Thursday, February 4, 2010

RHR (as indicator of endurance fitness) & Training load.

Here's some interesting basic facts that I took notice of the last few years after starting to train at higher intensity (sort of)/lower volume 2.5 years ago. Note: I was training for 1/2 IM distance all years, but in 2007 I was planning on doing IM in 2008.

My Resting Heart Rate (RHR) went from 38 bpm in 2007 to 58 bpm by 2009. Ie.: stroke volume decreased. I suspected the training shift wasn't ideal for me for several reasons, but rode it out. Armed now with the performance comparisons and helpful info to dial in the kind of, and balance of training my body needs. Especially with plans for future ultra events. :)

Basic facts:

2007:

Training:
  • In addition to higher training volume than in 2008 & 2009, I was walking 45-90 minutes most days to get around the city.
  • Running intensity was higher than 2008/2009, volume about the same.
  • Cycling volume was higher than 2008/2009, but intensity was lower - did not reach VO2Max zones hardly ever. Some functional threshold but mostly just below FT.
  • Swimming was mostly very long continuous swims at moderate effort. No real structured swimming. Volume was about the same as 2008/2009.
Performance:
  • My running was faster
  • I ran strong off the bike. Negative split usually and could hold open 10k pace for final 6-8k of 1/2 IM run.
  • I was not as powerful on the bike as I am now, but I was able to go up to 7 hours and hold 19 mph. (ie.: I could ride my ass off for hours on end).
RHR:
  • consistently 38 bpm upon waking in the morning throughout 2007.

2008 (Training shift)/2009 (same as 2008):

Training:
  • Run intensity decreased
  • Cycling intensity increased
  • Cycling volume decreased and long ride duration decreased during season.
  • Swimming was about the same but included intervals and some higher end work. Intensity and workout duration increased in 2009.
Performance:
  • Running paces in general slowed in 2008 and again in 2009 including loss of high end ability.
  • I could not hold up off bike for more than 6 miles
  • Cycling got stronger/power across board increased. Race times got faster.
  • Cycling endurance decreased. By end of each season (August+) I could not last at race power for distance of race.
  • Had a hard time riding more than 4 hours at any power, at any point in season. Could not "ride my ass off" for long rides like I could up to 7 hours in 2007.
  • Swimming improved
RHR:
  • 2008 - it started rising and was at 52 bpm by end of season.
  • 2009 - it was at 56-58 bpm

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Doesn't get better than this - one of my long time dreams has really begun

Last year at this time I was taking a job coaching the distance girls for high school track. Then the Head Coach left and asked if I wanted to do it. I actually considered it, seriously...am I nuts!? What can I say. It was February, I was injured, recently laid off, and bored. In fact, I met the old track coach for Burlington who was working security at the hospital that I was getting my MRI's and X-rays at, and every time I visited I'd hang out with him for a while and he'd spend the time passing on his knowledge. I had a phone number to call for bail out if ever in a track pickle.

During this time I found out about the Title IX club. For years I'd been trying to get involved in coaching Girls on the Run at the local Chapter, but staffing kept changing and things were disorganized and never working out. I was frustrated, but I also wasn't 100% into the program. I'm not a follower and I don't conform. I hate living by other people's rules and Girls on the Run is a corporate program. And they are sponsored by Frosted Flakes....sugary corn flakes. (That part makes me nuts.) But I still think it's a great program and I'm not knocking it in the least. It's just not my style, and the local one is also not nearly run focused enough. I want a true running program that integrates all the mental/emotional health stuff into it. So I was patient. What I really wanted was to start my own kids' club but I never considered myself much of a business person and didn't know how to go about all the behind the scenes stuff. For years I thought about it and wished. Well...enter Title IX.

A grass roots club established by a woman who wants to run the logistics and give the coaching responsibility to someone else! Ding! So I bailed on the high school track which seemed like it was turning into a messy situation anyway.

I've never made a smarter decision in my life.

