(Long and Less Long) Runs - 12/25 to 12/31

[alpinerabbit]

We did our first hilly run 2 days ago. We logged just under 9 km and that took 1:20 or so.

This was the first time I've been able to run "up and down and back up..." and recovering in between, so something is happenin... What do you pros think? I'd like to be a bit more "springy" over 10 k. What can I do - I am planning more hilly runs, and intervals or hill repeats. Any more tricks?

[Wahine]

Alpine Rabbit,

What is your goal - a speedy flat 10 k or a hilly trail run?

if you send more info I'll give you some pointers. Hill running is great for strength but not for speed. You'll need to do some other intervals for speed.

I'm off to ride my trainer. I ran 1:30 yesterday and my knee is a little sore. The footing was a little sketchy. I hope it loosens up today on the bike but if not, time to see my PT. Can't afford to let this get out of hand, I'm entering base training phase for IM Can.

[btchance]

A little late reporting in, but late is better than nothing, right? I got my Christmas present a little late in the form of a HR monitor, bike shorts, and jersey. Saturday I took the HR monitor out and did a LT test. (please, don't ever make me do that again - even though I need to do it it the bike now ). So I warmed up for 20 minutes, the first 10 pretty easy, then stepping it up over the last 10min. I watched my HR climb from the 120 range to 170 at the end of the 20min (I was going at a decent pace there). I then went all out for 20 minutes, including two pretty decent hills, and used my average HR over those last 20min as my LT, which is 181. When a friend helped me test it in October it was 177, so a little improvement.

I figured out my zones to be this for the run:

LT - 181
zone 1 - 152 or less (84% and less)
zone 2 - 153-165 ( 83-91)
zone 3 - 166 - 172 (92-95)
zone 4 - 173 - 180 (96-99)
zone 5a - 181 - 185 (100-102)
zone 5b - 186 - 192 (103-106)
zone 5c - 193+ (107+)

If you gals have any hints on better ways to do the LT, or have other ways of calculating zones, I'm all ears. Maybe I can get anything corrected that needs to be done before I do the LT test on the bike.

Now to go and apply it on the run I'm doing today, a out and back 30min with negative return split. Zone 1-2 out, zone 2-3 in. Should be around a 50min run total with warm-up and cool down. (we'll see how long I actually stick to the plan that I have figured out - first tri and duathlon in April, Olympic in May)