10-Mile Blog

This morning I used my newly purchased Garmin Forerunner 305 on my club 10-mile run. This device is so cool, I can't even begin to explain its features (which is to say, I have no idea what it can do). For example, I walked around the lake where I live with my Forerunner 305 on, and it literally recorded every turn. You can overlay your path onto Google Earth, and see exactly where you're stepping, right down to when you bypass an object, such as a tree or detached squirrel tail. Really..it's that detailed.

You can also use the accompanying software to setup training schedules. This works for me. Each year I pick some new training method and this year decided on Zones. I'm talking about Heart Rate zones which are usually depicted in 5 ranges that are percentages of your maximum heart rate.

According to Sally Edwards (random source), the new Mathematical Formula for finding your Maximum Heart Rate is 210 minus 1/2 your age minus 1% of your body weight plus 4 (for males). This formula bores me. It looks too much like high school math. Fortunately Sally and I are about the same age and weight so I snagged her data for my initial Max H.R. reading. I later adjusted it to match my actual Max (187) using one of Sally's suggested methods.

To be brief, my Zone 1 (50-60% of my Max H.R.) is 93.5 - 112.2 BPM (beats per minute). To achieve this, I think I'd have to stand still or even walk backwards. Today I chose to train in Zone 3 (70-80% of Max H.R.), which is the Aerobic Zone - supposedly reached by "running easy". I won't go into the benefits of this zone, but one is a bigger heart.

The map of my run on this page was created using my GPS Forerunner and GPS Visualizer. Those blue marks are me. The Pink Balloon is the start point and end point. Today's run had a lot of backtracking (wherever a dead-end appears). The weather was about 30 degrees with a strong wind AND the course was hilly. Here's what happened:

Mile 0: I'm late. I see everyone taking off down the path. I try to catch-up, but in my haste, I apparently forget to set the Heart Rate Zone buzzer on my GPS.

Mile 0.4: Every one's disappeared from view. I have no idea where to go.

Mile 0.5: Whew! - there's Anna, a familiar face, running toward me. She explains that I've missed a turn and describes a short-cut that will lead me to runners heading toward me, so I can turn around and resume the course (first dead end on the map).

Mile 0.6: Success! I've found the group and turn around with them, running easily with several people who are known to run my pace.

Mile 4.9: I'm way ahead of everyone in my pace group. I can't believe I'm running so fast and my heart rate buzzer hasn't warned me I'm out of zone. I forgot my contacts and can't see the small H.R. number on my Forerunner so have no idea what my Heart Rate is.

Mile 5.3: Water stop. I quickly check my Forerunner, and sure enough my Zone is not set to buzz. I correct this problem and am welcomed with a buzzing message "heart rate too low" (this means I need to go faster).

Mile 5.8: Buzz. Too fast. I start walking. I pass a guy walking backwards ahead of me. He must be training in Zone 1.

Mile 6.1: Buzz. Too slow. I start running really, really slowly.

Mile 6.8: Buzz. Too fast. This can't be right. I'm practically walking. My pride is also getting to me because runners that were ahead of me are now coming back my way and I'm walking instead of running. I CAN run, I feel like telling them, but I'm training.

Miles 7.0 - 9.2 Buzz - Buzz - Buzz - Buzz (Shut UP!!)

Mile 9.2: The start point is in sight. Normally this would be the end of my run - logged as 10 miles - but, can't cheat the Forerunner! So I pass the start point and add the missed mileage from the beginning to round out my run to 10 miles.

Today's run - following the zone method - took my 2 hours!!