am) Kerrie and I met for a MAF test this morning. And the good news is that she is not even near where she was 4 weeks ago. This is critical in her peaking again for Kona. Our physiology only allows 2, 3 if you're real lucky, peaks per year. In order to do this you need to build back from a lower point of fitness than your previous peak. Athletes sometimes try to hold a high amount of fitness for too long of a period of time which causes a plateau in fitness. Part of the argument for not doing "speed" work early in a program is that you tap your potential too early.. then you can't hold it.. then it actually drops as you near your race. Kerrie took a 2 week break from serious training which also going to allow her motivation to stay elevated for the build towards Kona. Her MAF fitness is going to return very quickly (I have to clean her entire house if it doesn't) and her peak for Kona will be much higher because she is starting her training much fitter than her previous starting point.
As for me, I am ready to start the next phase of training. I ran just 1 mile at MAF after 4 mile warm-up. The first 400 was in 1:21/ MAX HR 132. 800 in 2:45/ MAX HR 140. The mile was 5:40 with a MAX HR of 143. This didn't feel easy because my legs are trashed, but I also think my LT is terrible right now- a product of MAF only training (I am running at a higher percentage of my LT when I'm at MAF because my LT is lower- one flaw in the MAF methodology is that it doesn't take in to account an individuals lactate threshold). If I was an Ironman then I would be plenty pleased, but for the marathon (and my goal time) LT is critical. I also need to spend the next ~7 weeks working on my top end speed with 100, 200, and 300m repetitions at my 1 mile race effort. In order for me to hold my goal marathon pace I need a certain level of top end speed because a marathoner can only hold a certain percentage of his max. If my PR in the mile was 5:30 then it would be impossible for me to hold 5:30 pace for 26 miles.. .or even 5:40 or 5:50 pace.
And by the way... Led Zeppelin is one of the top 3 bands of all time.
17 comments:
"Led Zeppelin is one of the top 3 bands of all time."
That goes without saying... ;-p
You're right Ward. Sadly though, I pointed that out because I just discovered Led Zeppelin this year! I've never really listened to them before. Isn't that sad!? Better late than never though.
Cheers
When I played in a band in HS, all I wanted to play was Jimmy Page and the Edge. I still do when I play that guitar in the basement.
Your second paragraph I think highlights some of the questions I have had about MAF training. I think this post is spot on in hitting, build, recover, build with MAF, top off with speed, recover.
Sorry I missed you guys this AM but I needed to stay close to the nest to get our 11yo off to a week long river trip.
KW - let me know when you want to start to do some hills for Pikes.
Chuck- I still have U2 as my #1. Their longevity has been incredible, up there with the Stones. I think if I had seen Led in concert I may think differently. Damn close. Apples and oranges though. Led has a quality second to none for their style.
And Tool would round out my top 3.. far and away the most thought inspiring lyrics... I think you would really dig their message.
Gotta agree with placing Tool in the top three. I'm a recent convert, though. I used to put them on my ipod for motivation during tempo runs, not because the music pumped me up, but because I hated them so much it would make me run faster. That is, of course, until I really started to "listen" to them and not just "hear" the music. Very good stuff.
Arguing about musical taste is tough, like politics and religion. But dude, U2 is not even in the same league as Zepplin. Edge would be lucky to carry Jimmy's guitar.
Longevity, you mean Zepplin right?
U2's going on 30 years and still putting songs on the charts with over 30 albums to date. Led went from '68-'80.. less than half the life of U2 and put out 9 albums.. the longevity seems to be in favor of U2?
Plant was never nominated for his humanitarian work and trying to bring peace to the world through his fame. Bono has worked outside of music which I include as part of why I like them.
And an unsolicited cheap shot- U2 was never sued for plagiarism.
It's impossible to compare Page and Edge's guitar abilities. They play an entirely different style of music.. Johnny Cash can't match Hendrix, but I like Cash better... who I saw in concert (for one song) with none other than U2.
This discussion could go on and on.. And vanilla ice cream is the best too! Take that ;)
Tim, you just discovered Zep? Oh no. I hope you can recover. I agree with Chuckie. The best. My uncle saw them in '69. They closed with Whole Lotta Love. The place was like a church afterwards, fans filing-out of the building in silence - Zep fans!. Pretty sick he said.
I just discovered U2, really. One Tree Hill is on my ipod thanks to you.
Ramble On . . .
Not bad, I actually count 14 Zepplin albums. Of those 14 albums 3 of them are in the top 50 all time album sales, #3,19,46 with 24,16,12 million respectivly. Not any of U2 albums are in the top 50.
U2 has won more Grammies 22 vs 1. But I think that has as much or more to do with MTV and a pop band vs no MTV and a rock band. Right back at ya :)
what Cash song?
thanks for the run this morning and the words of wisdom!
there is however a little part of me that hopes that you are wrong about my MAF fitness returning so quickly - and that would be my house, followed quickly by my car ;). and since you have seen my car, you must be pretty sure about what you're saying!!
I'm with you on the vanilla ice cream
Brfoot- I'm Luke to your Yoda on the Zep issue!I'll be learning though. The Grammy's don't count in my opinion to determine a good band. Zep should be proud of that stat.
Kerrie- I don't remember the song but it was a Cash song with Bono and Johnny doing a duet. At the time I didn't know who the "old guy" was(!)
GZ- What questions? I think my next phase of training will be right up your alley and more in line with your methodology.. I think we only differ in opinions regarding the "base" phase.
First, I am going to preface this as I have in the past: you have thought about the science of training a lot more than I have, you have researched it more, and fwiw, you have performed at a higher level.
That said, my wondering about MAF has nearly always been with the hints of exclusivity of not exceeding MAF HR for the base period. I realize that I have struggled with that concept for personal reasons - mostly being that I never have put in a big "exclusive" base phase. I have probably gotten worked up about that issue too much. Even in such a phase, I've felt it was necessary to include "other" work to maintain some degree of pace development. So I beleive in base, but I have always invaded the base with this other work you mention in this post.
I get and understand the need to separate the two to some degree. At least I think I get it.
That said, I still wonder how one builds faster pace speed (like the faster mile), or perhaps maintains it, while building that monster aerobic engine.
That said, after a break in late August through mid September, I am expecting to be simply basing it for a while (well, unless there is some guy in front of me running in jeans then my childish ego might get the best of me).
Finally ... if I implied that there was some comparasion I was making b/w U2 and Led Zep, I wasn't. I was just saying I dug both of the guitarists a lot that I was trying to emulate both. Totally different sounds, and I was always too poor back then to get all the pedals the Edge had so I ended up playing more Page (albeit poorly). But now my guitar is the Gibson SG (Angus Young).
I agree about the grammies, and I do like U2.May the force blablabla
Brfoot.. I never said I liked you. HA!
I thought that was funny.
I thought about the U2-you too joke to late. I'm not quite Chuckie clever like that.
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