MP-10 Run. Decent day--30F, very light winds--but fair to poor traction conditions. Only about a quarter-inch of snow, but it was more ice than snow, and melting as it hit the road, then freezing as it accumulated and driven over by cars. I could feel the difference each time I hit a 'sticky' spot that hadn't yet frozen over. So much for spring.
Anyway, the workout today was seven miles at MP-10, with a five point set of guidelines, in order of priority, as follows:
1. Relaxed rhythm
2. Relaxed rhythm
3. Relaxed rhythm
4. ~5:40 pace
5. ~158 HR
Two mile warmup in 13:25, then seven miles like so...
5:35(156) | 5:38(157) | 5:37(158)
5:42(159) | 5:39(159) | 5:40(160)
5:38(161) | :36(130) :51(120) 1:04(110)
Two mile cooldown in 13:12. Fell in to a really good rhythm within half a mile, and held it to the end. I did notice the HR ticking up, but since I had a solid breathing and turnover rhythm in place, and I was still in range of the pace, I didn't get too worried about it. Everything felt good today, looking forward to tomorrow for the second half of the back-to-back--17 with the last seven at MP. Should be fun!
4 comments:
Have fun with the 17, good run yesterday!
What will be your target marathon pace? are you guiding by heart rate or trying to hit a certain time for these MP runs?
Thanks, Michael.
Good questions, anonymous...if that's you REAL name...dun dun dahhhhhh.
Oh, that never gets old.
Anyway, I don't know what my goal marathon pace will be because I haven't done the training yet. Mystery Coach and I will have a better idea about three to four weeks out, I suppose. All it will be is an idea, though. Race day can change things for better or worse, of course.
The paces for the MP runs are based on a few things.
First are Mystery Coach's calculations. This is where the raw numbers come from.
Next comes recent past performance, such as how I have been performing in and recovering from workouts over the previous 1-2 weeks. This is where a mix of subjective and objective reasoning shapes the calculations.
Finally, there is my intuition when I'm actually out on the road doing the workout. This is where I take all the information I have about the goal of the workout, my short term goals, my longer term goals, how I'm feeling, weather conditions, available time, and all of the information from Mystery Coach, and decide how it all comes together.
For example, this morning, Mystery Coach gave me instructions to run relaxed, in a steady rhythm. Pace would be about 5:40 and HR would be about 158. Both numbers are derived from charts and a recent evaluation run.
Now, taking those guidelines, I think about recent past performance. Everything has been feeling good lately, workouts are going well (with one exception), recovery has been excellent (with no exceptions). Knowing that I'm a bit ahead of last year, and everything is trending positive, I'm more apt to let the dogs run than if, say, I felt like I was tired, or if I had a sore toe, or something like that. In a situation like today, the rule is if it feels good, do it. That is, while observing Axiom One and Axiom Two.
Finally, (this is a long example) I look at the weather and decide if conditions will require me to adjust the workout. It's 30F and calm, but snow is falling and melting on the road, and cars are driving over it and turning it to ice. I make a mental note not to freak out if the HR is slightly higher or the pace is slightly slower due to the traction. Then I get out the door, see how I'm feeling during the warmup, and then hit the workout. Today, I fell into a good rhythm (the primary goal) at about the right pace, but just a bit high on the HR toward the end. I decided to let the HR go high, and maintain the rhythm.
So, short answer, I'm less concerned about the times, paces, or heart rates, and more concerned about achieving the goal of the workout and recovering from the workout properly.
Thanks for the questions. Cheers!
Spring? Is there such a season?
Glad to see the regular posts...I've got some catching up to do.
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