Wednesday, November 30, 2016

More Drills ~~~~~

Warm-up easy jog 25 minutes, Scarlett Street, then 1 set Magill drills alternating with strides; 5 minutes walking cool-down.  That's it for today! Just remembered...I did a few front and backwards lunges and step ups as well! 

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

More of the Same ~~~~

Low heart rate run/walk; Bowral parkrun course, detour into Phillip Street, turnaround at Elizabeth Street, back to Briars.

60 minutes
6.7km

AHR 103 bpm ( 72% of max.)
MHR 130 bpm (90% of max.)

TE  Maintaining!

Another lovely morning in this perfect location for an easy run; very warm, cool breeze.  More running than walking on way out, the reverse on the way back.  Note to self : don't forget the fly repellent on Thursday!




Saturday, November 26, 2016

Bowral Parkrun ~~~~~

A miserably slow one for me this morning!  Lots of walking and difficulty breathing from the beginning to the end!

5km in 39:11

85.62% age graded

AHR 118bpm    (82% of max.)
MHR 144bpm   (100% of max.)!

TE   3.6.... Improving!

Don't understand why this 5km was so difficult and surprised I felt so exhausted so soon.  Oh well, another one ticked off!

Friday, November 25, 2016

Drilling! ~~~

A few of Pete Magill's drills this morning ... that's all till tomorrow's Bowral Parkrun.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Less Walking/More Easy Running! ~~~~~

 Bowral Parkrun Course + detour to the end of Phillip Street
This morning has to be what truthfully can be called 'the perfect spring morning'!  The sun, warm but not hot; the breeze, cool but not cold.  That's how it was on our Bowral parkrun course where I ran/walked keeping a low heart rate and happy to see that I did a whole lot more easy running and far less walking than on Tuesday.  Simply, the most beautiful morning for a run on our stunning course beside the river. 

I left the cycle path at the detour into Phillip Street and followed it to where Phillip Street meets Elizabeth Street.  This was exactly 30 minutes and the turnaround point back to the cycle path and eventually to Briars from where I started.

60 minutes keeping heart rate between 98 and 108 bpm.

AHR 104 bpm (72% of max.)
MHR 119 bpm (83% of max.)

Avg. Cadence 156 spm
Max. Cadence 194 spm
Cadence set to 180 spm

TE  2.5  =  Maintaining!!

A most enjoyable hour!

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Lotsa Walk Breaks! ~~~~~

So hot on Bowral parkrun cycle path this morning even though there was a breeze and I started around 9:30am.  To keep HR between 98 and 108 bpm I needed to take many walk breaks today and walked the grassy hill practically all the way up, but letting fly - hmmm! - for last few metres to practise for a parkrun finish on Saturday!

60 minutes @ low HR  (7km)

AHR  104 bpm (72% of max.) ..... good!
MHR 127 bpm  (88% of max.)

TE   2.5  =  Maintaining!


Bowral Parkrun Course Plus!





























Monday, November 21, 2016

Stationary Bike ~~~~

Dragged out from under its cover, the stationary bike surprisingly had gathered no cobwebs since last used many months ago.  Instead of a low heart rate run, I changed the session to a low heart rate cycle and I was surprised to find it a significantly more strenuous workout compared with the low heart rate runs I've been doing recently, but then I'm no cyclist and so it's difficult for me to compare both.  I enjoyed the workout and the statistics/comparisons with running, as I felt them, are as below:

Keeping HR between 98 - 108 bpm

:  warm-up took longer to reach 98 bpm than it does with running
:  had to work harder to get there ....
:  used resistance 4 (of 8 tension settings) to keep HR up and it was tiring..... and I was sweating!
:  HR spiked at 116bpm for a few seconds, but mostly within 98-108 range
:  cool down free cycling till HR in 70s bpm

Total 9km in 32 minutes

Summing up...  this was a more strenuous 30 minutes than I would have felt had I been running, which proves I need to incorporate more cross-training of this kind in my program!   I intend to do just that in the weeks ahead.






Sunday, November 20, 2016

An Experimental Flop? ~~~~

Well, that was a bit of a surprise and/or flop!  Without getting bogged down or carried away with numbers, formula etc about MHR .....

