In the Zone...Maybe Not

 A month has gone by and I am down 18lbs and I feel so much more comfortable.  I have been riding Zwift about an hour a day and walking or yogging with Cash too. I even managed to pick up a bug in between that knocked me down for a week or so.  I did manage a short ride or walk at a low intensity all but one day while I was sick, but now I am back to my old ass baseline and just in time too. 

I, on a whim applied for a FREE RunDot training program for 2 months and surprisingly was accepted.  It started this Tuesday, so I guess as of 2/18 I am "in-training." I modified it to low for training type as I only want to run 3-4 times/week right now.  It's only been 4-5 years since I really gave up running, but it didn't take long to make a 9:00-10:00min/mile feel like a 100 yard dash.  I am struggling with the  apps zones as zone 2 for pace is about a 10:15-9:25 mile, but the HR is only 108-139 and while I can run that pace it requires my HR to be north of 150 beats per minute.  Hopefully as I continue to run these targets will better align.  

Yesterday I was to run 10 min warm-up (zone 2 which is 11:29-13:05/mile or HR between 108-139) and then 4x6min (zone 4 which is 9:26-10:15/mile or HR of 160-167) with 1 min Z2 recoveries.  My splits were as follows....1 - 10:10/mile, 2 - 10:10/mile, 3 - 9:51/mile and 4 - 9:31/mile, so all average times were in zone 4, but the details tell a bit of a different story here...

PACE ZONES: 

HEART RATE ZONES:

The app doesn't seem to take into account up hills or downhills or "drift" for pace and heart rate.  I was unable to get my HR back down to Z2 "jogging" even walking took almost a minute to get it under 139.  My body is just rebelling with a WTF attitude screaming it no longer makes changes that fast.  I'd like to blame Cash pulling and zig-zagging (less than ever but still an additional variable to deal with) contributing to my poor pacing and HR management but ultimately this is more evidence to my lack of fitness.  

Overall I am enjoying the time on my feet again.  I always enjoy training more than the actual event I am targeting.  I also get to spend time with Cash trying to teach him to run on the leash and that we are a team.  He's getting better every day (not sure about me - this old dog isn't learning any new tricks) and I love to see him trotting along looking at all the squirrels and other things he'd like to sniff or chase.  Hopefully, we can find a few inexpensive races that allow dogs to  jump into together.  One of my goals is to break 30 min in the 5K with him.  We are going to visit my family in Wisconsin and I am hoping to do the Evergreen 5k with him if it's not too hot.  Last year it was 65* at the start but the course was unshaded and even with a water stop at the half way point, he was foaming at the mouth the last 1/2 mile and I forced us to walk.  Hopefully, this year will hold some master's PRs for me with and without the money man.

Jan 13-19th:  Run/Walk  - 21.8M / Ride - 56.87M

Jan 20-26: Run/Walk - 17.62M / Ride - 71.09M

Jan 27-Feb 2: Run/Walk - 14.22 - / Ride - 90.97M

Feb 3-9: Run/Walk -16.84M / Ride - 35.88M

Feb 10-16: Run/Walk - 14.87M / Ride - 68.96M

Feb 17-23 (start of run training): Run/Walk -17.18M / Ride - 73.50M, but getting ready to head out for a bit after this entry