On the morning of the 2011 Victoria marathon, we had the hotel room's TV on a music channel as we were getting ready to go to the startline. Just before we left, Invincible by Hedley came on. I hadn't heard the song before but liked the title instantly:-).
I like Hedley because frontman singer-songwriter Jacob Hoggard seems to have so much passion and energy for his music.
We listened to the song until we had to leave and the Invincible tune was what I had in my head as Tim, Angelique (making her debut at the distance) and I jogged over to the start in Victoria. After running a marathon PB for the first time in three years, you can imagine why hearing this song makes me happy. I added it to my iPod this morning before getting ready to do my medium-long run,which today was 19km.
Again, I took some time to make sure the course I had in mind was the correct distance, so I didn't have to think about it, as it was another rainy day (with a rainfall warning for our Howe Sound area). It was also a balmy day (9 degrees C), and I decided shorts would do; I'm certainly loving this wet mild West Coast winter for my training.
The program recommends doing medium-long run at a similar pace as the long run. After a hard session the previous day (as I did yesterday with the lactate threshold workout), it recommends staying near the slower end of the intensity range, given as between about 74 and 84 percent of max heart rate and between 10 and 20 percent below marathon goal race pace.
For me that works out to between 4:41 to 5:06 per km (marathon goal race pace is 4:15 per km) and, assuming my max HR is near 184, between 136 and 155.
The run was great, even as I got absolutely soaked, and I did feel pretty invincible. According to Mr Garmin, I ran 19.25km at an average pace of 5:07 per km and an average heart rate of 141 beats per minute. Right on target.
January 04, 2012
January 03, 2012
Lactate threshold runs
On Sunday, as I lounged on the couch recovering from my long run the day before officially beginning my 18-week program in preparation for the Vancouver marathon, I thought it worthwhile to re-read the advice on why and how to do each of the sessions with the benefit of having followed the training structure for three months late last year.
My training is similar to what I did for my most recent marathon(s), except that I am starting my Advanced Marathoning program six weeks earlier by following an 18-week version and it's the next size up with a higher weekly volume (113-137km, from 88-113km).
This first week is as follows:
Mon recovery 8km
Tues lactate threshold 14km incl 6km at half-marathon race pace
Wed medium-long run 19km
Thur recovery 10km
Fri general aerobic 16km
Sat recovery 10km
Sun long run 27km
Details can make all the difference in preparing for and executing a training session. So I revisited the explanations on each type of session, and decided what that meant in terms of pacing this time around; 2011 was my best running year hands down, in which I improved my marathon PR from 2008 by 64 seconds.
While I didn't improve my 10km and half marathon PBs, also from 2008, I believe I am starting 2012 in my best shape ever and am aiming to up the ante in my training by targetting a faster half-marathon and marathon goal race pace. (Of course the key is being able to achieve those goals, but the first step is feeling confident enough to commit to trying.)
This time I am planning to use a heart rate monitor, particularly in the sessions at half-marathon and marathon race pace, and the long runs. Nearly all my training from 2001 until 2005, mainly as a triathlete, was done based on heart rate, which taught me a lot about pacing and what different levels of effort, as defined by the target heart-rate zones, usually 4 or 5, feel like in beats per minute.
As my next coach didn't focus on heart rate, I haven't paid attention to it since then. One important reason for me to start using it now is Mr Garmin. Since using it, I've found myself getting stressed and/or annoyed when Mr Garmin's assessment of my pace didn't correspond to what I thought it was and/or the level of effort I felt I was putting in.
Sometimes it was simply the weather or my surrounds that made Mr Garmin less reliable, other times it was my own tiredness from training that caused my pace to fall short. Using heart rate is an excellent way to help guide and gauge your sessions. Since Mr Garmin is measuring distance, pace, etc, already, I've decided to add my beats per minute to the mix.
Today's session was a lactate threshold run, defined in Advanced Marathoning as " tempo runs in which you run for at least 20 minutes at your lactate-threshold pace. This corresponds closely with your current 15K to half marathon race pace. For most marathoners, this pace range corresponds with about 82 to 91 percent of maximal heart rate."
