I think we’re all on the same page now, time will only tell if this helps my long run deficiencies.
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Tried my new spikes on tonight. They felt really light and precise.
The session was 400m repeats with 200m walking recoveries. I ran 7 of these at 71-72 seconds per 400m. I need to be able to run 1500m at this pace to claim my clubs vet50 record. I think it’s a stretch but possible with training.
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Hi all.
I have recently taken up running as another way to keep fit. I am still cycling (1-2 hours a week), but purely for pleasure with no goals, plans or events, just for enjoyment.
4 weeks into regular running. I can comfortably run a 29 minute 5k so opted to following a beginner 10k running plan via Runna (app).
I have a question regarding easy runs, including running slow and keeping HR low(ish).
Yesterday, my plan called for an Easy’ run with pace no higher than 6:55/km. I completed my usual warm up of dynamic stretches and a 10 minute walk into jog and then started the 5k run.
I find it difficult to run slow and keep HR low on my runs and seem to naturally run at around 5:20 - 5:30/km pace, but this leads to a high HR and high RPE.
I have been trying to improve the easy run pace and last night managed to run 5km with the following splits;
1km - 6:29/km
2km - 6:29/km
3km - 6:32/km
4km - 6:40/km
5km - 6:31/km
I’m very happy with the consistent pacing, but it was faster than the prescribed pace from Runna. I felt like if I ran any slower than 6:40, it would just be a fast walk?
The pace/km felt good and I did not feel like I was exerting myself, and would say it was an RPE of 4-5. However, I could not control my HR spiking up to 175-180 and bordering between zone 4 to 5. Overall for the 5km my highest HR was 185bpm and average was 174bpm.
My question is, is it normal for HR to be this high even on easy and low RPE runs? Is to just a case of I’m not ‘trained’ enough and my HR on runs will eventually be more controlled once I progress my training?
Also does anyone have any tips on running slow?
A couple questions:
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Do you know your true max HR? Have you tested it somehow?
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How are you measuring your HR? If you are using an optical wrist sensor, those are notorious for getting ‘cadence lock’ and not showing your actual HR.
My 2cents is that its probably best to just go by RPE for pacing. Running based on RPE will keep you from overtraining and you’ll still get plenty of gains. And as a recreational runner, its more fun to just get out and run than it is to micromanage staying in the ‘correct’ zone.
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Thanks for the reply Ben.
In regards to the questions,
- It’s been many years since testing my max HR so can’t give an accurate figure currently.
However, if I give everything I have in a bike sprint etc, I’ll see between 198-205 hr via a Garmin chest strap.
(I’ve always seen high HR when measured over the years when doing hard efforts cycling, so I’ve never been to worried seeing her as high as 210bpm cos a chest strap)
- I use a Garmin chest strap for HR. Recently replaced batteries too.
I appreciate your advice and I agree, maybe it’s beneficial to just ruin to rpe and get some base running miles and fitness in before getting to deep into data and metrics.
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Thanks for the reply.
I recently ran a 5k at 29:02 and I knew I’d worked for it but felt there was still some in the tank. Based on this I only my 5k time as 29:02 into Runna. I’ve not attempted and all out 5k run yet as I don’t want to overdo it. I’m only 4 weeks into regular consistent running and although I’ve got the base fitness from cycling, I haven’t got any running miles in the kegs really so don’t want to risk and injuries or stains from going too fast or pushing myself too quick.
I agree, on hr numbers it appears I’m running too hard, but the rpe of yesterdays 5k at AVG 6:32/km felt like a 4 and as though I was hardly working, but he said otherwise. I felt I’d I tried run slower to lower the pace anymore I’d be walking (if that makes sense).
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Assuming your HR reading is decently accurate (I wear a Garmin Forerunner 945, vivoactiv before that, both decently accurate IMO), it takes a while of your HR to adjust when trying to do zone 2 running. So feeling like you have to run very slow in order to be in that HR zone is normal. My current zone 2 pace is around 8:30 min/mile. When I started zone 2 running (not when I started running, because I was just running for a while before, until learning about zone 2), I had to run at 10-11 min/mile paces, which felt extremely slow, almost fast walking as you say. But eventually the pace should pick up while keeping in zone 2 HR.
