Update on Bri28K Running Plan

[Brian-P6]

It's been a while since I posted, 2 months apparently! (sorry). However it's all been going really well buoyed on by all your positive comments and our famous ju-ju giving me her rubber stamp on my plan. Image is actual data to the plan.

I reached my goal of running 8K in 40 minutes! hurrah! and completed the plan at the end of March.

It was tough going but I did plenty of research on running and decided on a strategy. My trouble is I always go too quick out of the blocks and then I'm knackered in the last half, so I was intrigued by some of the suggestions I found online about heart rate training. My Garmin seemed to suggest that I was always running in the red zone - that can't be right because that's the sprint to the line zone so I looked back through my Garmin stats and found that my max heart rate is about 182 (not the 168 that the standard 220-age gives, yes I'm 52). Then set my resting heart rate (44, also in Garmin stats) and used the Heart Rate Reserve method (max - resting) and use percentages of that for the zones.

The benefit for me is that if I decided to do an Aerobic or a Threshold run, I just needed to keep half an eye on my watch and keep the pointer in the coloured zone. As I increased my running distance this was great. Doing an Aerobic run (HR < 154) it made me slow down, and slow down more up the hills, but then let me speed up down them and I would finish the run feeling good! Sometimes I'd run in the Aerobic zone, sometimes the Threshold zone (HR < 168) and sometimes on the bottom or top end of the threshold zone just to spice it up a bit.

It helped me, by setting myself goals to run in the 40+ minutes that I have available for running.

I've also been doing intervals close to home since completing the Bri28K plan. Strewth they're hard work, but they're supposed to be good for you! haha. They're good though because if wifey's having a bad Alz day and I need to get home quick, I'm not 2 miles away!

I also think so much of it is mental. It took me 3 weeks to get to 7K in 35 mins and a further 5 weeks to get to 8K in 40 mins, but once that mental barrier was broken it only took another 2 weeks to do 9K in 45 mins! I really didn't expect that at all ... or maybe those intervals really do work after all.

I've also been looking at runners world to find out if I can warm up at home rather than do the 5 mins walk each time and found this:

runnersworld.com/training/a...

I'm not sure what your views are on this, seems OK, I've done it a few times. But I was thinking, if I can warm up at home and miss out the 5 minute walk, then I might just be able to go for a 10K in 50 mins and then I can get my Graduate10 badge I soooo want that badge! and I think this is the only way I can get it.

Keep running, and keep safe,

Bri.

strava.com/athletes/brian-p6

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

My goodness you have been working really hard. What amazing times. When winter started I did all my warmups /cool downs indoors using nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/h...

I’m ashamed to say I now just run, warmups seemed to stop about the time we all entered lockdown- bad me, don’t do it. I do still stretch after.

Interesting to see your HR stats, I had to do the same, even went to see doctor about it - she’s a runner and had never heard of the 220-age. Her theory was if you are running happily at a given rate, with good resting rate and no other issues go celebrate.

It will be no time until you reach your 10k goal, especially with warmup/cool down at home with your wife. Happy running 🤗

[Brian-P6 Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

Thanks for the linky Grannyhugs, they look good too!

The 220-age is all over the internet but it seems to be just a default and seems to be geared to be too low perhaps so that some people don't over exert themselves.

Still, I like what I do, and yes sometimes I 'just run'. Interestingly, I found I'm faster if I've got my music going, compared to if I leave my headphones off .

Cheers,

Bri.

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

You're doing so great with your running Brain I'm super impressed. I'm sure that 10k will come soon enough 😊👍