Ugh. I did my first run today with the new coach. We haven't tested my heart rate zones yet, so she gave me strict instructions to follow the average person's zones and stay in Zone 2. Well Zone 2 ends at 154 bpm. I've blogged about this before, but I am some sort of heart rate mutant. I figure I must be part bunny. My max heart rate on the run is somewhere north of 200 and 180 is a fairly comfortable jog for me. All it takes to get me to 150 is to think about maybe running. I knew it was going to be a frustrating run, but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay a coach good money and then not listen to what she tells me. If she tells me to jump, I'll ask how high? If she tells me to sprint, see ya later! If she tells me to eat nothing but peanut butter and jelly... well then I'll think she's too good to be true. But if Angela tells me to keep my heart rate under 154, I'm doing it.
Oh, man was that the longest and most painful (emotionally, that is) run of my life! It was so frustrating. I was barely moving and I think that it actually was harder on my knees because I can't shuffle with very good form. All in all I averaged a whopping 12:15 per mile. I can't WAIT to get my real zones! I figure if it at least allows me to do my LSD at 11 minute miles it will be doable, 10 is more comfortable. We'll just have to see. My big date for HR testing in the 11th. Yay!
Tomorrow is my day off. I don't quite know what to do with myself. I'll probably clean the house and do some laundry in the morning. I'll still get up at 6 and can't get to the bank until 9, so I'll have 3 hours to putz. Something I excel at.
Have a nice night everyone. One quick question for the cyclists: I need to get an affordable trainer for the winter. Any suggestions on good models?
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12 comments:
Part bunny eh? I'm going to leave that one alone. As far as issues around max HR I've got the same problem. My max has been recorded at 208 in an indoor timetrial which freaked my family out when I told them. Possible topic for a future blog posting. With that setting for my zones my coach had me base my LSD at or below 155. At first this was so painful (boring and cold) to keep but as time passed it became easier. Now I am able to maintain that effort for an entire Half Ironman and have nothing left at the end. After all, Ironman is like a slow death, you are just trying to delay the inevitable.
I can commiserate - i did hard core HR training last year in prep for IMCDA (great race BTW) and had to stay somewhere south of 157 - it took about 3 weeks to where i could actually jog/run at that level - until then i ended up having to walk b/c my hr just got too high. BUT it WILL get better. give your body about 3-4 weeks and you'll be able to run a 'normal' pace and keep your HR down... once you start doing this, it gets addicting :) (long distance is addictive!) oh and the trainer question would always use my roommates trainer - all i know is that it was black (LOL - sorry, i'm no help)
Yea, we kind of figured out a while back that your metabolism is extra ordinary didn't we? But, that can be a good thing, unless your coach doesn't know this and makes you run at a snail's pace. However, I, personally, take exception to the fast pace of 12:15 being characterized as excruciatingly painfull. LOL. Have some empathy for us old people!
Argh- I'm so scared of HR training, but once I've got $ I know I need to do it. I just find it hard enough to keep 9:45/10s, let alone 12s! Good work being obedient and not going mental!
To late some one already made a bunny joke..
I did some work with my hart rate last year. I think I summed most of it up in my “before and after” post. There’s a link on the right of my blog. But I had a very hard time slowing down enough to get my HR under 170. Even had to stop and walk hills. When I started taking notes my average slow mile with 170 bpm was about 11min, after 9 months of this I was down to.. I think it was around 8 min mile with 170bpm.. It was awesome.
So to sum up its is incredibly frustrating but well worth it..
Cheers.
Rice.
I posted on Slowtwitch saying I need a trainer. I tried going the EBay route but I never won an auction. I got a response of someone saying he had a Blackburn, but after a while, out of the blue someone wrote me offering his Cycleops. It had been used exactly 6 times. He told me the price he wanted ($125 plus shipping), whereas a new Cycleops is $300. I bought it and have been using it - it's great. I have a Cycleops Fluid 2, 2005 model.
I would say to ask around, write on boards, anything. There are many people who bought trainers to find that they don't like trainers, prefer rollers, or just like the cold outdoors for riding. You may not get a response right away but you may get responses soon enough. Just decide ahead of time how much you will pay... based on, of course, what the retail price is.
Cycleops, Blackburn, and Kurt Kinetic (fluid trainers all) all have good reputations, althougfh some peopleseemed to have defective Cycleops - the company replaces the defection, however.
Just nose around...
Minoura is also a good brand for trainers. That's what I have.
I have a pretty good deal on a new one online if you want more info... just let me know!
:)
Hey, Jodi - great blog! Good luck on your training.
I've heard that this trainer - http://www.1upusa.com/bike_trainer.html - is the best you can buy, although it's a bit pricey ($299). It is, however, made in Wisconsin, so you'd be supporting the home team, right?
Go Badgers!
- John
Ugh. Heart-rate training. I hate it. I'm all about feel and listening to your body.
I have a Cycle Ops Magneto (corny name, huh?). I like it a lot. It's the first trainer I ever bought and I use it ALL the time. Biking and Gray's Anatomy? Hello!
Just found your blog. It will be cool to follow you along on your IM training.
And hey 12:15, thats a great run for me.. LOL.. and Wes, "old people" funny too, heck Im just big and slow..
Keep on..keepin on...
I work at a tri shop and we swear by Kurt Kinetics. The newest Blackburns (using friction as resistance) have some issues...
Angela's good and I know this HR thing can work. But not all coaches are infallible; it's okay to question your coach every now and then.
By the way - Cycle-Ops Fluid. You could probably get by with a magnetic.
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