Run-Down Forums

[Paul]

Jafar, here's an interesting 600m interval workout you might find interesting. You could probably incorporate it once a week. I'm providing the whole link here but it is #5 Alternate 600's that I found intriguing.

Paul

http://www.trinewbies.com/2RunArt2.htm

[Paul]

Oh, and naturally this trinewbies link is listed with Dan!!

[Jafar]

Hey thanks. I'm always looking for new routines. I get into a rut easily.

But again I'm confused. Hey, Dan you said 40-50% easy runs, right? But you're also telling me that my current regiment is such that I can't fully recover. Please advise, Dan.

Should I not be going 7 days a week? I'm also noticing that the surface I run on makes or breaks my training. Like I said in an earlier post, the treadmill hurts. Don't know why. Well I decided to cut it out completely, and I started running on the local high school track. WOW does that hurt! For some reason a hell of a lot worse than the road. The pain I am getting is on the very inside of my shin, right above the little knob on the inside of the ankle. But it's both legs, so I don't think it's a stress fracture, and it goes away an hour or so after I'm done.

Here's another routine I am looking at.

http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,1-51-55-638,00.html

for some reason this link doesn't work in the post, so copy and paste.

[Paul]

I like Hal Higdon's stuff better than most other Runners World material. That program might be somewhat advanced until you get some more mileage under your belt. I viewed his beginners program but that seemed too novice for where you're at.

Sometimes the brand of treadmill can make a big difference. The gym I go to has some new Precor 540's (I think that's what they are) and they are really solidly built, smooth, with no jarring.

Here's another treadmill article:

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0709.htm

[Micah Ward]

As someone who has had his share of injuries I would suggest cutting back to five runs a week. You have too much at stake to risk injury right now and two days of rest could be of more benifit than what you could get out of running the other two days.
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[Dan]

[Jafar]

Okay everybody I've got another question. Does anybody think I could use a heart rate monitor? This is what I'm thinking...

I believe I can run faster than I am. I just don't feel worked enough at the end. I haven't puked at the end of a run in 6 years. I mean, yeah, I can run a 90 second quarter, but I sure as hell can't run 12 of them in a row without stopping. But I should be able to run 12 115 second quarters without stopping. I'm not pushing myself. It's in the middle that I start slowing down, and don't realize it. So if I had a heart rate monitor beeping at me when I start to drop down below a specific rate, I'd know to get the lead out. Keep in mind that what I'm doing isn't a race, it's a physical fitness test. A test of my ability cardiovascular wise. So really I need to be able to use my VO2 max and heart rate to their fullest in order to determine what my ability is. (Upon futher examination I guess that's what a race is, only with other people.)

So, if I get one of these things, at what percentage would I want to set it for a 5 K run? What would be the ideal rate (percentage of max) to run one's best 3 miles?

[Dan]

If you already know you aren't running hard enough, no amount of electronic wizardry will provide the motivation to up the effort... Your mind provides all the monitoring you need. Develop that to tell you what's going on instead of relying on an external indicator that you'll probably just ignore for the same reasons you're currently ignoring the messages being sent...

Dan

[Micah Ward]

You say you are slowing down and not realizing it. Are you wearing a watch? It is easy to keep up with your pace if you are running 400's on the track. You know what time you want to run your 400 in so check your watch at each fourth of the 400 and adjust accordingly.

For example:

If you want to run a 100 second quarter then start in the middle of a straight and hit the middle of the first curve in 25 seconds, the middle of the next straight in 50 seconds, the middle of the next curve in 75 seconds and finish where you started at 100 seconds.
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[Jafar]

Yeah, when I'm on the track its no worries. But I only use the track for speed work. My 3 mile non-stop course is just that, a big course. (I'm talking about the actual location where I am tested.) And the only reference point at all is a half way mark. I could figure out where quarters are at though, and I'm going to do that.

But this is what I'm thinking with the heart rate monitor. First off, Dan, I'm all about gadgets. I love gadgets. And this is what is going on in my head. One side says "You're going to slow" Then another says "But I can't go any faster." So if a heart rate monitor was present, It's beep would be the third voice saying "Bullsh!t! You're only at 84%. Go harder."

But agian I ask, what percentage of max heart rate would yield ones best 3 mile performance?

[Dan]

I still say you're side-stepping your weakness, which is the voice telling you you can't go any faster (even though you know it's not true). Address that weakness and everything else will fall into place. Rely on a gadget, and you'll forever cripple yourself with the crutch...

Dan

[Jafar]

Well I'd like to mess around with one just to see what its all about. But you could be right Dan, the second voice may just override the heart rate monitor, "F@ck off heart rate gadget! we're not going any faster!"

I know I'm a bitch when it comes to this running thing, but I am overcomming my mental blocks. Today I ran a new best 1 mile, 7:36. So in 16 days I've taken 1:15 off my mile. Obviously this is due to figuring things out in my head. No one can change their fitness level that much in that short of time period. My quarters stayed about the same today. Yes, I ran on Thanksgiving. I'm all sitting at the dinner table icing my shins. Semper Fidelis :supergrin:

[Paul]

Good going, Jafar!! I just finished up 4 parking garage loops at a local hospital, 4.6 miles total. I've got room for an extra piece of pumpkin pie, now. I want to get back to the the heart monitor thing shortly.

Paul

[Dan]

Well, with the steady rate of improvement and motivation to run on Thanksgiving, I'd say you've got it in yourself to find that mental groove and push through the nay saying pain. Give your mind some congratulatiosn and positive reinforcement and it might just start cooperating.

Dan

[Jafar]

Well I'm now at the point that I can break 23:00 min 3 miles while doing my speed workouts. Meaning today I did 800 and 400 speed drills and my total running time was sub 23:00 for 3 800's and 6 400's. I know this doesn't count, as I need to put it all together at once. I think my breaks between intervals are to long. How much lower should my heart rate be between sets? Should I be at about 30 second breaks or what? I am resting like a minute to a minute and a half between intervals. Stretching, walking, etc.

But again, I'm not pushing hard enough, as my last run of the workout, a quarter, was the fastest of the day, by 9 seconds. I guess I should have done more...