Last article, I introduced a GPS watch for running. The new one I just bought is Garmin 910XT. I have been using it for 2 weeks now. I found a very good feature of the device.
Free Training plan for 5km / 10km / Half marathon and Full marathon
There is a web site called "Garmin Connect" that people can upload their workout activities. I recently found that there were some free training plans on the site. I have been using the site for a while, but I did not know the plan.
Actually, I had stress fracture on my lower left leg late last year. Due to the injury, I could not run outside for a while, about six months. The primary reason I got the injury is probably over training. Therefore, when I do recovery training, I need to be careful to plan my recovery workout. Last months, I just did jog short distance less than 6 miles. (less than 10km)
Now I started next phase for my recovery. I decided to follow one of training plan from Garmin Connect.
Time / Heart rate base training plan
Before the injury, my training style was distance / pace base training that is a plan to set a target pace based on m target time for a race. Then I made my own training plan based on distance and pace. Probably the distance could be too long and target pace could be too aggressive. That was a way I used to do when was young. I guess it is probably all right when people are serious. However, now my age is getting closer to 50 years old and it is different from when I was young.
That is a reason I try this training plan. Heart rate is a good factor to indicate my ability, as long as I can keep the target heart rate, I think it can eliminate to push myself too much. Also, time base training is good for many people who has limited time for training. Whatever my body condition is I can finish a training session based on the time.
Garmin device is a good manager to monitor a workout!
One of good features in the Garmin device is to store all training plan to the device and it can monitor each training activity for me. For example, the training plan says 10 minutes warmup, 40 minutes easy pace running with heart rate zone 2, then 10 minutes cool-down. Then all steps are stored in the device and help to tell me time, out of rang for the heart rate.
I started a full marathon program 2 days ago. It tells me if the heart rate is out of the range with alarm and vibration. So that I can slow down to meet the heart rate zone. Previously, I might push me hard during a training. It is a good limiter to avoid over training.
Efficient training?
It is obviously good to avoid over training. But I just wonder if it is an efficient training or not. To check the progress, I did cooper test (12 minutes running) before staring the program. This could be a good factor to see the progress. The other factor I will keep track a relationship between time/distance and heart rate zone. Then I will be able to tell how efficient this training strategy. I will post my data in this blog.
(To be continue .....)
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