While doing this low HR aerobic training, I thought I'd like to know even vaguely what my MHR is and, having read that a better method is, not one of the many formula to be found, but instead ...

long warm-up
run hard as you can for 3 minutes
rest for 3 minutes
run hard as you can for 3 minutes
select highest number in 2nd 3 mins.

Didn't do a long warm-up, so that might be why I need to do this test again.  From the 2nd 3 mins the highest number is 125! So 125 bpm in my MHR?  Even taking into account that MHR decreases with age, that's way lower than any formula I've used in the past eg. for healthy women over 60 years, 211-64% of age and that formula gives me 155 as MHR.  I'm not talking aerobic training zones here, just my all up MHR!  Top of the bill MHR!

Has the failure to do a long warm-up anything to with results?  Don't know, only a proper stress test would have the answer, but another day I'll have another try, next time with a decent warm-up!  I know it's not of cataclysmic importance or even necessary to find out, but I'm simply curious!

For my daily distance, low HR aerobic training to continue, I'm making a small shift from Allen to Maffetone who adds on to Allen's method, another 10 bpm for runners over 65  - and that for me means keeping below 108bpm for all easy running/jogging/or even walking, training for the next couple of months at least.  Should be OK to keep HR between 100 and 110 for all running except parkrun.

PHEW!  I'm out of breath!



Interesting video ... thanks for the link, Ewen!

Saturday, November 19, 2016

After Bowral Parkrun ~~~~~

I stayed on after this morning's Bowral parkrun where I was  a volunteer, to jog the course just concentrating on keeping a steady cadence and not looking for pace, time etc..  It was hot and humid on the cycle path but I enjoyed the run without having to concentrate on keeping a low heart rate like I've been doing the past week or so.  Happy I didn't have to stop or slow down but just jogged steadily, listening to some favourite songs on the way back to Briars.

5km in 39:41
Avg. Cadence 171 spm

AHR 117 bpm
MHR 134 bpm

TE  3.7  = Improving!

"I Am What I Am" .... Linda Eder


Friday, November 18, 2016

Low Heart Rate Session ~~~~~

I had to have the car in this morning for registration check and service and I then had to decide to get a lift back home or, by walking, make it another low heart rate session.  Since I'm a volunteer tomorrow at Bowral parkrun, I chose the latter!  It was hot and uphill all the way along Range Road where there's no concession at all made for walking and so it became a matter of hopping quickly into ditches to avoid being hit by cars speeding like crazy all the way up and down Range Road.  Having done that once today, I'll be getting a lift back into town this afternoon!

45 minutes walking

AHR 89 bpm (67% of max.)
MHR 102 bpm (77% of max.)

TE 1.7  =  Minor! A 'minor' effect on training is better than no effect!


Thursday, November 17, 2016

Low Heart Rate Running/Walking ~~~~

A very late start at around 11:30am so it was quite hot on Bowral parkrun course but, nevertheless,  a glorious, clear day!

A much better result with low HR training than I'd had on Tuesday when I had to walk the entire time.   I can only think I must have still been in recovery from Fishers Ghost 5km on Sunday.  This morning I'd say I jogged easily for about 70-80% of the time with short intermittent walk breaks when HR went above 100bpm.

82 minutes low HR training:

AHR 97bpm (73% of max.)
MHR 106bpm (80% of max.)

Avg. cadence 147spm
Max. cadence 184spm

AND......
TE  =  2.4 which is "Maintaining" training effect!  Very interesting!

Just as I walked up the grassy hill, a favourite from the  Broadway show "Candide" happened to be playing.  It was the finale from Leonard Bernstein's brilliant comic operetta, "Candide", based on the classic Voltaire tale, of the same name, about an innocent young man's journey through a life filled with colourful characters, unexpected life lessons and one terrible disaster after another, but who still believes everything, absolutely everything, happens for the best in this best of all possible worlds!

Here it is:







Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Wednesday ***** Drills Day! ~~~~~

Around 10:30am I drove around to Scarlet Street where I had shade, no traffic and, more importantly, no onlookers!  Session took 25 minutes.

