baseline training

i took a look back over the last two years at my training and i haven't gotten any faster. i checked out my average hr and it was alwasy between 155-170. i have been informed that this is "no man's land" and you should be going harder or easier. my theory was all or nothing, but i guess this isn't the best approach.

so i have been informed that i need to do some baseline training for the next 3 weeks. hr can not go over 147 bpm. running or cycling, doesn't matter, it can't be higher and go for 45 mins. if i keep this up, i was told that my hr will go down, time will go up and i can last longer.

has anyone else done this? am i actually going to see the above? i went out tonight and ran for 45 mins. i am very embrassed to say i ran about a 14 min/mile. it killed me to look at the garmin and see how fast i was going, but average hr was 143.

my ego is taking a big hit on this one. i want to know if its worth it. i can see how it can be, but its my ego that is killing me. my training schedule is coming from a good source who has had LOTS of coaching so i'm not worried about that. i just want some reassuance that i'm going at this at the right angle.

Okay... I'll preface this by saying I don't have an hrm, etc etc... Actually, my setup is as low-tech as I think it can be...

but I did notice pretty significant gains by not really pressing myself, just moving enough so I felt in a 'groove' (any faster, I'd be pushing, any slower, I'd FEEL I needed to pick up) and went at that pace for sometimes 2-3 hours. I can now easily do decent distances in decent times (considering my times before- a 3 mph difference isn't much, but the way I feel having done said distance in said time has greatly improved from sweat-soaked and tired to 'oh! There already?!'

so I think you'll see gains doing that, but I'd look for a more experienced grrl's input. I'm just a Saggitarian and had to throw in my $.02.:p

+1 to what Kitsune said.

Wow - I'm suprised that you haven't gotten more replies to this question. Sounds like your friend is getting you to do hr zone training. My first question would be have you done a max hr test? If you are using someone elses hr zones you may not be getting the workout that they are suggesting.
Doing zone 2 base training is a good idea and it will feel very slow and easy, but your zone 2 may be quite different from somone else's.

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Originally Posted by Eden

My first question would be have you done a max hr test? If you are using someone elses hr zones you may not be getting the workout that they are suggesting.
Doing zone 2 base training is a good idea and it will feel very slow and easy, but your zone 2 may be quite different from somone else's.

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the max i have seen my hr is 192, not sure what the highest would be. i think i figured out my max by the 220-age thing. how else do i find my max?

so far things haven't seemed hard or easy. just a good normal pace.

How did you do feel when your at 192? If you were huffing and puffing and thought your lungs were going to explode, I would think you were near your max. You can get a test done to be scientifically accurate.
As is being discussed in another thread, The 220- your age is only an estimate. I'm 45, and I get still get a reading in 190's if the hill is steep enough and Long enough.
Zone training - it does work(from my view), but take some patience not to want to exceed the limits.

i was huffing and puffing with a red face. legs got tired quick at 192.

Yeah - the 220 minus your age thing can be way off - that would put me at 186 and my measured max is 211. I'm not sure how you do a max for running and I've heard that cycling zones and running zones are usually different.

For cycling the easiest way is to do it on a trainer
warm up for about 15 min
then increase your effort by 10% every 2 or 3 min until you feel you can't go harder - then stand up and sprint all out - you should reach to or very near you max.