothing important up ahead and I like change if I think it's going to make some improvements.

As I expected I had to walk most of the 5km to keep HR within ranges, even stopping a couple of times but believe this is a good method for now, especially as my aerobic capacity looks like being at zero level by having to walk so much of the distance to keep HR down.

Heart Rate Results:

AHR 100bpm ...exactly where I wanted to be!

MHR 121bpm

Lowest HR 80bpm

TE 2.0 = 'Maintaining'   This surprised me most, getting 2.0 having walked with a lower heart rate when till today and training by pace, I'd been struggling to get out of the 'Minor' category of TE!  Interesting few weeks ahead!

20 Minutes ~~~~

That's about all it took this morning, after school in the soccer field, to do 1 set of Pete Magill drills with alternating strides and some backwards walking!  I think it's a very worthwhile session  to do once a week if possible ... and make the effort!  And besides, it can be a fun session.

Track and VP is the winner! ~~~~~

I know it's Melbourne Cup day but I don't watch it or any other horse race;  I think it's a cruel sport but I did go to the Bowral Parkrun cycle track for today's run. 

1.5k warm-up jog
3 x 1600m in 11:30 (7:11 m/k)
400m RI (walked)
5 min cool-down walk.

3 x 1600m : 12:11;    12:29;    12:47!!!

VP won easily!  I couldn't run any faster and the last repeat included running up the grassy hill... any excuse will do!

My lovely "Amy" & a ball of wool to play with!

Yesterday & Today ~~~~~

Yesterday, Bowral Parkrun ~~~~~ 39:29! The less said, the better!

Today :Very slow, long run

10k
Highlands School, Diamond Fields Road & back.

98 minutes!

And that's that!!

Catching Up~~~

Missed Bowral parkrun last Saturday.

Tuesday: track session on cycle path
5 x 1000m in 6:57 :  7:12;   7:36;  7:34;  7:14;  5th rep 1.32km + uphill in 8:18
VP won that session!

Thursday :Tempo Run on cycle path
3km @ ST pace
1.5k easy
1.5k @ ST pace ..... skipped this; short of time.
1.5k easy, skipped this too.
3km @ ST pace

VP had no trouble staying ahead of me this morning!

3km in 22:55
AHR77-84% of max.
TE 2.0 ~~ Maintaining!

2.26k in 18:30

AHR 82-86% of max.

TE  2.2 ~~ Maintaining!

Saturday's parkrun is next!

Track on Parkrun Course ~~~

Drove across to Chev to use their track only to find the oval was being used for archery! Not wanting to be a target for any stray arrows I made a quick about turn and over to Briars to use the cycle path for today's track which was :

Warm-up..... jog down the hill and 1km on the path

4 x 1200m in 8:25 (based on 36min for 5km..not 37 like last week!)

400m RI

1km cool down ..... jog cycle path and up grassy hill.

I wouldn't say it anywhere else other than on my blog but .... Gosh!  I was pleased with myself this morning!  I thought I was fabulous!  I ran well and felt really good for all 4 repeats.  The 400m intervals helped, of course, but I still think I did a good session!

1.    8:34.    AHR 81-88% of max;  Avg. Cadence 174spm;  TE 2.0 Improving!

2.    8:15.    AHR 82-89% of max;  Avg. Cadence 174spm;   TE 1.8 Minor.

3.    8:25     AHR 83-89% of max;  Avg. Cadence 173spm;   TE  2.0 Improving!

4.    8:27     AHR 84-90% of max;  Avg. Cadence 174spm;   TE  1.9 Minor.

Long Run 11Km ~~~~~

Another glorious morning just like yesterday and hopefully for the week ahead.  So good to be running and doing a long run on such a beautiful day.  I started and finished at the Highlands School, down Bong Bong Road and then followed one of my favourite runs .. Diamond Fields Road. adding an extra hill to get the distance I wanted.  Ran all the hills, couple of short walk breaks before the hills.

The road was a bit of a mess with potholes and stones awaiting a misstep which I managed to avoid.  One of my most loved and scenic runs!

11km
1 hr 40min
AHR 75-86% of max.
TE  2.2  = Maintaining

 

Bowral Parkun ~~~~

Oh what a beautiful morning!  The weather was perfect and.... I ran below 37 minutes! I was so excited when I saw the time of my Garmin and I've stayed excited all bloomin' day!!  Long way, I know, from PB of 33:34 but I've been stuck on 37+ for so long now I'd almost given up hope of running any faster.  I felt so good while running, the weather was absolutely perfect.. sunny with a cool breeze.