Warm-up 10 minutes jogging
1 set Magill drills with alternating strides
Cool-down 5minutes.




AHR 100 bpm
MHR 119 bpm
Although heart rates weren't a factor at all  today, they both look healthier than yesterday's min. and max.!

I always enjoy this session especially because it can be done away from everyone!  I must cut a figure that is truly terrifying!



Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Low Heart Rate Training - An Experiment! ~~~~

A funny one with which to start!  According to the M.A. formula, I'm to keep heart rate between 90 and 100 bpm.  Short of standing still on the spot or lying down on the cycle path, there was no way even  by walking the entire time, that I could get heart rate anywhere near the lower end, instead it stayed always over the top!



Our parkrun course including a short detour from the cycle path to Phillip Street which I found to be a cul-de-sac, and back to Briars.

75 minutes ....all walking!

AHR 113 bpm!


MHR 142 bpm!

TE 2.6  =  Maintaining!  What?

I don't know why my heart rate was as high as it was -   wish I could understand these things! -  that's what the Garmin said but then again, I don't know how infallible or not the Allen formula is and neither do I know how accurate the Garmin and its heart rate monitor are.  In any case, I want to give this low heart rate training a fair trial over a couple of months, as long as I'm not wasting my time!  It'll be interesting to see results then.  In the meantime, I'll continue with it except for Saturday Parkruns which will be my one flat tack run for the week!

Walking for 78 minutes is not one of my favourite things, so I was happy to have Borodin's spirited "Polovtsian Dancers" to listen to on the way out and back,






.....and then finally up the grassy hill to the somewhat appropriate (or perhaps not?) lovely version of Frank Sinatra's "My Way"!



































Sunday, November 13, 2016

Fishers Ghost 5km, 2016 ~~~~






Today's run has done wonders for my flagging enthusiasm lately and I'm now looking forward to starting up afresh next week with something different from what I've been doing in past months  some Mark Allen low heart rate training on 3 days and then going out my hardest (whatever that is!)at Saturday's Bowral Parkrun.  Interesting runs ahead!

With no other running events in the next few months, I feel free and excited to experiment during the hot months ahead with Allen's method.  I hope to have the patience needed to stay with it!






  •             



OFFICIAL RESULT
00:38:01
AVERAGE PACE: 07:36
OVERALL
259
OF 446
(41.93%)
FEMALE
131
OF 258
(49.22%)
F70plus
1
OF 6
(100%)
NET TIME
00:37:24
AVERAGE PACE: 07:28
OVERALL
261
OF 446
(41.48%)
FEMALE
132
OF 258
(48.84%)
F70plus
1
OF 6
(100%)

 

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Fishers Ghost 5km tomorrow ~~~~

Hoping it won't be so humid tomorrow as it is here today after last night's rain and pleased I was a volunteer and not a runner at Bowral parkrun this morning! 

20 minutes easy running around the school after letting the chooks out and collecting the eggs!! 



Friday, November 11, 2016

Two Days to Fishers Ghost 5km~~~~~

Today is just so absolutely bloominlootly glorious here, it's difficult to see how tomorrow, Saturday, has a forecast for thunderstorms, but that's what the weather app says!  It is a bit humid, a few clouds are starting to sneak in and I'm a volunteer at tomorrow's Bowral Parkrun!

2 days before Fishers Ghost 5km:

Easy 25min run with 4-8 strides .... I did 6 strides!



Thursday, November 10, 2016

Easy Distance Run ~~~~ 3 days to Fishers Ghost 5km.

An easy distance run leading up to Fishers Ghost 5km on Sunday :::: 30 - 50 minutes

Bowral Parkrun course:  A very warm to hot morning; the grass on both sides of the cleared grassy hill is as high as a giraffe's eye!!

I did 50 minutes


6.3km
AHR 122bpm
MHR 174bpm
Avg. Cadence 171 spm.

TE  =  4.2!!!!!  =   HIGHLY IMPROVING!!    What a thrill that is!!





