Ironman training: running with a metronome

Recently I’d heard a lot of good things about running with a metronome. Fall of 2011 I purchased a Seiko electronic metronome to try it for myself.

I was worried the metronome I purchased wouldn’t be loud enough for me to hear while running if it was windy, if I was breathing heavy, or talking with someone during exercise but it is plenty loud. There’s 3 volume settings, and I use the middle setting. The loudest is way too noisy for what I use it for: running

The very first day of running with my metronome I fell in love with it. My average pace increased forty five seconds per mile without seeing an increase of my heart rate.

Where I find the greatest improvement is with my endurance! With my metronome I can run FOREVER without seeming to tire! I can run at a faster pace with less fatigue. The longer the run the more the metronome helps. I’ve also found that I can increase my run volume without increasing fatigue or needing more recovery time. Since adopting this new training tool I’ve had visions of grander for my Ironman this September.

Through trial and error I’ve found the perfect pace for my running is 177 foot strikes a minute.

Up until recently I thought the metronome was the perfect running tool with no down sides. There is a down side to a metronome. Last week I ran without my metronome for the first time since last fall. Without the metronome I fell apart on my run. Apparently I’ve become dependant on it. Without it I was running slowly and became tired very quickly.

I’ve decided to take a new approach for Ironman run training this season. I’ll run with my metronome on my long run days so that I can get maximum endurance benefits with as little fatigue as possible. But I’m going to run without it the rest of the week so that I don’t become dependant running with it. I’ll post the results of this new approach to Ironman run
training here on my blog as I see how it works for me.

Thanks for tuning in!

Ironman Arizona Taper time

On Friday I completed my last long run at my favorite run course, Ranch Viejo sub division. Rancho Viejo is located just south of the Santa Fe community college. I ran 3 times around the outer trail surrounding the subdivision, each lap is a 6.3 mile challenging loop with lots of hills and glorious views. After the run I felt great. I was amazed at how great I felt! This year my long distance running has been at an all time best! I can run longer and faster than ever before. I ran 19.3 miles with less fatigue I'd normally experience running for only two hours!

Then on Saturday I completed my longest brick of the year. I rode my bike from the Santa Fe Rail Runner 550 station into Albuquerque via Highway 14, then to the Sandia Casino, then back up to Paseo Del Norte & Wyoming. 77 miles total. From there I threw on my run shoes and took my 6 year old daughter with me on her bike for a run. She and I went 6.1 miles keeping a 10 minute per mile pace. My baby girl is a cycling animal! I can’t wait until she’s old enough to compete in some junior cycling races. She'll kill it!

On the bike portion of my brick I averaged just shy of 14 MPH. The reason for me riding so slow is my triathlon bike was destroyed in September, I’m now riding on an old, slow, off brand road bike. It’s 2-3 mph slower than my triathlon bike. Don’t get me wrong, I love my road bike regardless of how slow it is. I’m grateful to have this bike to use as a spare. A slow bike is better than no bike!

long brick days equal big calorie days!

I did my 1st two back to back long brick workouts since my bike accident in early Sept. Friday I did a 67 mile bike ride and a 6.2 mile run, I burned a total of4,444 calories, my metabolic rate is currently 3,200 calories a day, so I was able to eat 7,644 calories without worrying about gaining any weight!

Yesterday I did a 14 mile bike followed by a16.5 mile run, I burned 2,411 calories, so I'll be able to eat 5,611 guilt free calories! I love long training days!

Those 2 training days were a gut check. I was hurting at the half way point. By the end I was slow and tired. Very slow. Very tired. Considering I haven't done a dang thing since early Sept I did surprisingly well. I've decided to attempt racing Ironman Arizona on Nov 20th. Because I was unable to train for 2 months and I'm now riding an old, heavy, off brand road bike I doubt I'll be able to break my Ironman PR of 14 hours 37 minutes. I'll just be happy to just finish by the Ironman cut off time of 17 hours.

Wish me luck, I'm going to need it!

Iron training

I completed my long run today on a hilly trail. I did the entire 13.2 mile trail run in Z-2 & completed it in 2hrs 8 minutes. Considering my speed was limited because I was pretty impressed with my time which is really making me pumped up about my upcoming 5430 half Iron in Aug & REALLY pumped up about my IMAZ in Nov. I know I've said this before, still feels sereal, my coach told me I could go under 13 hrs at IMAZ. That really motivated me, but I wasn't sure how true that could be. I mean going 13 hrs less than a year after an Iron DNF? I looked at a triathlon pace calculator tday and realized it is very accomplishable.

Lets say I finish the swim in 1 hr 45 minutes. That's a conservative # & easily accomplishable for me. I'll probably go more around 1:30.

My biking has improved vastly. So also being conservative here, lets say I keep up a 16.5 MPH on the bike I'll finish the bike in 6:47. I'd be at 8hrs 20 minutes including the 2 transition times.

That means to go sub 13hrs I only have to run a 10:43 pace for the marathon. That would be a 4 hr 40 minute marathon. I believe that will be pretty easy at my new lower body weight.

Dang I'm pumped up this year! I'm back down to 190 pounds. 1 more to go before I get to my pre-Buffman & Squeaky weight. 15 more pounds from my ultimate Iron goal weight of 175. I believe this will be a good year for triathlon my friends.