MAF Testing July 28, 2015

Finally got it done. My last test was May 9 and since that test I've only made one change to my running. I've increased the volume. On May 9 my long run was 8 miles and my weekly time spent running was 4 hours. This past week my long run was just shy of 13 and my weekly total was 5.5 hours of running. All of it at MAF or below.

My MAF HR Range is 130-140. My true MAF HR based on the formula and the allowances 180 - 51 = 129 + 5 for being consistent in training, injury free and never sick.

My Results
May 9, 2015
Mile #1: 10:37
Mile #2: 9:55
Mike #3: 10:00
30 Minutes : 2.85miles

July 28, 2015
Mile #1: 9:23
Mile #2: 9:45
Mile #3: 9:42
30 Minutes: 3.13

My other training has been fairly consistent.
3 days on the bike
3 days in the water
2-3 days lifting heavy things.

It's a good life....

Weekend Update and the Failed MAF Test

By the time Friday night came along I was wasted tired. I'd spent Friday going back and forth between two stores trying to motivate folks and get them prepared for what was expected to be a big weekend.

Saturday rolled around the the thunder storms that we never see here on the Southern coast of California, were moving through. Hard rain followed the lightning and thunder. I was out the door at 6:30am to set up for a couple group runs.

Believe it or not some hearty runners showed up to run. Home by noon and Mary wanted to shop with me. She never want's to shop with me so I took the time to spend the afternoon with my wife. We had a good time although it was raining most of the day. 

By the time we got home I had a choice, ride my bike or take a nap. I chose sleep and finally got out the door at 4:00. I walked the dog for 45 minutes and it felt great. 

Saturday night Marco and I went to see a movie. Terminator. He liked it.

Sunday - Long Run

I figured 7am would be goog. Generally I can run 2 hours with no water. I was wrong on Sunday. The sun came out early and the moisture in the ground from the day before turned to humidity. By the time I hit 1:40 I was cooked. I finished and quickly filled my body with cool water and electrolytes. The day got hotter and more humid until 2pm when the showers returned. It rained through the night.

Marco and I hit the gym for an hour. He's one strong young man.

Monday I got out the door early for an easy swim. I love the feeling of movement and especially movement with no pounding. Then it was off to rid the body of Iron (I have too much) as well as give back to those in need. I gave blood. I do it every 56 days which is the limit.

They say when you give blood, "don't do anything strenuous for 24 hours".

Tuesday I decided to execute a MAF test. It's not strenuous! During the first 10 minutes of the test all was ok, pace was good and everything felt fine. Then shortly after, everything felt fine but my Heart Rate was 159. Then it was 175 but my heart didn't feel like it was in my throat. Then I remembered, the last time I did the MAF test on this track my Heart Rate was skipping around. I thought it was the guy on the track I kept passing who also had a heart rate monitor on. Today there was nobody on the track but me. When the body and the monitor didn't match I shut the test down. I turned the monitor off and just ran for an hour.

We live in outdoor lifestyle central. There are 3,000 people who run the coast highway in Encintas/Cardiff every day. There are 3 championship level pools with master's programs daily and there are high schools all around with beautiful tracks. All the tracks are locked down with no public access. It's such a shame to drive by a track and not see it in use.

Not to be outdone by the issues of tracks (by the way it's a sand track) with interference or tracks locked up. I'm off to my secret park to do my MAF test on Sunday. Details to follow.

It's a good life....

My MAF Running Plan

One of the great things about a MAF running plan is there is no prep time for the run. I can get out and run at MAF (Max Aerobic Fitness) any time of the day. One of my favorite trails is literally right across the street from our house. It's an undulating trail made up of wide wood chipped trails, single track and a long gradual uphill in grass. One lap is 1.3 miles. It's real easy get 4 miles in "quickly" without ever leaving the community. I've even at times done multiple laps on the mountain bike.

The green start arrow is our house. 

Yesterday I swam with the Master's Group. I usually do that twice a week. The lane I usually swim in was full (8 swimmers) and the two next to it were empty. I jumped into one of the empty lanes and some of the swimmers from my normal lane jumped in. The normal lane is a 1:35/100 lane. The lane I jumped into is typically the 1:30/100 lane. The coach "Hux" said "you swim in this lane it's 1:30". Everyone pointed to me to lead. About half way through the main set Hux yells at the people following me "Come on you should be ashamed you are letting a skinny runner kick your butt". 

I got out knowing. Before figuring out my "health" issues and backing off on the run pace I would not have lead that lane. Yesterday I just kept getting stronger as the Swim workout continued on. 

It's a good life....

NFQ

Where do you get your motivation? Our son spent 8 days with the Air Force PJs.  This is what one of the PJs drilled into his head. It had such an impact that Marco pasted it to his wall.

He was on a long run today and the boredom started to get to him and then this came into his mind.

It's a good life....

The Long Slow Return

Months ago enough was enough. Nothing was working the way I wanted it physically and emotionally. I needed a change. I'll go more in depth on the full transformation when it's finished. It involves a parasite, heavy iron, completely out of sorts insulin levels and then some other minor findings. 

The first thing I did was take 2 weeks off of any activity. I didn't run, swim, ride my bike or do much other than sleep, walk or work. 

Then I started running again. I capped my heart rate. You could say I chose the MAF method (180 - age gives you MAF heartrate) but whatever I capped it. I started with a total of 15 miles for the week. Today I'm running 33 miles a week, riding (at the same capped HR) and swimming. My running schedule. 

Monday off

Tuesday Medium run (1/2 of the long run) 

Wednesday short run (1/4 of the long run) 

Thursday Medium (1/2 of the long run) 

Friday Short Run (1/4 of the long run) 

Saturday Short Run (1/4 of the long run) 

Sunday Long run. 

Short runs are 10 beats below the capped HR. Medium runs are run as 1st half 5-10 beats below capped 2nd half at capped. Long run is done as all but the last 3 miles done 5-10 beats below capped and the last 3 miles at the capped HR. 

This week my runs are Medium 6 miles, short 3 miles and long 12 miles. Then there are rules in all of this: 

1. Run trails 90% of the time. 
2. Take adventure runs when possible. 
3. Stop at the designated distance and walk it in. For instance today I hit 3 miles and then walked for 8 minutes back to the car. 
4. Do strides at the end of the medium runs. I do 6-8 controlled fast strides. 

. 

 Sometimes My work takes me to adventure running. Leadville Colorado is spectacular. 

 My dog is always my warm up in the morning. I walk casually while she runs around hunting for gophers. She's my pal. 

I am lucky where I live. There are trails everywhere. This trail head is 10 minutes or slightly more from the house and it goes for miles and miles and miles. It's challenging to which I like. 

My Results so far. 

1. My pace is slowly but surely picking up at the capped HR. 
2. Running never hurts. I used to be sore after hard runs. I have no hard runs right now and running at that capped HR is rather stress free. 
3. In the past I'd get to 30-40 miles and it would be hard to go any further. Today I'm looking at getting into the 45 mile/week range and sticking to it for weeks. I don't see any reason why I won't be able to do it. 

None of this is new information to me. I've always known this is the way I should be running. I've never done that because of a number of reasons.Those reasons were not getting me anywhere. So enough was enough. 

It's a good life.......