In my previous blog entry I mentioned how that ratio had suddenly jumped up by a significant amount. Sadly, that did not last and the last few days have all yielded a much lower VDOT number. The outside factors were all fairly similar, plenty of rain, wind and cold as I ran the exactly same 8 miles each morning.
I do have a bit of a cold at the moment; I think it’s finally on its way out, but there are still some lingering effects. Nothing major, but it’s certainly a possible factor for the higher than expected HR.
Life goes on and training goes on. I have been taking it very easy since Sixmilebridge and as a result have not had any issues with heavy, tired legs that felt like a pair of concrete pillars, in contrast to the post-Dublin weeks. I would like to increase the mileage again, but right now the HR data keeps me from doing so. It’s already December, the next training phase is only a few weeks away and I want to make sure that I'm not tired at the very start of it.
All other 4-year olds I know, including my (now older) own ones, have to be coerced into eating vegetables by playing silly games. You know, pretending to be an aeroplane and landing in the mouth, that kind of caper. Maia, on the other hand, only got to be persuaded to eat her broccoli when mummy pointed out that they look just like alveoli. And if you just had to check wikipedia then I know a 4-year old who is smarter than you (and, admittedly, has an unusual obsession with the human body).
- 30 Nov
- 8 miles, 1:02:30, 7:49 pace, HR 145
- 1 Dec
- 8 miles, 1:02:14, 7:47 pace, HR 145
- 2 Dec
- 8 miles, 1:02:59, 7:52 pace, HR 144
Good grief! I am not sure which is more surprising; that I remembered what an alveoli is from my leaving cert Biology or that a four year old knows what it is - probably the latter?!! A female Doogie Howser in the making! And if you have to check Wikipedia for that then you are under 30 years of age.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the former side too re the Garmin/HRM. Although I'm enjoying my racing more now that I don't look at it during the race.
ReplyDeleteYes, like the pace/HR ratio although I use aveHR * avePace/km. I'm a bit stuck on low 700s for my 10k courses (on a good day). Would like to get that down to the 680s. On a 'tired day' I get +750s, so there's quite a variation day-to-day.
I like Ewen's heartbeats per km way of chekcing progress, so simple - again provided it's measured under the same conditions, course, distance, weather conditions, time of day etc. - a track is ideal.
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