[Whitney Rhodes]

I’ve got quite a few recovery “runs” scheduled for my fourth week of the base building period. It’s been a challenge to knock these out while keeping my HR in the recovery zone (94-108). I’m stuck walking, sometimes very slowly if there’s an incline. No problem, be patient, I get it. Problem is these workouts take a very long time. There’s a 7 miler coming up on Tuesday and that sucker’s gunna take me 2-3 hours to complete depending on where I walk.

Is all that “on my feet” time still recovery? Would I be better off doing these workouts in Z1?

Thanks!

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on June 7, 2020 at 5:07 pm #42497

I’m stuck walking, sometimes very slowly if there’s an incline.

That’s normal. Very few humans (maybe none?) can run uphill without being well above their anaerobic threshold. And as such, they can’t do it for very long.

Problem is these workouts take a very long time. There’s a 7 miler coming up on Tuesday and that sucker’s gunna take me 2-3 hours to complete depending on where I walk.

Hmmm… What are you training for? Can you do the seven miles in less-steep terrain? Is your terrain goal-event-specific? If so, maybe the goal needs to change?

Is all that “on my feet” time still recovery? Would I be better off doing these workouts in Z1?

Which plan is this? The prescription is seven miles of recovery? Normally I don’t specify the distance for recovery runs, just 45-60′ super duper easy. Maybe two in a day, depending on the athlete.

[Whitney Rhodes]

Whitney Rhodes on June 7, 2020 at 6:05 pm #42499

Hi Scott! This is Luke Nelson’s intro to ultras training plan. I’m going for my first 50K in October.

I just did 11 miles of running/hiking on the trail I will race in the fall. I’m slow, but I’m making progress, and I’m feeling good about finishing the race based on where I’m at even today. (This last workout was 11 miles, 3,634 elevation gain in 3:11:07.)

My issue with the recovery workouts isn’t that they’re difficult or that I can’t do them. I’m more concerned about dedicating all that time to recovery when it might be better spent in Zone 1.

For context, my AeT is 135. I can run on flats (slowly), hike the inclines, and zoom zoom down the hills. My race trail is a rollercoaster in the mountains. Not a lot of flats, lots of uphill hiking and fast downhills.

Given that my AeT pace is so slow (and not super stressful for my body), could I jog in Zone 1 for my recovery workouts instead of walk or even hike at incline as long as I stay in that zone? No big deal if not, it’s just they take so much time to complete at that recovery HR, and it feels weird to prep for a mountain ultra by walking lots of flats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on June 8, 2020 at 8:08 am #42515

What heart rates are you using to define Z1 versus recovery?

[Whitney Rhodes]

Whitney Rhodes on June 8, 2020 at 8:17 am #42518

AeT = 135

Per the plan:

Recovery = “Complete full run at 70-80% of Aerobic Threshold HR.” (94-108)
Aerobic base run = “Complete full run @ 80-100% of Aerobic Threshold HR.” (I try to stay at 90-100% for those, so 121 to 135.)

I imagine Z1 would be 80-90% (108-121).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on June 8, 2020 at 9:33 am #42520

I should have also asked: Have you tested your anaerobic threshold?

[Whitney Rhodes]

Whitney Rhodes on June 8, 2020 at 10:37 am #42524

I have not! The plan hasn’t prescribed that yet, just an AeT test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on June 9, 2020 at 11:05 am #42584

Okay, no worries. If Z1, and even Z2, feels very easy, then it’s fine to do almost all of your training there. As your fitness improves, those zones will feel harder as the speeds increase even if the heart rates don’t.

[Whitney Rhodes]

Whitney Rhodes on June 9, 2020 at 11:42 am #42589

Awesome! Thank you for the help.