Winter runs, week of January 17th-23rd

[indigoiis]

Hi all,
I was due to do a "10K fast" today per Hal Higdon 1/2 plan, so since there aren't any races this weekend I decided we'd do a 6.2 loop. Since the first mile is an old dirt road which was not plowed but which quads and 4wd vehicles have been passing I decided to wear the scuba booties, and that worked fine. We did that first mile in 8.5 mm. The next two miles were relatively level with some dropping downs in elevation, so the first 3K was 28 minutes altogether. Overall we averaged 9.15 mms and I was okay with that. The last mile was uphill, 3% grade, I hate that road even on my bike cuz it's just this long, long false flat on this rubbly old rural road. I had trouble catching my breath trying to maintain the pace and although I understand a lot of it was pscyhological, it still feels sucky to not be able to just float. So overall I was happy with it and it was a good run. How bout you all? Anyone race today?

[Grog]

Indigoiis, I have a hard time imagining running in scuba booties! How does it feel? Is it to emulate barefeet?

I did my longest ride in a while. I set out to do 16 km, took a little detour on the way home to stretch it to 17, and I know my Nike sensor is a bit undercalibrated so it feels even better. It was a great run, and it rained only a little. (As opposed to pouring, as we've been having in Vancouver lately.)

I was thinking about what will be my longest run prior to the marathon - 38 km, which means more than double what I ran today - and although it felt a bit strange, it didn't sound too too crazy. I think I've stepped on the dark side!

[fatbottomedgurl]

I'm in the Sierras this weekend and had my first chance to run in cold weather- well, only 38º but that's cold for me! I did about 4 miles on some quiet roads in the woods. At first I tried going down an unplowed road but hit some ice and my feet flew out from under me so I decided that was a bad idea! Elevation here is 9,000 feet but I didn't notice it too much except on the 23º grade coming back up to the cabin. It felt sooo good! Beautiful scenery, I came across some deer, got to wear my ibex wool longsleeve (I love merino) and cushy wool socks. I am starting to like running. Yay!

[Aggie_Ama]

indigoiis- I can imagine running on rural roads in scuba booties. I get frustrated not being lighter on my strides, especially when I see lithe runners at the trail that look like they float effortlessly.

Grog- I thought you were just coming back from injury and then I calculated your run in miles, guess you are back in the game!

fbg- I am just jealous!

Me? I did a 7 mile run. The weather is fantastic this weekend in Texas but I was fatigued so just an okay run. I am glad I pushed and went though.

Did discover that just because cycling knickers felt good on a short run, you really should wear running apparel! I haven't had the time to go shopping but after some odd chaffing I guess I need to do it! Leg grippers and even minimal chamois are not meant for running.

[Grog]

Grog- I thought you were just coming back from injury and then I calculated your run in miles, guess you are back in the game!

I'd rather run in kilometers than miles, it feels like I'm running further.

Sounds like your weather would allow you to wear light running shorts. Go for it! It's so liberating.

[skhill]

In honor of MLK day, I ran the length of my city's MLK Boulevard this morning, both ways. I run and ride that road going south regularly, but not going north, and now I remember why: heading north, there's a really steep one-block long downhill, followed by nearly 5 blocks steady uphill. Yuck. In all, it was 3.5 miles, none of it flat...

It's less than 10 weeks till my first half-marathon! Woohoo!

[Susan Otcenas]

Treadmill workout for me today:

Warmup: 15:00
Mainset = 4 x 8:00 in zone 3 with 4:00 easy run between
cooldown: 10:00

My zone 3 intervals were all done at 6.0mi/hr, easy intervals at 5.2 to 5.5mi/hr. All in I covered just over 6.5 miles in 70 minutes. Avg HR 142, max 163.

Gym was empty this morning. I'm guessing that alot of people had the day off and slept in.

[Veronica]

I am always amazed by other people's heart rate numbers.