I dug up some facts from the past. On July 11, 2001, I had a lactate threshold transition test done in Sydney, Australia. I ran on a treadmill set at a 1 percent gradient. Temperature was 20 degrees Celsius. My lactate threshold point then was measured at 13.0 kph, my heart rate at 170, while my anaerobic threshold point was measured at 14.6 kph, with my HR there at 170. My max heart rate was measured at 184 while I ran, briefly, at 18.0 kph.
That was, of course, 10 years ago.
Another measurement was from the 2003 Gold Coast Marathon, during which I lowered my PB for the distance from 4:11 to 3:24, my average heart rate was 168, according to my notes from that race.
Your heart rate (including the max) drops with age. On the flipside, as you get fitter (and there's no doubt I am much fitter now than in July 2001), you can longer sustain running at a higher heart rate.
Based on my max heart rate as measured in 2001, my heart rate should stay between about 150 to 167 during lactate threshold runs. Confirming that those are the right numbers for me indeed, is a matter of recording my heart rate in training (though, of course, I could also get another test done).
After warming up for 5km, I had a 6km effort at half marathon race pace, followed by a 3km cooldown.
I made sure to ease into the speedy part as it's early in the season (another reminder I picked up from re-reading advice on the training); I felt good throughout, and was pleased with 25:13:30, an average of 4:12/km (or a 88:48 half marathon), for the 6km effort. My average heart rate was 162, acccording to Mr Garmin. Seems that zone still works pretty well.
A few more notes on lactate threshold training:
In Alberto Salazar's Guide to Road Racing, Salazar says "... the bottom line is that you can train your body to be more efficient in its use of lactic acid [or lactate]. This shifts the lactic acid threshold to higher speeds - preparing you to race that much more quickly. Because this shift in lactic acid threshold is a separate effect from changes in VO2max or improvements in running efficiency, it gives you a third variable on which to target your training."
In The Competitive Runner's Handbook, Bob Glover and Shelly-lynn Florence Glover say, "Lactate threshold training is primarily at a pace slightly slower than 10K race pace (15K to half marathon pace). Tempo runs are the most effective way to improve lactate threshold. These workouts are particularly important for half-marathon and marathon training, but still valuable for 5Ks and 10Ks."
My training is similar to what I did for my most recent marathon(s), except that I am starting my Advanced Marathoning program six weeks earlier by following an 18-week version and it's the next size up with a higher weekly volume (113-137km, from 88-113km).
This first week is as follows:
Mon recovery 8km
Tues lactate threshold 14km incl 6km at half-marathon race pace
Wed medium-long run 19km
Thur recovery 10km
Fri general aerobic 16km
Sat recovery 10km
Sun long run 27km
Details can make all the difference in preparing for and executing a training session. So I revisited the explanations on each type of session, and decided what that meant in terms of pacing this time around; 2011 was my best running year hands down, in which I improved my marathon PR from 2008 by 64 seconds.
While I didn't improve my 10km and half marathon PBs, also from 2008, I believe I am starting 2012 in my best shape ever and am aiming to up the ante in my training by targetting a faster half-marathon and marathon goal race pace. (Of course the key is being able to achieve those goals, but the first step is feeling confident enough to commit to trying.)
This time I am planning to use a heart rate monitor, particularly in the sessions at half-marathon and marathon race pace, and the long runs. Nearly all my training from 2001 until 2005, mainly as a triathlete, was done based on heart rate, which taught me a lot about pacing and what different levels of effort, as defined by the target heart-rate zones, usually 4 or 5, feel like in beats per minute.
As my next coach didn't focus on heart rate, I haven't paid attention to it since then. One important reason for me to start using it now is Mr Garmin. Since using it, I've found myself getting stressed and/or annoyed when Mr Garmin's assessment of my pace didn't correspond to what I thought it was and/or the level of effort I felt I was putting in.
Sometimes it was simply the weather or my surrounds that made Mr Garmin less reliable, other times it was my own tiredness from training that caused my pace to fall short. Using heart rate is an excellent way to help guide and gauge your sessions. Since Mr Garmin is measuring distance, pace, etc, already, I've decided to add my beats per minute to the mix.
Today's session was a lactate threshold run, defined in Advanced Marathoning as " tempo runs in which you run for at least 20 minutes at your lactate-threshold pace. This corresponds closely with your current 15K to half marathon race pace. For most marathoners, this pace range corresponds with about 82 to 91 percent of maximal heart rate."
