Role Mother (and marathoner) Melissa is trying out the Half-Marathon Heart Rate Challenge and documenting it along the way. Here, she talks about the first two weeks. (Check out her intro post here.)
The first two weeks of HRT are in the books, and I am admittedly relieved! My first official day of training can only be described as an awkward stop and go quasi running dance routine, with me trying to figure out how to look down and read my heart rate monitor while simultaneously not back planting into a mailbox. I started my training with a wrist monitor, but after a few minutes of it failing to function and thinking I have no pulse, I realized my very small wrist circumference might possibly never provide an accurate reading. Luckily, I snagged a chest strap monitor from the clearance rack at T.J. Maxx (score!) and haven’t looked back. I found my fears of it chafing and feeling cumbersome were unwarranted, and I’m happily pleased with its accuracy and comfort. Now, my six observations from the first two week of HRT.
1. I am enjoying having permission to do real warm ups, as in, I feel no guilt walking for the first mile of each training run because that is what’s prescribed. It has really helped me relax and focus and get myself into a running happy zone. I don’t feel rushed, and I have quit doing running math in my head- like when you start your run with intensity right away because you are thinking “OK, I have X minutes to do this and I have to do X distance and we need milk, eggs, bread…”
2. Yes, for most of the runs so far I am all over the place with my heart rate, and I’m sure bystanders watching me run/walk/skip/stop/bend over/pause/run again are wondering if I’m lost or drunk. I don’t care, and I plan on making a shirt that says, “MK says this looks right.” Like the Karate Kid waxing cars and painting fences, I am trusting the process.
3. The five minute circuit workouts are totally doable, because five minutes. FIVE. MINUTES!
4. I have felt a few times like my runs are similar to a Jeff Galloway style run, but instead I’m running and then having to slow to a walk to bring my rate down, then start up again, but without time constraints. I am hoping to settle in to just the perfect pace over the next few weeks so the starting and stopping can, well, STOP.
5. I think I have some treadmill runs in my future, and I’m scared. I dread the ‘mill with all of my being but I’m thinking of trying it a few times to see if I am I able to control the speed just right so I can get my below 140 rate steady and consistent. And also, it’s air conditioned.
6. I have remained injury free, and I’ll admit I’m finishing all my runs smiling, even as clumsy as they’ve been. May the coming weeks of heart rate training continue to keep us all smiling, waxing cars, painting fences, and keeping that rate below 140.
Sayonara!
We’ll check in with Melissa every two weeks to see how she’s running and how she’s feeling, so come back to follow her progress.
thanks Melissa!
I was just thinking last night how I am not focusing so much on the time. I am too busy keeping my heart rate in check that I don’t know how long I am running. Coming from an interval training program, this seems so odd!
I have started the my first week on the treadmill. Although I miss being outside, I did notice that I was able to control my pace (therefore heart rate) better.
Melissa, I’m in the 101 Heart Rate group and so much of your observations are spot on! I’m excited to see how this goes.
I am curious as to how your target heart rate zone or training zone(s) were determined? The usual (220-age – resting heart rate) X whatever% does not work for me. At 65 – 85%, my THR would be something like 112 – 141. I cannot keep my HR that low when I run – even very slowly! A truly accurate THR would need to be determined in an exercise physiology lab and that would be extremely expensive.
Curious what wrist monitor you were using? I want to do the hrt method and am looking into garmins right now and not sure what to go with. I also do triathlons so I’m looking at multisport. I was leaning towards one with the optical hrm instead of the strap for exactly the reasons you mentioned (chafing, slipping, etc.). Would love any advice!
Melissa!
Your Six observation looks right :)
Nice job Melissa, thank you.
Excellent update – spot on comments, thank you!!!