Week 5 Run 2 completed

[Aldlib]

Ever get days when you just really don’t feel like it! It was 20 degrees when I went out this afternoon and my legs were still sore from the sports massage yesterday so motivation was not high. I decided to do my ‘60 min easy run’ in the forest for the softer terrain. I forgot how hilly it actually is and with the heat my heart rate was in zone 4 for a good 35 minutes of it even though the pace was a 12 min mile. I really haven’t sussed the slow running low heart rate thing at all. I think I would just have to walk to get into zone 2. But it’s another one ticked off the plan and I enjoyed it more after I had finished it!

[Hidden]

Tell me about it! The idea is that as you get fitter, you can run faster at a lower heart rate. the trick is to fix your heart rates correctly in the first place. the 220 minus age formula is very inaccurate and, though still widely quoted, is becoming more and more discredited. It's way too low for most of us, yet Garmin and Polar, among others, still recommend it.

[Aldlib Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Using the formula would put my MHR at 160 which is way, way off. The highest mine has been is 198. I adjusted my Garmin settings to that before my run yesterday but even with it set that high, I am still running in the wrong zones for the type of run. I think I need to decide to either just go by pace (which my plan currently is set for) or look at switching to heart rate zones and let the pace work itself out eventually. I suspect that would take quite a while though! I think it might also help if I can work out what my current pace equates to for each zone and I might do that today on my tempo run. Have you tried both types of plans before and do you have a preference? When did running become this complicated 😂.

[Hidden in reply to Aldlib]

I decided to go with the Polar hr zone HM training plan because it downloads to your watch automatically. It’s working but it does take time to get much faster in the lower zones. I’m able to run in zone 2 but at about 10/11/12min/km. but it’s fun and definitely improving my fitness. Some runs are intervals so faster, some are in zones 1-2-3&4/5 and some are entirely in zones 1&2. From what I’ve read, it takes literally months to get your pace to a reasonable level in the lower zones.

Up till now IVe just run for the fun of it and not worried about any kind of training, but for half marathon I’ve decided to get my act together if I want any chance of completing the race, let alone in a reasonable time

Edit: I’ve only tried hr zone training as it’s all done for you, all you have to do is follow what’s in the screen and listen to the infuriating buzzes when you exceed your zone 😂