Hi, it’s me, long time no see: life got in the way with literally death, illness (not mine) and injury (bad knee injury after packing and cleaning for the house move in feb, then running 15k charity run on horribly tough track before it was properly better). Consequently I’m behind with training for the Oxford HM in October.
So, I begin training next week. I’ve downloaded a training plan from Polar as I’m now using the Vantage V for running - lovely watch and I can actually read the stats while I’m running now, after struggling to see the screen on my Garmin. The plan is based round staying within certain heart rate zones for specific times through a run. It easy enough to understand, and I will be able to see duration and zones on my screen. But, seriously, how on earth do you remember the sequence for the interval runs? You see can what I mean from the attached pic. I’m guessing I can set the watch up to tell me, but it would complicate screen visibility for me with my ageing eyes (can’t run in reading glasses).
Anyway. With a Garmin watch (mine's a 235), you can program up your intervals as a 'Workout' in Garmin Connect, and then download it to the watch. It's a bit of a fiddle, but then the watch will do a 5 second bleep-down to each change, and report what you need to be doing on the face - and moan if you are not in the right zone. Hope this helps, even if you have deserted to Polar.....
Take care, it was doing intervals that did for my hamstring this morning....
That looks like basically 5 minutes hard, 2 minutes easy. So, assuming you can set intervals on your watch (I'm sure you can) set it for intervals (minutes) 14, 5, 2, 5, 2, 5, 2, 5.
Then start it off, it should beep or buzz (depending on preference). Take the first interval at an easy jog, then when it beeps speed up to a harder effort (I imagine you can have the screen with the heart rate, for you to check you are in the right zones). At the next beep slow down to an easier pace, then at the next speed up again, etc.
You will have to count in your head so you know when you've finished - the easiest I suggest is to count the 2 minute easier intervals, so when you've done three you will know that the next interval is the cool-down.
I am not sure, because I don't know what the zones mean, but I think these might be quite hard? It might be better to try shorter intervals at first.
We have an October Half Marathon Group just started on here if you'd like to join! This is the most recent post: healthunlocked.com/marathon...
Thanks, that’s great. I will set intervals - though that looks a task in itself. If it gets too hard, I will adapt it. And I will look at the group ... fab x
Oh and the screen I use has heart rate zones, pace, distance and time elapsed, and it’s easy to read. I found the Garmin Fenix screen impossible for all but distance (in good light and if I squinted) and the average pace as each km flashed up.
Flick I'm pretty sure if you do use the watch everything on your training plan is on your watch so once it's all connected it does it all for you. That's what my m600 does anyhow. X
Sorry you’ve been injured too, Flick. Good luck with the new plan! I’m sort of quietly aiming for a HM race again too, but need to see if I can get back to 10k first! 😊❤️
Good luck with the training and the new tech! If I have to defer my Oxford place (about 95% sure I will) I might volunteer instead and be there to cheer you on!
I can't bring myself to defer yet - still hoping it might just be a stress reaction rather than a stress fracture, in which case maybe I could maybe heal quicker and rebuild a little less cautiously. No idea if that's feasible for October, but for now I'm clinging on to that last thread of hope
In May I had to cancel Oxford Town and Gown 10k race because of my knee. I’m lost fitness really fast and spent May hardly running and most of this month doing short sessions of run walk. I did my first longish run two days ago (7.25k) and only walked briefly at beginning and end of the run. I’m now about to start training. So I wouldn’t give up hope. My knee was pretty bad in fed and March and I was hobbling around, then bad again April and May but it’s just slightly twiggy now. So take heart
Oh that's a shame. But you're doing really well now. I was very much heartened when I saw your 7.25k run on Strava and will follow your progress. Good luck with the training
Yay hello Flick! I'm using Polar too for my Marathon training and the zones really do become addictive, although running in zone 2 is sooo slow and tricky at first.
I use the watch to tell me the intervals, I have the m600 and it is quite nice seeing the zones and running to timed intervals rather than pace or km!
Does the vantage V have the option of using wireless headphones synched to the watch? Then you can have an audio workout with your own data.
