SLEazy Mouse Long Run

RUN 17 miles in 2:44. Last mile in 7:57!

I’ve had some discontent lately with my training plan, I’ve felt like I’m just doing workouts do be doing workouts without really knowing the how and why behind them. As a scientist, I like to test things. And as an athlete, I like to test on me! So like a mouse, here I am!

So when I met with CP last night to discuss the problems in run pace I discovered at Sunday’s IB session, it was with the hope that I could not only gain insight into my big race but also learn more about how to leverage my final two long runs as simulations to remedy the problems.

I was pleasantly pleased. I was reminded about the triangle of HR to pace to RPE, and how they interact. How HR can go up in dehydration, and down in low nutrition. So here’s what I’m supposed to be doing this week:

Weds long run (today’s run): 2:30 as Slow, Light, and Easy. Sprightly, even. HR below 138. CP said to be Slow, Light, and Easy while running. The goal here is to learn to pace at a conservative HR for the first 20mi of the IM run, then have energy to burn in the last 10K. Think about the time saved doing 10s faster/mile in the first 18 miles (3 mins) vs 1-2 mins faster/mile in the last 10K (6-12mins).

Thursday fartlek run: 1-2mins of 10K pace, then 2-3 mins of easy. Shoot for a 1:2 ratio on the time. Observe that peaks and valleys of HR in the intervals will coordinately increase as the run progresses.

The Weds run goals were chosen based on previously long runs in which I had HRs of low 130s and low 140s. The low 140s run was last week’s 2hr run, under extreme fatigue and running with the group. So the low 130s number is likely the most accurate read out of my HR on a long run.

The weather today was cool, the sun lovely, the winds light, and overall oh so gorgeous for a testing run. My original goal was to sim brick run nutrition by eating more often, but I changed that to drinking more often instead. I had enough to worry about watching my HR.

The first 2 miles were rough and I didn’t settle in until after they were done. The first loop was boring and broken up by a 4-mile bio break and a few water stops. I saw MW with 3 doggies early on, the PM at the VC later. Caffeinated gel, then loop 2. I was more settled in loop 2 and didn’t stop except for forced water breaks. Saw MK pop out of a trail on the hill! This was fun! Another caffeine gel at the VC then off for the partial 3^rd loop. I hit the VC at 2:07 and 13.1 miles—I was disappointed by this but I was sticking to goal as measured by HR.

I found as I was running that RPE was not a good judge for HR, but maybe breathing is? There are times I feel like I could nose breath or not breath at all while running, HR tends to be 117-125. SLE. Other times I’m breathing harder and the HR is 130s, other times breathing similarly harder and it’s 140+. The only times I saw it over 140 was on hills, and I didn’t see my HR exceed 142. Good!

The final miles felt the easiest, and this was a surprise. Maybe it was the shot of caffeine. But I mentally measured out the turn-around so I’d finish 17 miles near the VC. Then I decided to open it up on the last mile and go as fast as I wanted. Let’s see if this HR stuff really works, and if I can turn it on in the last miles of race day.

I came down the hill under control, and once I hit the flats the beep for 16 miles done sounded. I was off! I promised I wouldn’t look at HR or pace until the 17 mile beep sounded.

I felt fast. I felt tall. I felt light, and clean, and so full of energy! I could feel the fresh gravel slipping back under my feet, the light headwinds, and that beloved feeling of flight. Only in the last hundredth did I yearn to quit. Beeeeep! 7:57 and ave HR of 152!! Well I’ll be damned! Sub-fracking-8!!

I couldn’t maintain that fast pace for a 10K in an IM, but maybe the last 5K? Or a more conservative pace for the 10K?

This run was also notable for the fact that my shoes felt great, my clothing was perfect, my feet didn’t hurt…Gawd I love it!

In summary a 9:44 pace for the entire run, and an ave HR of 130bpm. Well under the 138bpm goal. CP said I should view the 138 not as a goal, but as a ceiling. So now the problem is to find that HR in racing conditions off the bike. I have back-to-back 60x4 bricks but those aren’t until the final pre IM weekend. Wonder if a short brick this weekend would be beneficial to testing? I have a long 120-miler planned this weekend, haha, if there’s any time to test the stress of a long bike on the run HR, this would it? I’ll have to see what the plans are. While today was a great run, I don’t think it simulated the go-go-go feeling I had in Sunday’s session or in racing.