Saturday session

Here are some of my notes from Saturday.
Speed Training is the "roof" of the "training house". Keep this part to about 15 per cent. When designing your schedule, keep speed to the end.
This is the last phase of the training program but don't be deceived by the "short" workouts.
Like hills, you'll only be running hard for short periods of time, the intensity will add up.

A few key things to keep in mind for speed training: 1. Always run a light warm-up and cool-down.
2. Don't increase the distance or intensity of a speed workout too quickly.
3. Listen to any warning signs from your body - your goal race is fast approaching and you don't want to be nursing an injury.

Studies indicate that the best predictor of distance-running performance is your lactate threshold, which is the speed you are able to run before lactic acid begins to accumulate in the blood. By regularly including tempo runs in your training schedule, you will increase the speed that you can run before lactic acid begins to slow you down. To use a car analogy, tempo runs will allow your engine to rev faster without red-lining. Before tempo training, you may have red-lined at an 8-minute-per-mile pace. After a few months of tempo runs, you won't red-line until you reach a 7:30-per-mile pace.

The Top Seven reasons for speed injuries:
1. Inadequate warmup or warm down.
2. Running Too Hard on Easy Days.
3. Sprinting.
4. Too Many Weeks of Speed.
5. Too Many Hard Days.
6. Inadequate Transition.
7. On A Bad Day.

Heart Rate Training

Why do athletes use heart rate monitors?
1. It takes the guesswork out of training.
2. Ensures training intensities are optimal
3. Ensures you stay within your target zones.

Your heart rate monitor tells you how hard your heart is working in beats per minute which gives you a precise view of what's happening inside your body.
Base Training - your intensity should be 50-70% of your maximum heart rate.
Threshold Training - is between 70-80%
Speed Training - is between 80-90%.

Purpose:

Understand exercise intensity and the role heart rate monitors play in the fitness equation.

Objectives:

After completing this module you will:

Understand what exercise intensity is and why it should be measured or tracked during activity.
Determine your estimated maximum heart rate and your personal target heart rate zone for exercise.
Be able to measure how your body responds to cardiovascular activity.
Exercise Intensity and Polar HRMs

To understand exercise intensity and how a Polar Heart Rate Monitor helps achieve fitness goals, be familiar with Polars Three Keys to Success:

1) Working out at the correct exercise intensity is the only way to achieve your fitness goals.

Too hard = injury, muscle soreness = can't finish workout
Too easy = no improvement or results = will not reach fitness goals.

2) Heart rate is the only accurate measurement of exercise intensity.

Monitoring exercise intensity helps you stay at a level of exercise that allows you to accomplish your goals. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that, in order to get the most benefits from your cardiovascular exercise, you should work within your Target Heart Rate Zone for at least 20 to 60 minutes per workout, 3 to 5 times per week, at an intensity of 60% to 80% of your maximum heart rate. Knowing your exercise intensity (heart rate) will allow you to work at the right level of exercise to accomplish this.

What is Maximum Heart Rate?

Maximum heart rate (MHR) is the maximum attainable heart rate your body can reach before total exhaustion. True maximum heart rate is measured during a fatigue or "stress" test.

Maximum heart rate can be estimated with a high degree of accuracy using the following simple formula:

Estimated Maximum Heart Rate = 220 - Your Age

How Do I Determine My Target Heart Rate Zone?

Your Target Heart Rate Zone represents the minimum and maximum number of times your heart should beat in one minute of exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that all individuals should work within a Target Heart Rate Zone of 60% to 80% of their Maximum Heart Rate. This means that your heart rate during exercise should not fall below 60% or rise above 80% of your maximum heart rate.
The formula to find your target zone:
220 minus your age = maximum heart rate (MHR)
MHR X 60% = lower target zone limit
MHR X 80% = upper target zone limit

Calculate HR Zones
Using Heart Rate Reserve to calculate your Heart Rate training zones is also referred to as the Karvonen method. The formula is HRR x Intensity% + Hrmin (resting heart rate).
To calculate your HRR take your HRmax (Maximum Heart Rate) 226-age for women or 220-age for men and subtract your resting heart rate. You can then use that in the formula above to calculate the following zones:

Zone 1: 50% - 60%
Zone 2: 61% - 70%
Zone 3: 71% - 80%
Zone 4: 81% - 90%
Zone 5: 91% - 100%