Fitness improvement, Stepping Stone revisited and the Beatles!

[iain-strachan]

Well first I wanted to report on a very observable improvement in fitness. About a month ago I went on a lunchtime walk with a colleague who is much younger than me and pretty sporty. We walked about a 2.5 km circuit from the office and back, and he walked much quicker than I'm used to. I kept up perfectly well, but it was "bracing" to say the least and I got quite out of breath. But it was much more fun! Next day I decided to do the circuit again - my colleague wasn't able to join me but he said "try to beat yesterday's time by a minute". And I did - still quite an effort.

Since then I've done four parkruns and done quite a few resistance training workouts in the gym, and two other runs in the week. Then today I did the same walk (again on my own). Incredible difference! Again I beat the previous (best) time by about a minute, and I noticed that I hardly got out of breath at all! Average heart rate was way down on what it had been. If I do it again I'll have to work out how physically to walk faster without breaking into a jog, I think!

My Garmin tells me that my resting heart rate has dropped considerably since I got it - from about 60 to low 50s. One evening, relaxing on the sofa I measured 48 bpm. When I was completely unfit it rarely dropped below 70.

For this evening's run I decided to "take it easy" and revisit the "Stepping Stone" podcast (having done "Stamina" twice). Somewhere I read that deliberately running slowly is good for you so I decided to give it a go.

Yes it really was a doddle - again no breathing difficulties at all, and when I got to the end of the final 160 beats per minute section I felt I'd got into a nice flowing rhythm and was really starting to enjoy it, and I didn't want to stop!

So I dutifully walked about a minute, then turned on to the Spotify "Runner's Club 160 bpm" playlist, and ran the last bit to the Beatles (I Saw Her Standing There) grinning all over my face! What a great song to run to! Decided not to embarrass myself by singing the words, and anyway I've read that if you can still sing while running, you're not putting in enough effort!

Lots of other great songs on that playlist, like Paint It, Black, I'm a believer etc etc. Definitely I think one to revisit if I want a moderate paced longish run.

Running to the beat of the music may not be to everyone's taste, but I must say it works for me - really felt like the Beatles were propelling me along.

On saving the run my Garmin told me I'd achieved a new VO2max of 33, which for my age (61) it says is "fair". Well it said "poor" before, so I suppose that's progress! I really don't get how it can estimate your O2 consumption without knowing your respiration rate, but hey, if it says I'm "fair" where it previously said "poor" I'm not complaining. Onwards and upwards hopefully!

[runningyogini Graduate]

A wonderful read. Well done, this is fantastic and inspirational.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Great job. There are a few different vo2max estimating formulae, and you’re right that it may not be a correct reading, but all that matters is improving on the scale that it’s using... progression is what it’s all about. If you look at the graphs in connect, one is heart rate zones, and the help on there will explain what each rate is good for... zone 3 develops aerobic capacity really well. I think “The truth about... getting fit” is still available on iplayer, and in the 10k steps Vs active 10 bit they mention that brisk walking should be at a pace where you can hold a conversation but not sing... the same is certainly true of running, so you’re spot on there too.

Happy running.

[AndrewMo Graduate]

Interesting stuff, I graduated yesterday (yay, go me!), and have some thoughts about what to do next. I'll take the tip of the other podcasts and see where they take me. Thanks for the inspiration!

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to AndrewMo]

One word of warning, the music on "Stepping Stone" is dreadful soul-less stuff. The other two podcasts are somewhat more palletable, but not music (IMO) you'd choose to listen to for its own sake.

The Spotify Runner's Club 160 bpm playlist is a different matter. Some of them are a little difficult to follow the beat as they are too complex, but there is a wealth of great songs. I will probably select from it a playlist with great songs with a clear beat.

It seems whoever compiled the playlist had a sense of humour, as the very first song on the playlist is Paul Simon's "I can't run, but"!

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to iain-strachan]

PS - congratulations on graduating!! It's a great feeling to complete the course - I remember grinning stupidly at that grey badge that appeared by my name!

[AndrewMo Graduate in reply to iain-strachan]

Yes, I felt that about the music on the NHS podcasts (long story short, my phone didn't like the app). I'm working on a 40 minute playlist on Spotify to get me started this weekend, my problem is knowing when I've done 15 minutes running and it's time to turn round!

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to AndrewMo]

You could get a running watch like the Garmin Forerunner 35. A touch expensive at £100-ish, but gives you all the stats - running time, distance, heart rate etc. The heart rate isn't always accurate but it gives you an idea - also of how many calories you've burned.

Other than that - I guess note which song on the playlist comes at the 15 mins running bit.