My first year of serious ultra running (well...running as a sport in general) I was fortunate enough to have someone help me with base building by introducing me to Low Heart Rate Training (LHRT) and it definitely helped prepare me for my first 50 mile event. Unfortunately I took the advice to a T and ignored some of the heavier work I had been doing (heavy kettlebell training) and lost some strength as well. This past year I have been gradually building back strength and my speed at it's best - but on a return visit to LHRT yesterday I was shocked to find that I couldn't keep my HR under 140. So maybe some base building again? It would be a good idea. Yet I'm not sure I want to take it to the extreme of a few years ago. Strength works stays. I have found a template that works well for me right now and don't wish to tamper with it. I also don't wish to lose speed even in the short term. This is what Triathlete Marc Allen calls his "patience phase" of training and it's understandable. I'm just not sure I'm willing to be that patient. It would be the difference of a 3.5 hour long run and a 5 hour run - or even more. I will be doing 30 mile training runs to prep for the 100 and even at my fastest that would be time consuming. So I'm assessing and re-assing my training. A recent purchase was John L. Parker's book on Heart Monitor Training and he as some different numbers to go by that may be more manageable and even has speed and tempo work as well. Basically it's a hard/easy philosophy to technically I could run a "hard" long run at a higher HR and pace if I make sure I follow it with my baseline LHR run. So that's what I'm thinking now and wanted to share. Thanks for reading!
Eric
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