I did a 5.32 mile run yesterday with an average heart rate of 172. I like looking at how fast it drops though. I had to wait at a few lights yesterday and it dropped from 170 to 145 or so at each one.

Then there's the top of the hill where it maxed at 182!

Veronica

[GLC1968]

Did my outside run of the week yesterday. I have no idea what the distance was, but I was out for my training plan of 30 minutes. 12 running/18 walking. I upped my intervals to 3 minutes this time (have been doing 2 min) and I enjoyed it. First minute flew, second was a good workout and by the third, I had to tell myself to stop looking at my watch, so I think this is a good interval for me for awhile. The worst part was the walking. Minute one of walking was nice, then it got boring and cold before I could run again. I'm about three runs from scrapping this whole training plan and just doing what I can with gradual increases, but we'll see. I'm so impatient!

I was SOAKED though, too. It started pouring pretty hard and I could barely see. I need to get myself a visor. I hate wearing hats when I run (I get too hot), but I definitely needed something to keep the rain out of my eyes yesterday!

Oh, and country road drivers who are jerks to cyclists are ALSO jerks to runners. I was almost clipped twice! It was nuts and confirmed my decision to avoid ever running near my house in the dark. Won't happen.

[GLC1968]

I am always amazed by other people's heart rate numbers.

Me too.

If I had your heart rate numbers, I'd be violently ill on the side of the road!

When I first started monitoring my HR and comparing my numbers to other people I knew, I thought there was something wrong with me. I could NOT get my HR to the levels that others were showing no matter how hard I worked! Now I know it's because I naturally just have a lower HR. I like to think it's because I have such a big heart.

[OakLeaf]

10.75 for me today. Life kind of got in the way of my long run, but I think that's enough to keep me going for now.

My HR has always been high. AHR for my two-mile tempo segment on Saturday was 173. In hot weather I can see a max of nearly 190. Not so bad for someone who's eligible for an AARP card. But it's been fun over the past couple of years, seeing how my AHR on my long runs has dropped as my aerobic fitness improves.

[Susan Otcenas]

I am always amazed by other people's heart rate numbers.

I did a 5.32 mile run yesterday with an average heart rate of 172. I like looking at how fast it drops though. I had to wait at a few lights yesterday and it dropped from 170 to 145 or so at each one.

Then there's the top of the hill where it maxed at 182!

Veronica

You might consider getting your VO2Max done. It's very instructive. I'm still very much in a learning stage about what it all means. My coach gives me very specific heart rate zones to work in for most of my training. Each workout has a different purpose, and therefore we target different zones in each.

It turns out that I have a very high VO2Max. BUT, at my AeT, I'm not working anywhere near my VO2Max. So, one of the things we're working on is training my body to move my AeT up so that I can to work (aerobically) closer to my potential. The good news is I have lots of room to improve.

[rocknrollgirl]

Hi All,
I ran about 6 on the trails yesterday with my DH. It is my hilly run. Although my legs were really tired from mt biking the day before, I ran this hills this week instead of walking.

It stared to rain about 5 mins in to the run 37 and raining...drizmal, is that what we are calling it now?

All in all a good run. My legs are pretty beat today, so i did 45 mins of core this morning.

[Veronica]

I had my VO2 max done on the bike a few years ago. I know that there are some differences, but my running HR seems very close to my cycling one. I can sustain 178 on a long 10 mile climb on the bike, but get over 180 for any length of time and I kinda wanna hurl. I find the same thing running. My max then was 185.

It's been a few years. It would be interesting to have it done again.

Veronica

[eclectic]

I am always amazed by other people's heart rate numbers.

I did a 5.32 mile run yesterday with an average heart rate of 172. I like looking at how fast it drops though. I had to wait at a few lights yesterday and it dropped from 170 to 145 or so at each one.

Then there's the top of the hill where it maxed at 182!

Veronica

I am glad to hear that - mine is really high too. I can talk 4-5 words easily when my HR is at 168

I have correlated my HR with RPE and I feel better about it.