Last week I promised real numbers. Here's my first full week back, straight from Strava: Monday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1.
The week at a glance
Running: 5 runs, 20.9 miles, 3:52:39 of moving time, 11:08 per mile average
Walking: 2 walks, 2.1 miles
Total: 23.0 miles, about 4 hours 37 minutes on my feet, 1,358 feet of climbing
Longest run: 6.35 miles on Saturday
Day by day
Day | Activity | Distance | Time | Pace | Elevation | Avg / Max HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mon 10/26 | Treadmill run | 3.51 mi | 38:51 | 11:03/mi | 0 ft | 149 / 175 |
Tue 10/27 | Treadmill run | 3.40 mi | 35:03 | 10:18/mi | 0 ft | 182 / 207 |
Thu 10/29 | Run | 4.22 mi | 47:26 | 11:14/mi | 535 ft | 163 / 192 |
Thu 10/29 | Walk | 1.06 mi | 23:47 | 22:31/mi | 574 ft | 161 / 202 |
Fri 10/30 | Walk | 1.04 mi | 20:07 | 19:20/mi | 138 ft | 145 / 166 |
Sat 10/31 | Treadmill run | 6.35 mi | 1:14:39 | 11:45/mi | 0 ft | 150 / 165 |
Sun 11/1 | Run | 3.41 mi | 36:40 | 10:45/mi | 112 ft | 149 / 196 |
What jumps out
Tuesday was the outlier. My fastest run of the week, 10:18 per mile, came with an average heart rate of 182 and a peak of 207. That's the same red flag I wrote about in my first post. Pushing pace on back-to-back days still costs me far more than it should.
Saturday was the best sign. My longest run of the week, 6.35 miles, averaged 150 bpm and never went above 165. Slowing down to 11:45 per mile let me run nearly twice as far with a much calmer heart rate.
Easy days need to stay easy. Monday, Saturday and Sunday all averaged 149 to 150 bpm. The two days I pushed harder, Tuesday and Thursday, averaged 163 and 182. The gap between those numbers is the whole lesson for week one.
The plan for next week
Keep most runs at Saturday's effort, add a rest day between harder efforts, and keep watching the heart rate spikes. If those 200-plus readings keep showing up, a chest strap and a conversation with my doctor come next.
A note on the numbers: heart rate sensors can spike during runs, so treat single peaks with some caution.
If you're tracking your own comeback, hit reply and tell me what your first week looked like.
Hugh