Taking it easy

[Yesletsgo]

Looked out of the window this morning, another heavy frost. Hooray, the mud will be solid so I can run across the fields. Temperature outside was around freezing but after my -10C run in Russia this is literally no sweat (excuse the pun).

Getting dressed, my running shirt felt a bit cold and slippery so I put on a long sleeved M&S Heatgen thermal vest instead, plus my running jumper, leggings and a silk scarf (couldn't find my neck warmer thingy). I recently discovered that a lovely cashmere beret my son bought me a few Christmases ago which I've never really worn as my head is too big stays in place nicely if I put my hair in a ponytail. Today I tried it with my Aftershokz, as I wanted to listen to an NRC recovery run.

As an experiment I altered the settings on my Garmin to show heart rate zone, heart rate and pace (instead of time, pace and distance covered).

I warned Mr OBK that I wouldn't be talking much and would be running very slowly, aiming to keep my heart rate below 140 for as much of the run as possible. Husband complained we could walk faster than I was running. Not sure he liked my explanation but he went along with it. After walking alongside me for a while (pace around 9'50-10'00, yes, very slow lol) he started jogging and as the run progressed my speed increased with not much additional effort. We ran for 25 minutes, relaxed in the chilly countryside. At the end of the this we were still a way from home so carried on at the same pace for a little longer, covering 3.2 km in just under 29 minutes, average pace 8'56".

Despite my best efforts I apparently spent 24% of the run in Zone 5, although I was never at all puffed out or struggling for breath. Maybe I need to Google how to set Heart Rate zones more accurately, or else just try and run even slower on the next recovery run. I won't bother with the heart rate zone indicator again, it didn't give me any useful information.

I have to say that the thermal vest worked extremely well, not hot and sweaty at all but very soft and comfortable. As an 'always cold' person I have a drawer full of these miracles so this discovery will save me a fortune in running tops! The Aftershokz behaved beautifully too, held in place all cosy in their new woolly surroundings.

Tomorrow will be a rest day, then on Saturday it's Parkrun (provided I wake up in time but given the weather forecast I might leave it until Sunday for my long run).

I am feeling so much more motivated than I have been for weeks!

[buzzards Graduate10]

Sounds like a good relaxing run you had. 👍I too have quite a few of those M&S Heatgen thermal tops and wear them most of the year round except for in the Summer. Love them.❤️

I find buffs useful for keeping the Aftershokz in place as well as I place them at an angle so that the band stays on my head while running.

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to buzzards]

I found my buff a bit later on in the bottom of a drawer but it looks a bit small for putting on my head. I'll have to give it a try next time 😁

[Roxdog Graduate10]

Sounds like a great run and slow is best! I also wear a beret for cold runs! I think it looks a bit eccentric, but it is the most comfortable headwear for me.

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Roxdog]

In my mind's eye the beret makes me look Paris chic, but the mirror tells me it's mad old lady, I just embrace it 😂

[Roxdog Graduate10 in reply to Yesletsgo]

🤣

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

That’s a great run for you! Sometimes a slow run is just what it takes. It’s good on so many levels to slow it right down. Well done! 👏👏👏🏃‍♀️👍

[Hidden in reply to Jools2020]

Spot on Jools 👍

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I say this because lately it’s all I can do 😂

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

😂😂😂

[Hidden in reply to Jools2020]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks, slow is the way to go (just gotta persuade the husband 😁)

[GailXrunning]

Wonderful to be enjoying that strong running motivation. Here, it’s been very cold but not sufficient to freeze mud, so there’s been a lot of hopping and skipping and erratic deviations involved on my runs. I find the HR stats intriguing/ entertaining although I let perceived effort take the lead in my decisions. The ways Garmin and Strava categorise the zones is different, so there’s some added fun to be had comparing those. As you say, the measures always seem to be higher than the effort seems to be. The lower zones seem to be accessible to me only by easy walking. From what I’ve read, I think that’s a common experience. I even customised my HRmax on Garmin and Strava, but it’s still the same pattern (just less extreme than it had been).

(Btw I’m also a fan of the same thermal tops, although haven’t used on a run.)

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to GailXrunning]

I don't share my HR stats with Strava but maybe I'll give it a try so I can compare. By perceived effort I very rarely run flat out, maybe a few minutes on a good day when the stars are aligned, yet my HR is frequently zone 5 for 50+% of the run. I don't think I'd ever push myself at all if I paid too much attention to the numbers.(Confession: my motivation deserted me this morning, looked out of the window at grey and drizzle and decided no Parkrun today. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 3C and sunny so we'll see...)

[GailXrunning in reply to Yesletsgo]

Not sure I’d call that losing motivation, just restrategising. 😉 Unless you are doing RED January, of course. Rain here, too. Tomorrow is earmarked for my longer run, and I very much prefer the look of the weather.😊Flat out? Oh, hark that siren call of Coach Cory! It’s called ‘Find Your Pace’ - wonderfully short and sweet. For 30 seconds I had to run at my 11/10 or best-yet-controlled effort. It was on the back of 60 seconds at 9/10; 90 at 7-8; 120 at 6-7; 5 mins at 3; short breaks between each stage. Loved it. ‘Have fun’, he urged, ‘smile’. You know how it goes…. I think, I’ll be doing this one every so often as a nice little progress check.

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10]

Ooh, I like the sound of 'Find your pace', just downloaded it. Is that Coach Cory in the picture? He sounds so calm and encouraging and looks so shouty!!!(I'm not doing RED, but I am trying to do some Nike Training Club workouts on non running days).