I dug up some facts from the past. On July 11, 2001, I had a lactate threshold transition test done in Sydney, Australia. I ran on a treadmill set at a 1 percent gradient. Temperature was 20 degrees Celsius. My lactate threshold point then was measured at 13.0 kph, my heart rate at 170, while my anaerobic threshold point was measured at 14.6 kph, with my HR there at 170. My max heart rate was measured at 184 while I ran, briefly, at 18.0 kph.
That was, of course, 10 years ago.
Another measurement was from the 2003 Gold Coast Marathon, during which I lowered my PB for the distance from 4:11 to 3:24, my average heart rate was 168, according to my notes from that race.
Your heart rate (including the max) drops with age. On the flipside, as you get fitter (and there's no doubt I am much fitter now than in July 2001), you can longer sustain running at a higher heart rate.
Based on my max heart rate as measured in 2001, my heart rate should stay between about 150 to 167 during lactate threshold runs. Confirming that those are the right numbers for me indeed, is a matter of recording my heart rate in training (though, of course, I could also get another test done).
After warming up for 5km, I had a 6km effort at half marathon race pace, followed by a 3km cooldown.
I made sure to ease into the speedy part as it's early in the season (another reminder I picked up from re-reading advice on the training); I felt good throughout, and was pleased with 25:13:30, an average of 4:12/km (or a 88:48 half marathon), for the 6km effort. My average heart rate was 162, acccording to Mr Garmin. Seems that zone still works pretty well.
A few more notes on lactate threshold training:
In Alberto Salazar's Guide to Road Racing, Salazar says "... the bottom line is that you can train your body to be more efficient in its use of lactic acid [or lactate]. This shifts the lactic acid threshold to higher speeds - preparing you to race that much more quickly. Because this shift in lactic acid threshold is a separate effect from changes in VO2max or improvements in running efficiency, it gives you a third variable on which to target your training."
In The Competitive Runner's Handbook, Bob Glover and Shelly-lynn Florence Glover say, "Lactate threshold training is primarily at a pace slightly slower than 10K race pace (15K to half marathon pace). Tempo runs are the most effective way to improve lactate threshold. These workouts are particularly important for half-marathon and marathon training, but still valuable for 5Ks and 10Ks."
January 02, 2012
Easy runs
The first day of the Advanced Marathoning schedule I'll be following for the next 18 weeks to prepare for the Vancouver marathon began with an 8km recovery run. I chose a lap around the neighbourhood, took my iPod but left my watch at home.
The trick with these runs is to do them slow enough.
My legs were light following yesterday's 27km. Keeping in mind tomorrow's 14km session, which includes 6km at half marathon race pace, I made sure to take it easy enough; it would have been easy to crank up the speed a little but I knew I'd regret that tomorrow.
I used yesterday's post-run time on the couch to re-read the advice on the various sessions. For example, long runs are meant to be done at between 10% and 20% below marathon goal race pace i:e. 4:15/km or 6:51 per mile, which works out to between 4:41/km to 5:06/km (7:32/mile to 8:12/mile). That means I need to run next week's 27km in 2:17, or - ideally - a little quicker.
As for my half marathon race pace workouts, I'll be targetting 4:05/km to 4:10/km. That means that I'll aim to cover tomorrow's 6km in 24:30 to 25-flat. I'll bring a heartrate monitor to track the effort. While I'm looking forward to the session, I'm also pretty sure that it will provide good motivation to take all recovery runs very easy.
The trick with these runs is to do them slow enough.
My legs were light following yesterday's 27km. Keeping in mind tomorrow's 14km session, which includes 6km at half marathon race pace, I made sure to take it easy enough; it would have been easy to crank up the speed a little but I knew I'd regret that tomorrow.
I used yesterday's post-run time on the couch to re-read the advice on the various sessions. For example, long runs are meant to be done at between 10% and 20% below marathon goal race pace i:e. 4:15/km or 6:51 per mile, which works out to between 4:41/km to 5:06/km (7:32/mile to 8:12/mile). That means I need to run next week's 27km in 2:17, or - ideally - a little quicker.
As for my half marathon race pace workouts, I'll be targetting 4:05/km to 4:10/km. That means that I'll aim to cover tomorrow's 6km in 24:30 to 25-flat. I'll bring a heartrate monitor to track the effort. While I'm looking forward to the session, I'm also pretty sure that it will provide good motivation to take all recovery runs very easy.
