Running in the Zone (part 2)
Since I tried incorporating Heart Rate Training or Training in the Zone, using my Timex heart rate monitor watch t5g941 my running has changed.
There was this consciousness in maintaining an appropriate effort in each run. It’s like giving the right intensity for a specific goal.
Last Monday, I worked on a 10 kilometer run, and try to work in my Zone 2 or Endurance Run. Using the Timex HRM watch, I was able to maintain the right intensity to finish a 10K in 1 hour and 10 minutes, still fresh. My average HR is around 157bpm on this run and it peaks at 170+.
Unlike before, I was always running at 80-95% intensity and finishes each run totally empty or can’t even complete the desired distance or even maintain an ideal pace.
Running with the heart rate monitor, helps me keep the intensity and the consistency in delivering a good pace for an endurance run. (Endurance Run is something that last within 1 to 3 hours).
I would like to build on this base and after a month or more, will try working on the consistency of delivering at Zone 2-3 intensity for a 10K. Hopefully, I will try to run my 10K in 50 minutes or less.
Heart Rate Training
I am now trying to follow this guide for my heart rate training. Somehow I find it more systematic than to just “run like an animal” all the time. Yesterday, I did a recovery run and finished a 5K at 36 minutes. My MWF days are for running and the TTH are for core and upper body workout. I have to make my Sat and Sun as my bike days.
How I wish I could squeeze in some swimming lessons, but right now, these are reasonable and attainable plan for me.
Lately my 5K is around 27-28 minutes. I’d like to get that 5K in 25 minutes (or less) or that 10K in 50 minutes, I nailed that 25 minutes last year but due to patella problems on my knee, I was grounded for months.
Getting back to some serious running. Be safe everyone, see you on trails.
Running in the Zone
Yesterday I tried a 10K run working on heart rate zone. This is a first and the run feels better. I finished the 10K refreshed and with still plenty of energy left.
Typically, I just ran and tried to compensate energy on feel. But afterwards, feels totally empty. I think I am always doing an 80% to 90% effort for the past months. But yesterday, I tried incorporating Heart Rate Zone training, how to establish your zones and choose workouts on each of them.
Unlike before, I need to classify my run for a day, Slow Run, Fat Burning Run, Endurance Run, Optimal Conditioning and Speed, etc. And each corresponding Run equals a heart rate, thus working with the zones.
Yesterday my 1:15:00 hour run goes between Fat Burning/Slow Endurance Run at around 60% to 75% of my heart rate. Timex recorded my ran at an average of 160 bpm and peaked at 171 bpm.
At first, it’s a little awkward trying not to run too fast, because typically, I run at my 80% zone. Using a heart rate, whenever it goes below 157 bpm I tried to compensate my run, because I’m under training at that effort. Or when the watch displays 161, 162, 165, 170 bpm, I tried to slow down to just 160; because it tells me that I am giving above 75% effort.
After hitting around the 7K mark, I actually enjoyed it and got a feel of the run. It’s like maintaining a pace at the effort on how you you actually plan your run – and my goal was set to Fat Burning/Endurance Run.
After finishing a 10K at 1:15:00, I still feel fresh. Average heart rate is 160bpm and the peak is at 171bpm.
I cooled down with a 3.7km bike ride at 15 minutes. My experience with training using the Zone is a good one and I plan to incorporate different run and work out with the Zones again.
Run and Bike
Just finished a 5K run and a 3.7K cool down on the bike. It’s been a few days since my last run because the rain always gets in the way. I need to put more distance at least a two 10Ks a week and some long bike runs on weekends.
I’m still looking at that 100K bike ride this weekend, hopefully I could nail that distance.
Been doing some weights training – upper body and core workouts, to keep the balance and to avoid any injury.
There will be more climbs this coming months and I planned to celebrate my coming birthday at the highest mountain in Luzon, Philippines (Mt. Pulag).
Tons of plans yet so little time. I need to focus more on my training sessions and need to keep my diet straight. I want to nail that 5 minutes per kilometer pace so I need to keep the intensity and motivation high.
Be back with more updates. It’s midnight and I have to get some rest. Be safe everyone.
Running: 101 The MultiSports Series
Yesterday I attended the 1st leg of the 101 MultiSports Series held at Albang Town Center (ATC). The MultiSport Series is a year long event with talks on multi-sport: running, biking and swimming or an intro to triathlon.
Registration is Php120, and attendees will get a 1 year (12 issues) subscription of the MultiSport magazine (to be delivered to Manila residents only) and a seat at the MultiSports Series.
Coach Jay Sales, a former tri-athlete and the national coach of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines talked about Running. From basic to advance, and also training programs, Coach Jay also talked about injuries and prevention.
Participants also got a chance to ask the coach about their challenges, injuries, and advice on running and some even consulted about training programs.
The MultiSport Series was sponsored by Asics, L Time Studio, Adidas Eyewear and Iberet Multivitamins. The MultiSports Kit includes a latest Issue of MultiSport and Southern Living magazine, Iberet multivitamins, MultiSport cap, printed copy of the running slides presentation, and some sports catalogues.
