A MAF Heart rate 5K: So, my slowest 5K to date... - Couch to 5K

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A MAF Heart rate 5K

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate
35 Replies

So, my slowest 5K to date and completely intentional.

the aim of this run was to stay below my my MAF heart rate which was really difficult, it was basically jog/brisk walk constantly to keep the heart rate under my MAF limit .

for anyone interested in finding out more about this i have put a link below.

philmaffetone.com/method/

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Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57
Graduate
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35 Replies

So Interesting Instructor57 , I’m on the same path at the moment , I found it amazingly hard to run slow enough to keep to my MAF limit (113) , like you I had to revert to walking a lot and certainly up any incline and haven’t yet managed the nice even blue line you have there, great discipline 👏 ..., I’m starting to really notice much more how I am running now I’ve slowed down, I’ll be very interested to see if the theory works for you when it comes to picking up the pace again 🤗

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to

ahh thats interesting !

are you doing it on every run?

not sure how often i will do it , it won't be on every run, perhaps 1 a week or so but i will certainly keep it up as it makes perfect sense to me .

in reply to Instructor57

yes, mostly until the end of the month, then on 80% of runs and all longer runs until I can run a very easy 10k, then I’ll review. I’ve even been swimming slower and going further 🤣

then at the end of September I’ll do a 5k PB attempt and see if a) I go any faster and b) if my heart rate is lower than in previous 5k PB

🤗

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to

Sound like you have Fitbit well organised 👍

I'm just playing at the moment as today was the first one I have tried

in reply to Instructor57

I’m just using my old polar heart monitor to track my MAF limit... for a first go you’ve done so well to get those graphs, I’ve not managed to tame my inner wild hare yet 🤣

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to

Not sure where Fitbit came from ! What I meant was looks like you have it sorted 😂

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate

It's interesting to read what Maff writes about running shoes.

philmaffetone.com/running-s...

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to nowster

Ahh thanks for that , haven't seen that .

will have a read now 👍

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate

Well done, Ian! It will get easier 👏👍 Look at that lovely blue line 😀 (I had to look again to check - my colour vision is sometimes dodgy 😂)

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Jools2020

Yes, it would be easier to maintain zone 3, but that is above my MAF, but as this progresses over time the pace will come up for the same heart rate

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate in reply to Instructor57

Yes, that’s very true. I’ve had another look at mine and I think I shouldn’t have added that extra 10. I should be running in Zone 2 as well to follow this way of thinking.

For now, I’ll continue in Zone 3 as it seems to be going well.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Jools2020

Absolutely Jools !

As we both have said , the important thing is to enjoy the runs , anything else is a bonus .

It's just good as we know to mix things up a bit 😁👍

Tasha99 profile image
Tasha99Graduate in reply to Instructor57

Zone 3 was fine for me. Got to do it for the long haul though and for 80 % of your runs.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Tasha99

Thanks for that !

Zones 2 is almost impossible to run ! So I might go a little higher when I do it next time

Tasha99 profile image
Tasha99Graduate in reply to Instructor57

Yeah I’d struggle to do zone 2 🤣

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Jools2020

I'm just pleased to have run this morning, it's the first time I have had 3 day's off since of course the 16 after injury !

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate in reply to Instructor57

Well, if you choose not to get up and run .........😂

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Jools2020

If I had run, it would not have ended well , I was in the wrong place but now I'm doing something about it I'm fine 😁👍

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate in reply to Instructor57

I hope so, Ian 👍

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate

I saw this as well. Interesting...

I deliberately slowed it down this morning too but I still can't crack this heart rate zone thing, mine always seems way too high. I've kind of stopped over analysing and running to feel. As long as I can speak full sentences I assume it's ok.

My heart rate reaches MAF by the end of my warm up walk! I'm interested to know did you actually have to walk any of it to keep your heart rate that low and if so how much?

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Birdlady64

Oh yes, it was half fast walk , half jog probably.

But as you say, if your at a conversational pace you are very likely to be in zone 3 which of course is still areobic 👍

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate in reply to Instructor57

Yes. Empirically speaking that would seem to be the case though the statistics indicate otherwise.

As I said I'm trying not to worry too much over it.

I think I'm going to go slow for my next couple of runs at least. The PBs can wait for a bit

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Birdlady64

Absolutely, the PB's will be waiting for you when you want to grab them 😁👍

Comaltdel profile image
ComaltdelGraduate

Very interesting. Thanks for your post I've become intrigued with MAF this week also and have just posted a question on the forum. I should have looked before I posted!

Lookslikejames profile image
LookslikejamesGraduate

Am I supposed to be in zone 2 for MAF then? As I was in zone 3 pretty much the whole time and don’t think I could have gone any slower!

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate in reply to Lookslikejames

You will have to work out your MAF heart rate using the formula provided in the article. Then you will know which zone to run in if you are using this method.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Lookslikejames

Depends on what your MAF HR is

Lookslikejames profile image
LookslikejamesGraduate in reply to Instructor57

Mine is 141 as I did 180-34 and then -5

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Lookslikejames

So if your MHR (not your MAF)

Is set in your watch you will then know the zone your MAF HR falls into

Lookslikejames profile image
LookslikejamesGraduate in reply to Instructor57

Ok I think I’m good then, my max heart rate is 187 so my MAF is approx. 75% which is zone 3.

Cheers for the help, I’m not at all good with the technical side of things but figured I need to overhaul everything to try and get a bit more serious with my training.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Lookslikejames

Yeah, that all sounds about right !

👍

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Lookslikejames

The thing is, if you ignore all the numbers and formula, it all boils down to Running at a conversational pace which is around 75% of your MHR 😂

Lookslikejames profile image
LookslikejamesGraduate in reply to Instructor57

Yep, basically what a lot of people say on here all the time 😂

I’m going to do all my runs like this for a while, and see how I improve. After my first run, my calves already feel ready for another run, whereas normally I have to have two day rest periods. If it means I can increase the number of runs per week and improve my speed and endurance then I’m all over it!

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to Lookslikejames

Absolutely, always saying it ! .but it takes ages for the penny to drop 😐

I know I was just the same 😂

Lookslikejames profile image
LookslikejamesGraduate in reply to Instructor57

The shift from just running and enjoying it to formulating training plans, scrutinising diet etc. has taken me by surprise to be fair, I’ve got way more into it then I thought I would.

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