Following My Heart

Running

I get panic attacks, not very often, and only under specific circumstances.  Basically, I have to be tired and feeling stressed.  And strangely, they can come in two forms, either the heart pounding, I'm going to die kind, or a gastric variety that results in an emetic response.  I at first thought the second type was food poisoning, but I began to recognize  a pattern, new environment, tired, and large meal.

I've learned to manage these fairly well and I thought running would also be another tool to keep these from occurring.  I've gotten so good at anticipating and managing, that I can almost always stop them before they get out of control.

I then started thinking about the root of panic attacks.  Panic attacks are actually also known as anxiety reactions and part of our normal stress response system, a part of the autonomic nervous system called the sympathetic division.  It is also referred to as the "fight-or-flight" response.  Well doesn't running equal flight?

This made me wonder if my heart rate was part of my running slow problem.  Perhaps when I start running my heart speeds up before I actually hit my aerobic maximum endurance and this is limiting the length of time I can run at faster speeds.  I know, I'm grasping at straws here, but that is how my mind is, it keeps picking away at a problem looking for a solution.

The other event that got me thinking about heart rate was stumbling upon the Maffetone formula.  This is old news for most runners.  I recently encountered it while perusing running blogs about maximum aerobic fitness.  The basic ideas is that you do all of your training to increase your aerobic base by keeping your heart rate at a level based on this formula of 180-your age, with some modifications.

So a couple of weeks ago I ordered a Garmin FR70.

Having a heart rate monitor is interesting.  I love data, and this gives me something to think about, monitor, and attempt to control while running.  It potentially will reduce my risk of over doing my training.  In fact, I've learned that I really had been pushing myself pretty hard in my effort to go faster.  I wonder if I will learn some biofeedback this way?

I'm not completely following the Maffetone training method.  I still have a day that I do interval training to increase speed and a day that I do incline training to increase strength.

Still, I think it may have already paid off in that I had an interval training session where I managed 1:1 ratio of 5.3mph:6.8mph for 25 minutes after a 5 minute warm-up.

I also got rid of a "long run" as I am doing two 12 mile runs and a 10.5 mile run at aerobic capacity.  Yesterday I wasn't able to keep my heart rate under the aerobic threshold for the final mile in a 12 mile run and had to run-walk the last bit.  This provides me with a new goal, and I love goals.

Last week I ran a total 2.5+6.22+12+3.2+12=35.92.  This is less than my target of 40 miles due to not being able to run on Thursday.

Culinary

Not much to talk about here.  I made some tomato risotto using more seasoned and ground pork.

I love kimchi on an omelet filled with almost anything, but it is particularly good with smoked salmon and cheddar in the omelet.