When comparing heart rate during runs and rides, we are not comparing appples to apples. Therefore, your understanding of heart rate as it relates to cycling doesn’t relfect your work capacity for running.
I think this tells us enough to know that going off RPE is a lot more helpful in your case.
Keep up the good work 
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I’ve been away w/a family vacation followed by a 2nd bout of Covid. Oddly, my first bout was the same time last year. Thankfully, this time has been mild.
Everyone cycling now that it’s summer or are there still some starting to prepare for a fall marathon block?
I was going to cycle. Instead I hired a running coach who’s been scheduling me for 6 days running every week. It’s been fun though
This was supposed to be the year I finally trained for a ‘proper’ marathon attempt, which I bailed on after about a month after I decided that it sucked.
Ironically then qualified for our HM state team at Sunshine Coast, and the uni nats 10k Sydney. I’m also doing the Gold Coast 5k this weekend as a bit of a fun run since I had some free flights and family up that way, so in between those three I’m entered in all of our major marathon events while racing everything but the marathon. Pretty well sums up my usual level of season planning…
I’m still officially signed up for the NY Marathon in early November. But my weekly long runs are limited to two hours (which right now means 13K) and my priority is increasing speed (HM best pace 8:45/km), and I still have a lot of weight to lose.
At my current pace and weight, my marathon goal time would be six hours. 
And I’m just not sure that giving my body that kind of a pounding is a good idea when the real goal is only to become as strong and as fast as possible in the next five-ish years.
So I’m confident that I’ll run the Staten Island Half in October… but totally open to bailing on the full-length marathon if I don’t feel I’m ready for it as we get closer to race day.
By just doing what I feel capable of each day, it’s rewarding to see my ability to handle load has increased month on month.
Have had a few good results:
Podium at a 50miler
New parkrun pb
Winning a 10mile trail race in a duel with a very good local runner.
Have one more 50miler in two weeks then taking a break before commencing a focused fell running block of training leading up to a big race in October.
Having a great time. Loving seeing the world at a steady trot.
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Anyone else spend time looking for hills to rep? I’m broadening my local search to find better ones to train on. There’s a ridge within 30mins drive from me that has a myriad of interesting climbs/descent. Nothing over 100m vert, but that’s big for round here.
This mornings’ run: some nice, techy trails.
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That looks nice 
Luckily for me, I do not have to search for hills. I live at the base of YangMingShan National Park. It’s great for cycling and running. I can be running uphill within about 100m from my front door. If feeling spry, I can continue all the way up to about 1100-1200m elevation. There are 10 peaks in all. There is even a trail route where you can do all of them in one go:
I’d recommend that you find and use your lactate threshold heart rate to calculate your zones rather than using your known max heart rate. It’s much more accurate in my opinion.
Also, if you’re really looking to work on pacing, another metric that has helped me a lot is a power meter. No, it’s not totally necessary, and RPE is arguably the best gauge of effort, but having solid HR and power zones can really help you dial into your efforts in real time really well. I’ve started using a Stryd foot pod this year and it’s really useful and was really key in helping me properly pace my first half marathon this spring. 
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I am curious how running affects the Green light/Red Light.
Its hot here in FL, and my HR is usually high because of it (high 150s, low 160s).
Mostly every time I do a run, I get an adaptation and like 50% of the time a yellow warning.
I usually take the adaptation and move on, but wonder if I really should.
One day i did a run, before the bike and th bike ride end up being harder, not because if was challenging, but because running in the heat kills me! The rest of the week was yellow, I refuse the adaptations and everything was fine, wo were exactly where they needed to be…
RLGL is actually working for you in this case. It’s designed this way so that you can have this flexibility in your training! It adapts in response to these changes so that you can run with your friends and follow a Training Plan that will make you faster.
As I mentioned earlier, a Mid Volume Training Plan may work better for you in making you faster, if you want that flexibility with your training. Given your training history, you would be more likely to consistently complete those key workouts on a Mid Volume Plan because the overall load would be more manageable. Therefore, you would likely see less adaptations.
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Well… I am dumb… I didnt realized I was on the High Volume plan… woops… Just swap to mid volume! Thanks!!
Not dumb at all! Easy mistake to make! But I think that should work a lot better for you 
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Don’t be afraid of a Low Volume Plan either! That is extremely effective for most people .
Let us know if you have any other questions 
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