As I've already exclaimed in my excitement, we have over 30 girls this season - 10 more than our prior largest turnout. All different abilities. Some have never run before and are eager to find out if they like it (so far thumbs up!). Some are hoping to get themselves in shape to join their track teams. Some are with us because their schools don't have running teams. Some want to get stronger and in better shape so they can get better than the lowest grade of "Participant" in gym class. (Did you know that they grade on flexibility!?!?! What is that SHIT?) Some lack coordination so can't join the team sports with their friends and have discovered running is their thing. And some are natural runners, have been running for several years, simply love it and are here to improve, challenge themselves and make friends.

It's exhausting to run a team of that many kids, age ranges and abilities. Trying to keep each one focused on the moment, mentally and physically wholly engaged on their current task, while teaching the why and the how and encouraging and correcting in multiple directions, while you have a million things coming at you at once, including keeping the other clubs and users of the track happy and not hating us for all but taking over, and often need to be in many places at once (thank god for the mentors!), including dealing with parents. Exhausting, yes, but absolutely liberating and thrilling to see what comes of it. And I work best under this kind of pressure and in "chaos" like this too. I have 10 eyes and brains in these situations.

In just 2 weeks they've made new friends, discovered they're capable of far more than they thought they were, learned about the anatomy and physiology of their bodies as it relates to running and exercise, learned a lot about running in general and gained a ton of confidence. The remarks from moms and girls, and learning how much it means to each one and what it's done for them is priceless. Just seeing them out there having a good time and witnessing their eagerness is priceless.

Last night I had them do a running/strength circuit workout. Basically, based on ability/age, a few intervals of multiple laps that include easy running, burpees and sprints. They freaking loved it. It was fun, it made them hurt and they are so excited about getting stronger.

I was wiped when it was over. Stressed to the max, but it felt good. That's how I like to work. Architecture days are gone so that kind of high pressure has been lacking.
Everyone cleared out and as the last 4 walked away, leaving nothing but me, the track and 3 guys cooling down, I ran. It's all I could do at that moment. Too tired to sit, too mentally exhausted to think...I ran. In peace. Aside from fostering self discovery and confidence through running, there's nothing greater.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Oh totally worth mentioning is the fact that Matt's absence last night meant Hallelujah! no blahsketball in the background all night. He tortures me with it, and it's what I have to fall asleep to every night. The squeaking and stomping.... There's nothing on the tube I ever want to watch anyway so...

But last night it meant I got to watch the Millrose Games! Track and Field..not blahsketball. Huge smiles. The highlight of course was Lagat's torpedo like break putting a huge gap on the field to take his 8th Wanamaker mile win!

We're back to blahsketball tonight.

Here's the video! Watch...Lagat on the last lap will blow your mind.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

My fall run training recap

I'm sick and Matt's got the car so I had to bail on today's Harpoon ITT. Bummer. I've wanted to do it for the last few years. Next year! :)

I did get in a 30 minute run in 12 degrees and no ankle or hip issues. Hooray for that.

While sitting around, I finally got around to looking back through my training log from my fall run training. A few friends asked what I did so thought I'd share. It was nothing special. It was simply the ideal loads for my ability at the time, executed at the ideal times. Just balanced perfectly for me. And I learned that to be able to push my limits, I need nothing less than 8-10 hours of sleep a night with complete days off when needed.

To be in fine tune with your body is the most important aspect. It's more important than what science and coaches can tell you because it is the basis for everything else. Those are excellent tools to guide you based on what your body tells you.

From the point that I decided to do a mid February marathon, I had 12 weeks ‘til Clearwater in November (so I was still bike and swim training too). After Clearwater I planned to take two weeks to post-season recharge – one week of no training with the exception of a few short runs at the end of it, the second week I’d get back up to run volume, and just run how I felt. Then I’d start in on the specific prep for Feb. race which allowed me 9 weeks, plus 2 Taper weeks.

