Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The new year is challenging me

In my last post, I wrote that I was on the road to recovery. Well, I wasn't. A few days later I developed a hacking cough. One of those that keeps you up for hours at night. Kaylee developed her first ever ear infection and Emily croup. It has been a tough winter for us. The kids recovered fast, but Emily's sleeping pattern devolved into this wake up every half hour for mommy thing that was killing me. And I had that terrible cough for a little over two weeks. So even when Emily gave me a two hour respite, I wasn't sleeping, I was coughing.

Things are better...I think. I'm not coughing. Emily is sleeping again. Kaylee is happy. Yet, we seem to be fighting off yet another cold virus, but right now it's all sniffles and not much else.

My running has simply been all over the place. During the whole mastitis episode, I took 12 days off. Then with the coughing thing I took off another 6 days. Finally, I just starting running really easy. "Really easy" was making sure my heart rate stayed between 140 - 150, which was 9:30 pace at the time. My heart rate has been so high. Usually before I start running, my heart rate is around 50. While I was sick, it was between 80 - 90 (that's before the running even started). Just crazy!

I'm concerned that I won't run my half marathon well, but what can I do? It's not like I can cram training, and I don't have a lot of control over being sick. I did manage a 13 miler last week at 8:38 pace with an average heart rate of 142. A couple days ago I ran an 11 miler at 7:49 pace with an average heart rate of 144, which sounds good, but it felt harder to me than 144 should feel. Today I ran a 7 miler at 7:19 pace, but I forgot my heart rate monitor. It felt fairly hard though. I really have no idea what I'm in for with this half marathon, but I'll be there ready to find out. When I reminded Nick that I had a half soon he responded with "you're still running it?" To which I replied, "of course!" It might not be pretty, but it's still worth the run...

Oh I had a question for those of you who use heart rate zones to train. I've sort of figured out my "zones," which are as follows:
  • Zone 3: 134 - 152
  • Zone 4: 152 - 169
  • Zone 5: 169 - 187
My question is: what zone should you be in when running a half? I'm guessing zone 4? And what zone should you run a full?

6 comments:

Running and living said...

Hi Katie,
I missed you!!!
So sorry that you were sick - I am sick now, but hopefully nothing major. I feel the same about my training, though I don't have any reasons like you do:) I am feeling unmotivated to run the half in 2 weeks bc I don't feel I am where I would like to be with the training. But should be fun, even though not a PR. You should do Quincy Half with me in March, nice course:)

About the HR. I don't have my zones with me, I'll give them to you later. My max HR is over 190, and I calculated my zones based on that. I did read that in a race your HR will be about 5-10 beats higher than during training, which makes racing with a HR underestimate what you can actually do. For this reason I will not look at my HR during the race and go by pace and feel (feel bc I have no idea what pace I could hold). See you soon! Feel better!

Running and living said...

My zones:
Zone 1:139-158
Aerobic: 171-177
VO2max: 177-190

Probably racing HR for a half should be aerobic at first moving into VO2 max at the end? Not sure...

Stefanie Schocke said...

Good question about the heart rates. Heart rate and speed work are two things I'd like to learn more about.

You'll do awesome at the half...you are so fast.

Unknown said...

Hi Katie!
Mommyhood is keeping you on your toes! I am glad you're feeling better, I hope you're napping while the kids are napping. My mom always told me to do that!
You and I have very similar heart rates. I run all of my races without a monitor because my coach said it would freak me out. I once ran a 10k with the monitor and he was right, I worried. Elite athletes can run marathons in the highest zones I've heard but my 10k was in zone 5. I lived to tell about it so it must have been okay.
I hope you keep getting healthier!

kristen said...

I don't really know anything about heart rate zone training and racing but thought I'd wish you luck! I hope you get back to normal soon!

Jenn said...

Thanks for the prayers! Greatly appreciated.

Looks like YOU could use some prayers. Glad the health seems to be on the upswing around there. Rough last while....

I am SO clueless with HR training. I really need to figure that out. Hope the half goes well for you!