Runkeeper 10k plan: a recovery run and busy warmups

[CBDB]

Managed a short recovery run this morning, as stipulated by my 10k plan.

This run finished the 4th week of my 8-week plan, which had the first two weeks themed around: “Preconditioning”, the second two weeks “Getting faster”. The next two weeks will be about “Getting farther” with an upcoming, and daunting 10k and 13k as the long runs. It seems a bit too much of an increase, the longest run so far having been 6k. But these programmes seem to consider the 10% rule only in terms of total mileage over a week, rather than individual runs, so not sure how I think about it. I might adapt it slightly and go up to only 8k on my next long run.

And I’ve been pondering about my heart rate recovery rate, which my HRM now measures (see pic), and it’s an intriguing metrics. So although I’m super slow, but as I run and row regularly, and although I’m overweight and have a thyroid condition, I think my recovery rate suggests my heart is ok, even great, possibly? Runners World suggests, “If your heart rate has dropped by 15 to 25 bpm a minute after you've stopped exercising, (…) you also likely have a healthy heart. “ runnersworld.com/uk/health/...

My warmup routine is also getting fuller, as I’m adding again some ankle mobility drills. So my full warmup routine before every run currently looks like this:

1 - after getting shoes on but still in the house: 5 running man balances as we learned them in the Jane’s Dunne challenge (healthunlocked.com/strength... )

2 - after warmup walk, I religiously do the calf muscle drills from James Dunne

youtu.be/7Zs4hh4cp98?si=zTQ...(Not working as expected?)

3 - then I do some walking drills on my way, those that attend specifically to ankle mobility. See healthunlocked.com/strength...

So busy running schedule that will hopefully get me safely, and without injury to 10k by the time our HU HM/10k virtual race arrives. ( healthunlocked.com/marathon... )

Happy running!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

Interesting post! Have the different phases had noticeable differences in the runs it’s asked you to do? Do you think the get faster section has helped you get faster or is it too soon to tell?

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

It is interesting. The faster phase has quite a few “surges”, where you run 30sec/30sec fast/normal intervals, do that 4 times than a bit of a longer rest and repeat. And with those I do feel they make me acquainted with faster running. Runkeeper sets target paces on these, but I don’t think they really fit my running with me being to fast for the slow intervals (and I am not fast) but too slow for the fast intervals.

So too early to tell, but I did love experiencing their “surge runs”, and that’s worth it all in itself.