One week ago Trail Runner Nation featured an interview with Dr. Phil Maffetone. Dr. Phil (not the one you see on t.v.) has been training endurance athletes for decades struck upon an important principal. To run fast you need to train slow. I will not pretend to understand any of the science behind this (nor do I care to, I am only interested in results). Here's the layman's explanation for how it works. Everyone has an aerobic/anaerobic threshold. For an endurance athlete to get faster they need to keep their heart-rate within aerobic range in training, thus developing their aerobic system. Here's the formula Maffetone came up with that anyone can use to get an idea of what their heart-rate should be throughout an aerobic training session:
1. Take 180 and subtract your age
2. Take this number and correct it by the following:
-If you do not work out, subtract 5 beats
-If you work out only 1-2 days per week, subtract 3 beats
-If you work out 3-6 days per week, keep the number
-If you work out 7+ times per week and have done so for a year, add 5 beats
-If you are over 55 or under 25 years old, add another 5 beats
-If you are under 20 years old, add another 5 beats
Now, I run with a heart-rate monitor and keep my heart rate somewhere around 146bpm for 5 mile run. I have not been doing it long enough to see an increase in speed, however I am noticing I am less sore, recover faster, and can go further/longer at this heart-rate.
I recommend you try this for yourself and see what you think. I think a lot of people don't enjoy running because they run too hard, too often, and are in the anaerobic zone instead of building the aerobic system.
If you are looking for a great GPS heart-monitor combo I highly recommend the Garmin Forerunner 410. I have one and love it. Be sure to get the watch and heart-rate monitor package.