January 01, 2012
Starting 2012 with a 27km run
Tim, doggy Luka and I began the year with a family run. The three of us did a peaceful 15km lap along some of the quiet forest service roads between Valleycliffe and Quest University. The remaining kilometres of my long run were up to me alone. As Tim and Luka got home to stay, I made a quick stop for a drink of water and a gel.
It's always tough to do that, and I typically try to avoid it, as the willpower melts as soon as the cosy warmth of the house envelops the sweaty runner. Even on a beautiful winterday as it was today, with temperatures just cold enough for a brief flurry of tiny snowflakes, I needed to gather myself before I was able to head back out again.
There were another 11km left for me as my plan was for a 26km run. As I mapped the distance of the route I had in mind as an excuse to postpone my departure, a route where I wouldn't be able to give in to laziness and turn home early, I wondered if I could avoid a final uphill back to Valleycliffe. A silly question, as I know I cannot.
It was time to go. I grabbed my iPod and pressed play; Adele's Set Fire to the Rain greeted me, spurring me on to head out the door now before I'd give in to the inertia of sitting behind my computer checking a distance to avoid running it.
Grabbing the New Balance REVlite 890s, I retied the laces. As soon as I hit the road, a second wind came over me. Without a watch, I listened to Adele's great voice and the muffled sound of the rhythm of my feet hitting the ground, and strode into a separate universe.
Certain songs, a certain pace and a certain willingness can do that to a runner; especially in the latter half of a long run. It's one of the many things I love about running; you can disappear into another world that's competely your own.
That's where I lingered in the final 12km (yes, I ended up covering an extra km) of my run today, and Adele was right there with me the whole way, as I marvelled at the amazing strength that dwells in our bodies if we are willing to invest a little time regularly to find and cultivate it.
As much as I sometimes seem to struggle to head out the door, I am time and again reminded of the joys that lie ahead when I do.
I spent the rest of the day happily and contently tired, realizing I have never started an 18-week marathon training program with a long run already at 27km. (I also resigned myself to the fact that I am going to stay tired, in varying degrees, for the next 18 weeks.)
A new year is always a great incentive to embark on positive changes, no matter how small as those too can snowball into something big. It's a clean slate, full of aspirations and dreams, not unlike the start of a new marathon progam; mine officially begins tomorrow with an 8km recovery run.
A Happy New Year and I hope 2012 brings you everything you hope for!
It's always tough to do that, and I typically try to avoid it, as the willpower melts as soon as the cosy warmth of the house envelops the sweaty runner. Even on a beautiful winterday as it was today, with temperatures just cold enough for a brief flurry of tiny snowflakes, I needed to gather myself before I was able to head back out again.
There were another 11km left for me as my plan was for a 26km run. As I mapped the distance of the route I had in mind as an excuse to postpone my departure, a route where I wouldn't be able to give in to laziness and turn home early, I wondered if I could avoid a final uphill back to Valleycliffe. A silly question, as I know I cannot.
It was time to go. I grabbed my iPod and pressed play; Adele's Set Fire to the Rain greeted me, spurring me on to head out the door now before I'd give in to the inertia of sitting behind my computer checking a distance to avoid running it.
Grabbing the New Balance REVlite 890s, I retied the laces. As soon as I hit the road, a second wind came over me. Without a watch, I listened to Adele's great voice and the muffled sound of the rhythm of my feet hitting the ground, and strode into a separate universe.
Certain songs, a certain pace and a certain willingness can do that to a runner; especially in the latter half of a long run. It's one of the many things I love about running; you can disappear into another world that's competely your own.
That's where I lingered in the final 12km (yes, I ended up covering an extra km) of my run today, and Adele was right there with me the whole way, as I marvelled at the amazing strength that dwells in our bodies if we are willing to invest a little time regularly to find and cultivate it.
As much as I sometimes seem to struggle to head out the door, I am time and again reminded of the joys that lie ahead when I do.
 |
| There will be plenty of couch time! |
A new year is always a great incentive to embark on positive changes, no matter how small as those too can snowball into something big. It's a clean slate, full of aspirations and dreams, not unlike the start of a new marathon progam; mine officially begins tomorrow with an 8km recovery run.
A Happy New Year and I hope 2012 brings you everything you hope for!
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