The whole thing was to be a test and an experiment to see how well my body and intuition could guide me, a test of my limits, to learn or reaffirm what it naturally prefers, and to see how well I could listen to it and respond beneficially. So I only really planned two aspects.

They were:

  • First phase main focus = speed. Second phase main focus = endurance @ race pace.
  • Long runs - Although I had no issues with my hip, I knew that I was going to want to play it safe with the long runs in the second phase, so anything over 14 miles would be on an every other week basis with 10-13 miles on the alternate weeks. So I figured that if I did a long run of 18 miles at the end of the first phase, I could get to 25-26 miles w/ 20-22 @ pace 4 weeks out from race day. And that was what I felt I wanted to mentally satisfy me and give me confidence.

That’s it. Everything else was listen to my body and roll with it with the purpose of each phase in mind. The hope was that a pattern would naturally develop and it did. I did however write up a plan for each week. Actually 2 plans. One that I wanted to do, and one that I knew is what I could/should/would do - the one that I would write up for an athlete. I know my eyes are bigger than my ability so I played the game with myself!! And sure enough...in the end I could never do all I wanted to. It always fell just at what I knew I should do. I also learned that I respond better to back to back days of intensity (ie.: speed followed by tempo). And recovery was truly recovery or nothing at all.

I never got sick. I never got injured. And I dropped 30s/mile from my marathon pace in 10 weeks.

But your hip?!...Regarding the hip issue I have now - it's a chronic thing from a labral tear that is manageable, but I was feeling so strong during the fall that I neglected my prevention practices. And for some reason inactivity triggers it so it acted up during my week off. Go figure. Lesson learned…don’t stop moving and don’t stop doing my exercises...and when it kicks in…don’t keep running on it ‘til I run myself into the ground. Had I gotten someone to take care of the knots immediately and given it a few days I probably would have saved myself months of not running. How do you do everything right and suddenly say, “hey I think I’ll ignore it all now”. Idiot. Anyway…

Here’s what my body fell into as "typical training":

I was hitting the track every 7-10 days - as I was ready for it. After a couple weeks of breaking myself in to the speed work, which I had almost none of all year, I was feeling good with zero concern of injury. So I decided to push the paces and really work the sessions. The typical pattern I fell into was after warming up for a few miles, I’d do 1-2 miles around 10k-5k effort, broken however I was feeling that day. Some were .5-1 mile reps others were tempo. Then I’d bang out a speed session of 400’s and 200’s. My body and my head work best with those so there wasn't much variety in the track sessions - just more intervals and shorter rests. 400 reps and 200’s as 200 on/200 jog. Follow it up with 1-2 miles at 5k-10k effort. I really pushed the 4’s and 2’s. Took things to the limit. My track days became my favorite workouts. The workout was never planned. They rolled to how I felt that day always keeping in mind what I'd done previously.

I gained a lot of strength from them and my turnover in all my running improved. My legs just went. After 6 weeks my paces up to functional threshold pace started to drop 5-10 s/mile per week. 4 weeks later I was running 30s/mile faster, consistently.

Overall volume wise, I wasn’t concerned about volume at this time. Only getting the duration of my long run up to 18 miles by end of phase. Volume became what my body could handle. It was not big. Most weeks were at 30-35 miles. Every few weeks were mid 40’s.

  • I was doing a 9-10 miler usually 10s slower than marathon pace with a little bit of time at or just under threshold focusing on turnover and form. When I was feeling good, these would become tempo runs w/ 4-5 miles at or just over threshold.
  • A long run of 13-16 miles (usually only 13) with 8-11 at marathon pace (longest was 18 w/ 13 at pace)
  • Two 1.5-3 mile runs off the bike at 5k-10k effort if it was there, which it usually was
  • Speed work on track every 7-10 days – if I was having an off day, I’d wait and go another day.
  • Everything else was short and easy, including jogging with the girls sometimes at club practice since we were at the park.
  • Strides and some drills a few times a week
  • My weeks were typically 8-9 days, not 7. (Volume I noted is per every 7 day.)

