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My ‘Secret’ to Running Strong

If you hang around here you know that running and I have had our ups and downs. Vitamin D deficiency, injury, thyroid, weight gain, aging, I’ve pointed the finger all different ways.

Lately though, running has been going well. Why?

I decided finally to listen to my heart.

hrzones

I pay attention to this sucker when I spin and stay in specified zones.

Although I’ve owned a HRM for years, I never bothered to use it the right way. Until now:

  • Tempo runs are done at 70-80% of WHR*
  • Speed/AT work is done at 85-95% of WHR
  • Long runs are done at 60-70% of WHR
*Working heart rate = maximum HR -resting HR

This is so not the way I trained before. I used to calculate paces based on a recent race and that worked just fine…except now I haven’t really pushed in a race in over a year. For tempo I’d run sustainably hard. On long days I’d just run. Almost always faster than I knew I ‘should’.

I’m finally letting go of the old numbers from times gone by that live in my head. Of chasing paces I think I ‘should’ be capable of. Maybe I will see those paces again, who knows? But I need to train like the runner I am now.

I’m letting my heart lead the way.

My warmup is longer. Slower.

My long runs feel sloooww. But I finish feeling strong. Joyful.

My intervals feel hard. But not so hard I cannot complete them. I come away with the same endorphin surge I used to when I ran faster paces. According to my heart, these are right for me now.

I’m making peace with my pace. Isn’t that what this is all about?

Do you use heart rate training?

I’m heading to Montreal for a fun couple of days so here’s the weigh-in a day early:

Weight: -2.8 lbs. total

  • Week 1: -1.1
  • Week 2: -0.1
  • Week 3: -1.6

Body Fat: -2.6% total

  • Week 1: -2%
  • Week 2: +0.8%
  • Week 3: -1.4%

After a slow start, things finally got moving in a positive direction this week. I’ll take it! Plus I’ve got a wedding coming up and a dress to fit into. That’ll light the fire.

Comments

  1. I have a heart rate monitor that came with my Garmin and I’ve never touched it (seriously it still has the plastic on it!)

    Love hearing that this is working so well for you – maybe it’s something I need to explore when this training cycle is done.

  2. I actually used to use HR training as all I had was a HRM – no fancy GPS or anything to calculate pace. I got really accurate with it. This summer I actually tried to use just HR again b/c I was struggling terribly. I could better gauge perceived exertion vs true exertion too.

  4. I run by feel which is similar to Heart Rate training. I go by how hard things feel. I’d say though that my HR usually lands in the ranges you gave for the different workouts (I do where a HRM but barely look at it until I’m finished or if its a really hard workout). I think its a much better way to train!
    ~Ang

  5. I am using HR training for my Ironman and I have been pretty reglious about it. All workouts have a zone I need to be in and I make sure I am in that zone. I have little less then 6 months till my race, but I can already feel myself getting stronger with staying in the zone I need to be in

  6. WooHoo – you totally rocked the weight loss this past week!!
    I have never tried a heart rate monitor but after reading your reasons, I’m thinking maybe I should.

  7. It’s funny how fads come and go…in the late 80s/early 90s, HR training was it. Then it faded out and now it’s back again. But–I do think it’s legit. I think that following a pace for easy runs is just silly. Let your body do the talking for you. The more time spent building a strong foundation based on low HR, the better off we are in warding off injury. Phil Maffetone explains all this the best.

    Glad it’s working for you–keep it going!

  12. Good for you! I’ve been meaning to use mine more often… especially for long runs. I’m always tempted to push the pace. Last week, I purposely took one long run a few minutes slower than normal per mile, and felt so recovered and ready for the next workout the following day. It really pays off to be smart!

  13. I’m a RPE gal, but I think HR training is great for people who are unsure exactly WHAT they are supposed to be feeling at a certain effort. It’s also good for clients of mine who thought “Oh, I can’t get my heart rate above __ bpm, that’s too much for me.” and then I show them that they can, and then some.

  14. Making peace with pace is something I really need to work on. I do the same thing and compare every run to my PR. And as you know, trying to make every run your fastest run is exhausting and stressful. Its nice to know others suffer from this disease as well and that there’s hope in recovering from it!

  15. I use the HR monitor as well, only when running though, not on the bike. Or in the water obviously. I don’t wear the monitor all the time but what I did was when I was on the treadmill (which I have to use A LOT of the time) I tracked my heart rate at all different speeds from 5.1 mph to 6.2 mph on the treadmill and so now I don’t have to wear the monitor but yet I can go by feel. My heart takes FOREVER to get warmed up. Same for you?

  16. I have the HR monitor that came with my garmin and have “used it” a handful of times….meaning I wore it….I am not sure what to do honestly……plus it chafes bad on longer runs!

  17. I sweat so much (seriously) that I can’t keep the chest strap working accurately – it won’t stay “attached”. I’ve had to compensate by really being able to monitor my heart rate with other cues. I think it’s super smart that you are training by “feel” rather than random numbers. Looks like you are doing great!

  18. I do use my HRM occasionally – particularly to keep my long slow runs SLOW!

    Have a great time in Montreal! Love that city.

  19. I *heart* my heart rate monitor. I wear it all the time. It’s really interesting to see where my HR goes when I’m grocery shopping or driving it really shitty traffic in addition to using it for training purposes.

  20. I wear my monitor all the time but I don’t pay a lot of attention to it on the run. I know I should be watching it more especially on the long runs but I’m not very disciplined.

  21. You’re doing so great. And nice to have some incentive with the wedding coming up. Are you getting married, or are you going to a wedding? Either way, have big fun and you will no doubt look amazing!
    Gaye

  22. I consider HR training the reason why I set a half-marathon PR last fall. It really works! And those easy and long runs *are* joyful, just like you said. I love the graphic you post too–very cool to see it all spelled out.

  23. I was thinking about this the other day. I don’t have a HR monitor or train by HR but am thinking that I probably should. I know that that when I run, I probably go out too hard on each run – that I should pull in my pace a little rather than burn myself out on runs. I’d love to get a HR monitor to have a better sense of what the effort feels like in each of the training zones.

  24. I have a heart rate monitor but I’ve never used it, I probably won’t for awhile but eventually I might try it.

    My mother-in-law could learn from you, she is stuck on the past as well and compares herself to us. A little bit annoying.

  27. I was using my HR monitor for a while but I started running slower because of it. Perhaps too much time spent checking it? But every once in a while I throw it back on for a good heart check. So glad you posted the HR for the type of running. Very helpful.

  28. I’m ashamed to admit that I have a HRM that I’ve never used. I need to get it out and use it especially on the runs where I run by feel and don’t watch my time.

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