yesterday’s long run
Due to the flu I’d had the day before, I ran yesterday’s long run at a very easy pace. Details:
Time: 1 hour 59 minutes
Distance: 12:04 miles
Pace: 9:53 min/mile
Avg. Heart Rate: 142 (that’s really low)
As it turns out, that’s been my normal pace for a while. However, what is different about today is that footing was exceptional so the effort I am exerting (as evidenced in HR) is less.
As I’ve mentioned before, my heart rate continues to decline but the pace feels comfortable for the long runs and for the “easy” runs. I am finding that the easier I run those runs, the harder I can run the “hard” ones. The easy runs are the key for recovering enough so I can have harder runs and not feel beat up.
To my coach: I think I am “getting it”. These runs are all about building capacity and about getting one’s normal state of exertion to rise so that a higher level of exertion feels/is normal.
My question is, do you think that running at an average heart rate of 142 is too slow? Is there a point where slow is too slow or should I be targetting 150 as is indicated on my “easy” zone?
Comment by 
Tuesday January 02, 2007 @
You’re getting it alright. No such thing as too slow. There’s ‘less than optimum’ and some would say certain paces have no training effect perhaps, but we aren’t there yet.
We’re asking the body to run every day 60 mins / 90 mins and the long run. That’s a lot to ask and the one thing that kills it dead is s.p.e.e.d. It is imperative that you get the miles. So by running at these low HR’s on the easy days, you are listening to the body and combining ‘recovery’ with ‘volume’. We call that balance. You could take a day off and get recovered, but you’d lose the aerobic benefit of running. You could run more into the ‘zone’ and get greater aerobic benefits on the easy days, but you wouldn’t recover and break down very soon (in about 14 days). So we are creating the right balance. This changes over time, so, yes, you will be running faster on the easy days in the future.
So as you run your slow, easy days slowly, you may ask yourself if you can run a little faster. Go ahead. Test it. A few bpm faster, once or twice a week. You’re the pilot. See what the plane can do. But all within the current limitations of the craft.
Eventually, we’ll want to see your long run up near 20 miles, don’t forget that. It is going to involve more time on the feet (3 hours) and probably a little quicker pace. When you start that (when ready) you will probably be running your ‘easy’ days at 10:00 per mile since it will take a lot out of you at first. But then, just like now, you’ll see your pace per mile continually improve at easier efforts.
Many plans have runners ‘peak’ at 20 miles for their long run. Not so here. We will want a steady diet of these beasts. It’s the only way to activate the necessary chemical processes that teach the body to conserve fuel, adapt the muscles, and prepare you for the ‘right’ race.
Keep going!