5K hill run 30mins
The sun starts to peek on the horizon. The surrounding feels like some retro vibe with it’s yellowish, soft glow. It’s 6am I can feel that it’s going to be a great day. Time for a good run.
Feeling good to have finished this morning hill run, 5.3 kilometers in 30 minutes. I tried turning Sporty Pal on my Nokia N95 GPS so I could track my pace, altitude, distance etc. but it can’t seem to find any passing satellite above.
After the run, I lighted up an incense, and played some soothing Sequences and Hymns by Abbess Hildegard of Bingen CD. I finished some dumbbell exercises, and then ate a hearty rice meal with fried fish and a hot Milo choco.
Great day. Great run. Feeling good. Living strong! ^_^
Hill Run again
Feeling great after a 40 minute hill run. Felt a little drain at around 30 mins, but yes, there’s a second wind and the 10 minutes (or more) could mean so much in a good run.
I’m beginning to love this hill run.
300 meters uphill and 300 meters downhill and 100 meters flat in between where I do my little sprint. Just finished 40 minutes of this….
I can feel the pressure on my lower and I have to get some carbo and protein now.
^_^
Hill sessions
My quick 5K in the oval turned into red light when it began raining Tuesday late afternoon. I rushed back home thinking of doing some upright bike instead.
The weather changed as I parked my bike, it stopped raining.
The oval is good but rolling hills are better. ^_^
I am lucky to have a house built around rolling hills. For aesthetics, yes, it’s a great view watching the roads drift like waves from one street to another. Cars and people disappear like ships and sunsets sink on the horizon.
But rolling hills are tough and challenging – for runners (and joggers), hills are rhythm breakers, it’s harder to run faster and even walking put immense strain on your body when going uphill.
But hills are very good for running. Hill training develops leg-muscle strength, stride length and speed, improves cardiovascular system and helps in expanding running economy.
A 20-minute uphill and downhill sessions, cool down/stretching, then dinner with my daughters and some play time with them made my day complete.
Nike Downshifter 3
I got my first taste of Nike when my Dad bought me a Nike Air Pegasus II.
It’s love at first run. Light, fast and very comfy.
After the demise of my Air Pegasus II pair, I went hunting for the same Pegasus again, but sadly, there’s no available size for me on most Nike Stadium stores.
I ended up buying a Reebok DMX which is on sale on Toby’s.
Late last year, as I am seriously looking into more running mileage, I began hunting for a new pair of Nike.
There’s this great line of Lunarlites proliferating in most stores but I ended up buying old school, sewn decals, Nike Downshifter 3.
Actual price is around Php3,500.00 but got it on Php2,300.00 during a big discount sale.
The Nike Downshifter 3 uses the same light and sticky BRS 1000. The shoe serves it’s purpose well on road and oval run. The shoes are very light and the very comfortable on every run.
My only comment with the Nike Downshifter 3 is the lace’s white color. It looks better in black so I changed mine.
Here’s the product description:
Product Description
Transition time
It’s typical, and you can even call it a routine, but to me, each run tells me a lot more something about myself. Each run is a little different than the other.
It’s just same rounds; twelve and a half in the oval, every other day. That will be 5 kilometers (popularly called a “fun run”). I know it’s an itsy-bitsy-5K, but hey, there’s got to be a starting point, like a hot ball of gas that explodes into a big bang.
As much as I want to concentrate on both speed and endurance, lots of readings and lit about running told me to just stick to one – and I sided with endurance.
It’s been three months and I’ve been listening closely to my body. It’s giving me signs to go for the next level – 10K.
I nailed that 130 pounds this week, a goal I set when I came back to running 2 ½ months ago, after a ‘runner’s knee’ injury.
Being 5’5” and 139 pounds last January creates some drag, and these past weeks, the recent 5Ks felt easier and lighter. Got that 9 pounds shelved since I started to seriously stick to my typical MWF-5K routine.
It may seem easy but no, it’s not. It entails a lot of motivation and discipline. It’s about planning ahead, setting goals and doing it.
It’s more complicated when you have two toddler daughters and a beautiful wife to love and to take care of. To top it all, you have to squeeze in the passion into a lot of projects and tasks to make it all work.
So no, it’s not easy. It’s hard. But it’s very rewarding in the end.
It’s going to be harder this time, getting used to 10Ks, and it will eat up more time. But the outdoor is calling. Don’t run easy, as one ad goes – run like an animal.
Run easy is an oxymoron.
What is it about running that scares people so much? Why do people feel they have to put friendly modifiers next to running so everyone can feel good about it? Well, here’s the ugly truth everyone shouldn’t feel good about running. It’s hard! It hurts running requires sacrifice and heart and guts. Any attempt to water it down with feel-good adjectives is a slap in the face to those of us who still hold running sacred. In fact, if you’re running easy, odds are you’re not running at all. You’re jogging so do us all a favor, don’t run easy. Run hard. Run like an animal. ~ Pearl Izumi
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