If I hit it right and am able to get the appropriate sleep, I respond really well to short blocks of overreaching. But I HAVE to get in the sleep. Naps and 10-12 hour nights are what I need. So I threw in a few blocks when timing was right, which was basically about 5 days of intensity back to back and increased volume w/ some 2-a-days (on days that I did short tempo runs off the bike). What worked best was a secondary long run w/ time at threshold thrown in, sandwiched between 2 days of 2-4 mile, hard tempo runs off hard bike workouts then a second easy run in p.m. These days led up to the final 2 days - a big track workout, followed by my long pace run the next day to end the block. My most relaxed and fastest long pace runs happened at the end of these. Then after a day completely off from training with lots of sleep, I only came back stronger and faster each time.

Any days that I was tired, I let myself be tired and took things really easy. Pushed workouts off a day as needed or skipped altogether. I had to get in a track workout every 7-10 days though. That was my only hard rule. And recovery weeks were taken as I saw signs that they were needed. They naturally fell approximately every 20-24 days (roughly 3 weeks). While my working weeks were 8-9 days, my recovery weeks were typically about 5. Days completely off were taken when needed too.

Pace runs were always run by effort and I noted the pace increase over time. For the specific phase, the pace I was at at the end of the first phase is the pace I would concentrate on maintaining as I extended my pace runs out for the second phase with a goal of 5 s/mile faster, and all speed work would shift to maintenance level. I saw no need to have to run more than a peak 60 miles/wk. Most weeks around 50 with a 60% reduction in volume on recovery weeks is what my body seems to like. But I have to keep frequency up for the hip. That was the second phase plan. Two weeks into it, I was sitting right where I wanted to be, faster than I thought I would be in fact, and totally confident I'd reach my goal.

It's great to be in tune with your body enough to be able to nail you training. The key is recovery. Eating and sleeping are the most important things and it was because I focused so much on that, that I got where I did with the running. I took days completely off from all training as I needed them. But like I said, the ideal load at the ideal times. I balanced it right for me. Why I continued to run on the hip freak out is beyond me! What was I thinking?...obviously I wasn't. What could have been a week turned into months.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Strength training for the vocal chords!

Wow! We had 30 kids! Ages 9-15. Took the Harvard track by storm. And I have to say that such a large group actually made it easier to keep them focused. Went well...I just need to grow some stronger vocal cords...ouch. Thank goodness for Stacy. Our normal "voice" is not joining us this season so I'm going to be extremely hoarse for the next 9 weeks! Especially if they keep blasting music over the sound system. Megaphone please. Haha!

I've been rolling my ankles bad all year and I've done it a few times in the last week. Got it good while demo'ing drills at track tonight. It's pretty hard to withhold the F-bomb and your frustration in front of 30 girls and their moms. After the initial second that it took place though, I was just overcome by what was going on....the most amazing club practice we've had. Those girls are amazing! :)

Crutches are my temporary friend....again. What is up with my ankles!? And it happens just as I'm getting back into running. The cycle never ends.

The running's at 3 x 20 minutes a week right now. The hip is handling it fine, so provided my ankle is okay, I'll up it to 4x week and then start playing with the duration of one of them and see how the hip reacts. It didn't like 30 min. a couple weeks ago. Carl estimates probably another 3 weeks. I've been doing 1 T-run, started doing 1 hill repeat session after a bike warm up, and 1 straight run. In addition, it can handle Strides 2-3 times a week and I've been doing a lot of drills and strength work. So although my volume is down to only about 8 miles a week, my running is actually not too bad. I've been putting a lot of time in on the bike so my base is still there as well. Usually when I come back to running, I can hardly last 5 minutes without wanting to keel over. It takes 3 weeks to finally get into it again. Not this time, baby!!! Now if I could just keep from rolling my ankles every other day.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Sweet. Right here on the Charles.