Ive been off work today as its Easter Monday so after doing a few chores and putting a lamb shoulder into cook I nipped out for a run. Ive started a new training plan using heart rate zones (explained below). I got home, showered and finished dinner off. Oliver wanted chicken wraps as he said he didn't like eating sheep! But shortly after putting the lamb out he appeared and wanted to try it ( I never force him to try stuff, his natural curiosity and keen sense of smell always gets him interested!). He nibbled a piece of lamb and told me "it was nice but would be better in a bowl with some of that sauce on it" pointing at the gravy! He demolished a bowl of it! My plan works every time :)
After dinner, that was lovingly washed down with a glass of Merlot, I tidied up and caught up with my blog before bedtime.
The Plan of Attack:
Since I returned to running after breaking my toe, I was just running as I thought and not following a set plan. I wanted to get something together to get me ready for the Lakeland 100 so Ive spent the last few months formulating this:Ive got three races in the three months prior to the the Lakeland 100 in July:
Hawkshead 17k trail Race in April, Stavely 17k Trail Race in May, Coniston Trail Marathon in June then the Lakeland 100 at the end of July.
Im going to follow an advanced marathon training plan up to the Marathon in June using a heart rate monitor and training in heart rate zones and adding some longer ultra training runs in along the way. The races in-between will be almost like time trials for the marathon. I did the same marathon last year and finished 10th in 3:36 hrs. It was a great time but my run had been all over the place and I hit the wall massively about 18 miles in. It was an extremely tough race and I hadnt quite recovered after the 40 mile Keswick to Barrow a month earlier. the K2B is all on roads and it hurt my legs, especially my ITB, a lot for a few weeks afterwards and I was really sore. This year I'm not chancing the K2B with the 100 coming up.
My overall theory is, if I train myself to run at a fast pace with a controlled heart rate, then when it comes to the ultra, my heart wont be working hard at slower paces, hopefully making me more efficient and not use as much energy. Well that's my theory!
My new watch has a training calendar with the capability of programming in specific workouts on it. Ive got a really good plan from Garmin and its now in my watch (after 2 hours of trying!!!) .Its an advanced plan for a sub 3 hr marathon pace. I wont be expecting that time on the race because of the terrain and ascent but it should get me fit enough to get a PB, - fingers crossed.
 |
| My new training partner - Garmin 620 + HRM |
Running
60 min/ 7.20 miles / 8.12 min mile avg.
This was the training: Lactate Threshold Run
(My heart rate is Minimum Resting 43 bpm and Maximum 187 bpm. The program works out each zone on a percentage - Zone 4 = 60% to 80%)
10 minutes in Zone 2 warm up: I set off and straight away went over my heart rate zone. Come on Lee, slow down, warm up properly I chastised myself. So after a brief walk to get my heart rate down I slowly plodded down to the prom. For the time being my zone 2 equates to under 120 bpm and about 10 min mile pace. This felt like a snails pace but Im going to go with it as the science behind the plan is solid. After a very long ten minutes I started the next section
30 minutes in Zone 4 at Lactate threshold pace. this was more like it. I picked up the pace and balanced the heart rate zone in the high part of zone 4. The pace (depending on the terrain and wind) was about 6:50 min mile pace - exactly a 3 hr marathon pace! and my HR for Zone 4 is up to 161 bpm. This is what the program has "designed" for me, working out the correct levels to work at as to improve my times without me pushing and training too hard. The pace was comfortably hard and I felt good after a couple of rest days. The 30 minutes flew by and I slowed for the last section.
10 minutes in Zone 2. This was really tough to get my heart rate down without walking. Every time i started running I was running too fast and in the wrong zone. It will take me a while to get to grips with the feel of the pace in each zone. I finally managed to slow down and dropped into the correct zone. After another long 10 mins it was time for a cool down.
10 mins cool down. I slowed to a crawl and then walked the last half a mile home, really concentrating on getting my heart rate back to normal. I breathed in the sea air and calmed my body down. It felt great after a pacy run, rather than my usual tactic of sprinting all the way round the loop and nearly dying at my front door, totally out of breath. There will still be those runs but for now I'm going to follow the plan and see what happens. I'm hoping the better use of my training will help me to improve over the next few months and train smarter, only time will tell!.
No comments:
Post a Comment