It sounds as though it's been a rough time lovely, but running will help all of it and you will be great with your half. I didn't train other than try to reach the distance lol and it is only now that I'm using polar and doing my strength training too that I realise how much improvement I could have done if I had lol. 🙈 But it is possible without too! Xx
Yes I have to too. And walk at times. Grr. But after 4 weeks I finally had a run where I was running in zone 2.... apparently the fitter you are the lower your heartrate so you go faster in lower zones. If I have got any of it right!! 🙈😂 x
Claire, I have something called Multisports on my watch, and it isn’t in my downloaded sports profiles in the app or on polar flow. That wouldn’t be the program would it? I’m jumping through hoops trying to get the HM plan synced to the watch
I'm certain your watch must do the same as mine does. It's how Polar get people lol. Their plans are unique to your data so it needs to synch with your watch as that has the heartrate monitor!. I'll read and get back to you. X
Ok I’ve just read it up and it looks as if it will be on the watch. No voice though just buzzes. It’s in the diary for the days the runs are on and I have to select intervals for that day and hopefully it will take me to the program, then I have to choose run- they don’t explain it very well
Yep that's exactly like mine. It is a lot simpler than it sounds. I go to my polar plan via my email, anything I want to adapt training wise I change on there and as long as my phone is synched via bluetooth to my watch the plan is on my watch for each day. I go to training and if a run is scheduled I press yes and it comes up. It is easier than you think to glance at the zone you are in and the buzzes to move up for intervals do attract attention. What I really like is counting time down rather than counting up in km etc. It seems less somehow! I'm excited someone else is doing heartrate training! I just need to figure out if my max heart rate is correct. Give it a few weeks you will be hooked! It definitely helps you pace well for longer distances x
I've found a better calculation for maximum heart rate: 208- (0.7 x age) It makes sense to me as the calculation usually used puts my heart rate too high when i know I'm actually fit and my resting heart rate is low. My watch has running power from the wrist so I'm looking forward to when they adapt their program for that, as it's more constant than heart rate, as heart rate takes a while to come down after effort.
Yeah your watch is the proper running polar one. I'm jealous! What is your heartrate calculation as I worry that in zone 2/easy runs I'm actually running too slow/easy? X
Mine is 157. The normal calculation, which Polar gives, makes it 148. Bear in mind I’m a lot older than you. If you are worried then leave it as the usual 220 minus your age, as the calculation I use gives you higher max hr. I was just worried because I run almost totally in zones 4-5 a lot of the time. You are obviously fitter than me - x
That is a bargain! Well done you! Mine was a fb find. My watch has my maximum heartrate as 180 beatsperminute. If I run at my normal pace of 7mins per km then I think I'd be in zone 4 to 5 too. But now after being forced to slow down I'm in zone 3 at average of 7.30mins per km. Not sure if it's I'm fitter or slower or what lol but I'm trusting the plan. Except at the moment my Marathon time is predicted as 5hours+! 🙈😂 xx
Before starting a session, make sure you’ve synced your training session target to your device. The sessions are synced to your device as training targets.
To start a training target scheduled for the current day:
Enter the pre-training mode by pressing and holding OK in time view.
You'll be prompted to start a training target you've scheduled for the day.
Press OK to view the target information.
Press OK to return to pre-training mode, and choose the sport profile you want to use.
When the watch has found all the signals, press OK. Recording started is displayed and you can start training.
Blimey - I’m getting a nosebleed just trying to follow your Polar discussion - good luck with all that! Glad you’re back and sporting new kit! I’m now training for the Great North Run in September. Got a local 10k on Sunday and then the really hard work begins!
That made me smile. and thank you. I'm such a geek: i would have as many running watches as leggings given the chance and the income to match! Good luck with your training and the big run x
Hi FLick! Sorry you've had so much trouble Glad to see you back, even though I do not understand a single bit of your plan All I can say is good luck with it, and I'm sure if you take it steadily you will be fine. I am also a bit late in starting my HM plan (end of September, and now it has been compromised by work so who knows), but you can do this! xx
Aw, thank you lovely. The Polar plans are adapted to you via your readings as the watch tracks you. I'm looking forward to getting going. Good luck with your HM xx
I was thinking about you the other day!! I have been attacking hills on holiday and I suddenly thought that we hadn't heard from you for ages. Glad that you are fit and well now and back on track. 😊
For intervals in our run group we usually just round run a neighbourhood block, easy and hard laps, and I still completely lose track of where I’m at by the end :). If you have a stopwatch on your watch or phone you could just run easy or hard to those times too.
It’s ok, Claire has pointed out that the HM training program will have been sent to my watch, so I just access it on the scheduled days. How cool
Is that - but thanks for the help ... I’ve been doing that during my injury recovery period but doing it as run walk while I built up running fitness again
Sounds odd but a lot of racers write pace times on their arm with a biro. You could do the same with your intervals and then just use the watch for timing.
I’ve just read elsewhere that the watch will show the current phase of the session, target heart rate and actual heart rate as I run, so all brilliant. Claire explained it better than Polar did
I’m really glad I did. A major bonus for me is that I can actually read the screen. With my Garmin Fenix 5s I used to just about be able to read the distance while running and the pace when the 1k laps flashed up. All the rest I had to read on my phone when I’d got my glasses, at the end of a run - can’t run in reading glasses. With the Polar I can read everything as I run
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Glad to see you back, even though I do not understand a single bit of your plan 
All I can say is good luck with it, and I'm sure if you take it steadily you will be fine. I am also a bit late in starting my HM plan (end of September, and now it has been compromised by work so who knows), but you can do this! xx
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