Breakthrough “run” today! It all clicked. Last night I went back and re-read some sections of the Maffetone bible dealing with the importance of a slow warmup. This morning I took the time to make sure my Garmin was properly positioned and actually took the time to warm up slowly to aerobic HR. 3 miles, first and third were slow (but faster than they’ve been) because they included warmup and cooldown but HUGE improvement in my actual MAF running. I’m sure a lot of you have no idea what I’m talking about but I am so excited! It’s working! 73 degrees with 73% humidity too! Woohoo!
Yes! I forgot about how important that slow warmup is- which I didn’t generally do! Yay!!!
So great Sabaray! Can you give me an idea how much you “slow down” for the warm up or cool down - like a minute slower than your usual? I have a hard time going anything but one speed - the speed I start out at.
Rised and shined early this morning and got back in the saddle with about 3.5 miles of 5/1 method.
It is hard to think about a slower speed, abasket and it’s taken almost 2 weeks for me to get to this point! It’s very individualized. I’m not really thinking about my usual pace anymore - with this method you almost have to throw that out the window. Depending on the conditions, too, I might be able to warm up at a faster pace or I might have to slow down substantially. Coach gives me periods of time to run for that include the warmup, aerobic run and cooldown. Today my warmup and cooldown were in the range of 1-2 minutes slower than my actual MAF run. So depending on how long I am running for total, I might spend 10 to 30 minutes working my way up to a HR of 118, which is the low end of my aerobic range. My goal is to keep between 118 and 128, spending more time working at the higher end of the range. Previously I’d be at 118 (or higher) in less than 3 minutes. Not good! Today I actually did what I was supposed to and saw a far better result than I had previously. I am so excited.
Apropos of this, a cycling coach once said to me that the most difficult thing about training right wasn’t pushing hard and going fast but was learning how and when to pull back and go slow. The latter takes more focus and discipline than the former!
Yay sabaray!! I like to wake up to such positive news. 
abasket- When I started MAF each time, my pace was about 13 or more minutes per mile. If your HR gets above your “number”, you have to walk. Learning how to run slowly enough to keep it down was quite a process. My range was about 120-130 (I think my MAF number was 132, but the formula is not as accurate for people my age). Some of the miles would be over 14, and you really have to get over yourself to do this. The great thing is I would finish an 8 mile run feeling like I could go do another one, instead of feeling like I might not be able to get myself in the house!
I love the way you explain that - thank you! This part is the best:
“you really have to get over yourself to do this”!!!
The other factor for me is making sure the Garmin is properly positioned to measure HR. Previously I didn’t feel like I was working that hard yet I was having spikes and really elevated HR - I’m thinking, how can I be in such poor aerobic condition? Today I put my Garmin on while I was getting dressed and compared the monitor with a manual pulse reading - got more of a correlation before I headed out the door. So I’m hoping I finally have the hang of it!
Ok, back on the wagon - thanks for pep talks, all! Did weights and fluid running. Sat on the computer for an hour and a half trying to get Hamilton tix for Chicago - sadly, no luck!! I think I need to up my protein considerably so I don’t wind up starving myself and then being so hungry I make bad choices.
Bought a groupon for a Dexa Scan - not scheduled til July, but that will be interesting, esp as I definitely have built up muscle in the last few months. I am seeing whether I can add a Vo2 max and/or RHR evaluation to that.
Congrats Sabaray! I’ve tried MAF twice and bailed both times. Could never really get under 13 min pace. Last time almost went 2 months in Jan-Feb. My Garmin VO2 Max during that time was 43. Since I abandoned MAF VO2 Max has gone up to 52. I just didn’t have the patience. Plus I couldn’t understand how age was the determining factor and why MAX HR, weight, fitness levels and other variables shouldn’t be factored in? It just didn’t make sense to me that a fit 60 year old MAF HR was 120-125, yet an unfit 30 year old MAF HR was 150? Or a 60 year old with a MAX HR of 190 and and another 60 year old with a MAX HR of 160 would have the same MAF level? Other training plans, including Jack Daniels, calculates training based on Max HR.
On the positive side of things I could run an hour and a half at MAF and not feel tired.
PG, will your doc not order a dexascan for you yet???
No - I bought a groupon but I can’t use it till July. I don’t really have a medical reason to get a dexascan, just curiosity
I thought many docs like to get a baseline at/after 50.
I think Pizzagirl is more interested in her body fat composition than her bone density (which is what I think the docs would be looking for). My insurance wouldn’t cover it given my lack of risk factors/symptoms and I like to think I have pretty good insurance.
MAF is probably not for everyone. I could not do what you do, Ohio - I far prefer the longer races and the rate I was going I wouldn’t be able to do them. Physically I was exhausted - I didn’t know what it meant to slow down. Every run was at maximum effort and that simply wasn’t healthy or improving my fitness/speed.
I had a good 4 mile run last night in the wicked heat. A little slower than usual, just wanted to take it easy and get it done. Tonight the running club is starting at our house and then we’re hosting a cookout afterwards. It should be fun, but I’m a nervous wreck hosting. I don’t know why I get this way!
sabaray - it sounds as if the MAF strategy is really working for you. Are you still planning to run the MCM this fall? At that point would you still run for the low heartrate or is the idea that you do the training that way and then at some point you transition to running at a faster pace/higher heartrate?
I’m a little bit in that boat now- even with all my experience and the fact that I should know better. I am simply training too fast for my age and my race times. My HR is not too high most of the time, but I’m tired more of the time than I should be. Every run seems to be a tempo run. I’m either in too big of a hurry or too competitive with myself. Slwoing down (not that I’m very fast anymore to begin with) is HARD. The natural instinct is to go at the pace at which you are pretty sure you can finish the distance. That is not the optimal pace for most runs. I’ve got to figure this out, because I’m too tired too much of the time.
Right now I am doing the low HR for 6 weeks. I have a half in mid August I’ll be doing race specific training for but the concept behind MAF is that I’ll become faster at the same HR. Definitely doing MCM. I am sure MOWC could explain all of this much better!
I so appreciate hearing about your paces with the heart rate training. I thought I was the only one who had to run so slow to keep my HR down below 125-130. I look forward to your success sabaray! I have concerns when I keep things at the 13+ min/mi , like not being able to run faster again because I’ll lose the ability, or not being able to run without walk breaks because I’ll fall over with exhaustion. It’s ridiculous, much in my head I’m sure, but I fear regressing to my pre-C25K condition.
After yesterday’s long run, I walked about six miles today; also took the bike out for a 30 minute ride.
I remember after my first stint (years ago) with low heart rate training I jumped into a 5k and did really well. Everyone has the same fears- I’ll be stuck at this pace forever! Speed comes back, but your body is more efficient,