Today we returned too our 'A' Course for the first time in weeks, it now being dry all the way through.  Strange thing about this original course:  I always run well (or better!) there!  All my PBs have been on this course, never on the flat 'B' course.  This morning, I felt great from start to finish, no gagging, no stopping or slowing down, same cadence all the way and not tired afterwards for the rest of the day as has been the case for some weeks.  I know my time is slow compared to the other runners, but I couldn't care less ..... I finished under 37 minutes and I'm over the moon!!

5km in 37:40

Avg. pace 7:21k/m;  Best pace 6:34m/k

Age Graded 91.50% ...... back in the 90s ... thrilled with that too!

Avg. Cadence 170spm 

TE   2.7 = Maintaining

Splits   7:08;    7:16;    7:20;    7:15;    7:37

Tempo Run Parkrun Course ~~~~

Program for today:
1km warm-up
3km @ ST pace
1.5k easy
3km @ ST pace
1km cool-down

Warm-up jog: 1km incl. down grass hill & cycle path.

3km in 22:37....  7:32;   7:41;   7:24
Avg. Cadence 167spm
TE 3.2= IMPROVING!!  WooHoo!

1.5km easy

3km in 22:33 ...   7:25;   7:30;   7:37
Avg. Cadence 163spm
TE 2.1 =  Maintaining.

Cool down jog:  1km incl. cycle path & up grass hill.

Managed to stay ahead of VP for the 2x3km @ ST pace and that's all that mattered!  I ran out and back on the cycle path with a tail wind going out, a head wind returning and a light, misty fall of rain to finish!

Total:  9.5km

Road Repeats ...on cyclepath ~~~~

Drove past Chev as I expected the oval to be unusable, but on the way back had a better look and it seems to have been mowed etc, so could be ok for next Tuesday's track.

Further on to Briars to use the cycle path.

Program for today:

Warm-up

6 x 800m (5:41 for me based on 37 min 5km time)

90 sec RI

Cool-down

Warm-up jog down the grass hill to cycle path:

5:41;   5:30;   5:32;   5:33;   5:45;   5:41

Cool-down jog up the grass hill!

Satisfied with the repeats because I was ahead of VP for each of the six!  On the cycle path, a little breezy in some sections but altogether very pleasant for a change!  Did the repeats by continuing around the path with 90 secs walking RI between each one. 

Dry Retching Again! ~~~~~ Sick of this!

A waist of time this morning and again this awful dry retching starting around 3km and then having to walk 3km back to the Briars.  Every run this week same thing so parkrun is not going to happen until I can get a week clear without dry heaving half way through; won't risk it happening there and having to turn back.  Right now though, I'm not too sure of what to do about it! 

6km ... from Briars > cycle path > Briars!

Easy Distance Run ~~~~~

It was far from easy!  Another cold windy day  ... so strong was the wind I had to walk the last 2km into the headwind ... got the dry heaves again; was it the wind? dehydrated?  Don't know, but it's an awful, sick feeling!  Plan was to do an easy 6-8km so as not to be tired for tomorrow's tempo run; because of the weather, it was anything but easy.  Tomorrow will tell! Certainly felt all done in back home!

Started from the school > Diamond Fields Road > Buckmans Lane > back to school.  Buchmans Lane was the only part where there was shelter from the wind.

7.5km
TE  1.5 = Minor!

...Buchmans Lane

A Few Road Intervals ~~~~~

Hardly slept a wink last night with the wind pummelling the windows and the door to the power box banging as well!  I went outside at around 3am and slammed it shut and, no sooner had I got back into bed, it came unstuck and continued banging till the wind dropped slightly; no way was I going out a second time in my PJs into that ghastly wind!

This morning was my first run since last Thursday when I was blown to pieces on our Bowral Parkrun course and I missed parkrun on Saturday feeling too exhausted emotionally as well as physically even to turn up! 

This morning I did half of the 5km program I'm following; again the wind was bad but what I did do went well and I want to get out again tomorrow for some easy distance running; I finished feeling I could have done more ... if someone forced me!

Program:  Ran on Scarlett Street.
Warm-up
8 x 400m (  I did 4) ...2:49 based on my present, getting slower 5km time of 37 mins.!
Cool down.

2:34;    2:33;   2:36;   2:44

Tempo Run ~~~~~

Terrible conditions on the Bowral Parkrun course this morning!  Light rain but a ferocious wind like no other!  Did what I could given the sort of weather.

Program:
Warm-up
1.5km @ ST (6:55m/k based on 35min 5km time)
1.5k easy
1.5k @ ST
1.5k easy
1,5k @ ST
1.5k easy

Start from Briars ... After the muddy downhill...to 1st course C turnaround ... cycle path to Oxley end ... back  along cycle path and up muddy hill to Briars!  Needless to say VP was way ahead for all 3x1.5k.  Completely exhausted after this one!