Wednesday, November 09, 2016

The Ladies Who Lunch ~~~~

Two of us, Sonia Graham and myself at the Royal Hotel, Bowral!  As with running, there's little I enjoy more than having lunch with friends and talking running, running watches, the latest apps - not always running related - on our smart phones, shopping for clothes we've bought lately and more we intend to buy in the near future, laugh a lot and, at the same time, enjoy a really delicious lunch.  That's how two hours just melted away this afternoon.  Thank you, Sonia, it was just what I needed and it's exactly how I love to spend a few hours!

Tuesday, November 08, 2016

Road Intervals ~~~~~

Drove from school to Scarlett Street, paced out a 200m stretch marked by trees etc on either side of road.  First, 1.5k warm-up


12 x 200m in 1:24 (based on 36min 5km time)

1:18;  1:24;  1:47;  1:18;  1:11;  1:18;  1:23;  1:17;  1:02;  1:14;  1:03;  1:18

Forgot to look up program for RI, but made up one of my own!  Started each repeat when HR dropped from approx. 121 to 93 bpm, i.e. just a few seconds walking around before starting off again.  I feel this short session went well and I very much enjoyed it!

Scarlett Street




Monday, November 07, 2016

For This Week Leading Up to Fishers Ghost 5km ~~~~~ Sunday, November 13.





Monday - Off

Tuesday -  Track :::  12 x 200m

Wednesday - Lunch, Royal Hotel, Bowral.

Thursday - Easy Distance Run : 30-50 minutes

Friday - Easy Distance Run : 25 minutes + 4 - 8 strides

Saturday (after parkrun volunteer)  - Easy Jog 20 minutes

Sunday : Fishers Ghost 5km!

Sunday, November 06, 2016

Low HR Training (cont.) ~~~~~

Thursday, when I last ran, was on our flat (except for grass hill) parkrun course; today, was rough, up and down hill on Diamond Fields Road and Buckmans Lane, so it's difficult (for me!) to compare the two days' training and probably too soon anyhow. In any case, I don't know how to work these details out, so all I can do is write down today's stats and look at them compared to last Thursday's.


8km in 90 mins.

AHR 99 bpm :::: (last week 100 bpm)
MHR 124 bpm ::::(last week 121 bpm)

TE  2.3 =  'Maintaining' :::: (last week 2.0  = 'Maintaining')




Thursday, November 03, 2016

Training by Heart Rate ~~~~~~

I needed something different for a while so have decided on Mark Allen method which I've used before when I felt I was getting nowhere except exhausted with training by pace.!  For me HR between 93 and 103 has to be it.

Bowral parkrun course, gorgeous morning, newly mowed grass hill,  5km run keeping HR nearer to lower number.  Nothing to lose by doing this for some weeks; after Fishers Ghost nothing important up ahead and I like change if I think it's going to make some improvements.




As I expected I had to walk most of the 5km to keep HR within ranges, even stopping a couple of times but believe this is a good method for now, especially as my aerobic capacity looks like being at zero level by having to walk so much of the distance to keep HR down.

Heart Rate Results:

AHR 100bpm ...exactly where I wanted to be!

MHR 121bpm

Lowest HR 80bpm

TE 2.0 = 'Maintaining'   This surprised me most, getting 2.0 having walked with a lower heart rate when till today and training by pace, I'd been struggling to get out of the 'Minor' category of TE!  Interesting few weeks ahead!




Wednesday, November 02, 2016

20 Minutes ~~~~


That's about all it took this morning, after school in the soccer field, to do 1 set of Pete Magill drills with alternating strides and some backwards walking!  I think it's a very worthwhile session  to do once a week if possible ... and make the effort!  And besides, it can be a fun session.






Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Track and VP is the winner! ~~~~~

I know it's Melbourne Cup day but I don't watch it or any other horse race;  I think it's a cruel sport but I did go to the Bowral Parkrun cycle track for today's run. 

1.5k warm-up jog
3 x 1600m in 11:30 (7:11 m/k)
400m RI (walked)
5 min cool-down walk.

3 x 1600m : 12:11;    12:29;    12:47!!!

VP won easily!  I couldn't run any faster and the last repeat included running up the grassy hill... any excuse will do!


My lovely "Amy" & a ball of wool to play with!