 3  x 1.5km  ~~~~~  7:33m/k;   7:35m/k;   7:57m/k

Total 8.67km

Road Intervals ~~~~~

Until Chev track recovers from the rain, I'll be using the road for Tuesday's training session.

Program:

10-20 min warm-up

1600m, 1200m,  800m,  400m (Expected paces :11:39;  8:38; 5:41;  2:49... based on a 37min 5km time...for now!).

400m RI

Cool-down.

Results:

2km warm-up

11:14;  7:50;  5:27;  2:30 ... finished each rep ahead of VP!!

1km cool-down

Scarlett Street was a bit of a wind tunnel today but as long as I can stay ahead of VP I'm happy!

Bowral Parkrun 2nd Birthday (with cake!) 24/9/16

.....and a treasured medal!

Road Intervals ~~~~~ 1000m

Yesterday, Monday, I was tired after the 9kBridge Run on Sunday and I wasn't holding out much hope getting back with a track on road session this morning.  Surprisingly, I felt really good and was ahead of VP for all the repeats!

2km warm-up ... walked 1km, jogged 1km.

4 x 1000m @ 6:57m/k .... I did 3 that I was happy with and left it at that!

6:36;      7:00;      6:44

400m RI

1km cool down walking. 

Plenty of water in paddocks

1km stretch of road

1km road repeats here.

I didn't expect to run as well as I did and feel good at the same time!  Maybe I need a 'Bridge Run' more often to get the sparks flying!

Sydney Running Festival ~~~~~

9km Bridge Run:

1:05:17
TE 3.0 ~~ Improving!

Splits:

7:12;  7:06:  6:50;  7:46;  7:11;  7:21;  7:31;  8:00;  6:15

Had a good run; 2 minutes faster than same event last year!  Age category W80+ : 1st place!!

Easy Run ~~~~

Over to Bowral Parkrun course as usual on Thursdays where the vilest wind imaginable was blowing!An easy 5km before Blackmores 9km Bridge run on Sunday, leaving Saturday for Sydney's Amora Hotel, Jamison Street.

5km in 37:47
AHR 77-86% of Max.
TE  2.0 ..  Maintaining.

Bridge Run, here I come again!!

Chev Track ~~~~

Chev paddock is more correct .. no lanes and damp clumps of grass!  I kept to the fence inside the oval and did the best I could.

Program:
10-20 min warm-up

5 x 400m in 2:44 (6:50m/k)

400m RI

2:52;    2:38;    2:29;    2:32;    2:36

One more run on Thursday before Blackmores 5km Bridge Run, Sunday.

A Slow Tempo Run ~~~~~

Parkrun course this morning; cycle path clear of water; grass hill some muddy sections.

Had a horrible run!  Felt a bit sick on the tummy!

Bowral Parkrun 'C' Course

Just Drills ~~~~

In the school soccer field:

1 Set Pete Magill drills with alternating strides.
Backwards running between each drill to start!!

Track that didn't happen! ~~~~~~

Just kept running out of breath and having to stop this morning.  Too much birthday party last night!

Should have run:
5x800m ..... started one but couldn't keep running without having to stop to get breath.

Tried:
3 x 400m ....  got through that but took stops when out of breath!

Finally:
Short cool-down jog & home!

Probably would have been of more use to have just gone for an easy run!  Who knows?  I have a rest day tomorrow, but might do a set of Magill drills after leaving school at 10:30am.

Long Run ~~~~~ Diamond Fields Road.

Program today: 10km

Ran along Diamond Fields  Road starting at the Highlands School and back to school 5km out &  5km back.

After yesterday's really tough Bowral Parkrun in awful conditions, I started to feel tired at around 7km but jogged on to finish the 10km on my program.  Not long now till Blackmores 9km Bridge Run on September, 18!

Bowral Parkrun ~~~~~

#64 for me and one of my slowest!  Conditions here, as just about everywhere this weekend, pretty dreadful.  It was so windy, so wet and so muddy from start to finish! 

5km in 38:13!!
Age grade  83.99%!    

Another Easy Distance Run ~~~~~

Much the same as yesterday.  Bowral Parkrun course.  Big difference in my legs today as opposed to Tuesday surprisingly!  Meaning they had little or no energy this morning!  Lots of walk breaks as a result, but picked up the pace for about the last 10 minutes.  Beautiful warm start to Spring!

Program:
50-75 min easy running

I did 40 minutes!