High-Octane

Good stuff on the low heart rate miles. I believe in those kinds of workouts.

Yea...I'm still trying to figure out the heart rate thing....where It should be at what distance and pace to be able to lower my times and finish strong. It seems to be going down the more I run but not as fast as I want it to. I also seem to not do as well when I lay off a day. I'm trying to run three longer days a week (10 m), one medium day (6.6 m) and three recover days (5 m). When I miss a day it seems to be harder that next day...? Maybe it's just age...don't know.

My low heart rate times respond slowly, but I think I progress faster overall by being content to run for a number of months in that same zone that you are in. I think over time I also build up some resistance to injury by running a lot of slow miles.

Hope you don't mind me picking your brain with a few (possibly dumb) questions but it seems you know a lot about this kind of stuff. My resting heart rate is 35, my max. heart rate is 183 (max. I've measured it). My typical medium run (6 - 7 miles) to long run (10 to 15 miles) my heart rate averages about 155 to 160. Does that seem about what it should be?

I'm no expert and I am a pretty average runner, but I am very free with my opinions! Your heart rates are pretty similar to mine, probably a little lower. (I got it up to 193 once but usually by mid-180s I am ready to quit; and my resting is mid-40s, not mid-30s like yours.) My low heart rate training zone appears to be identical to yours, 125-132. I have discovered by trial and error that I can sustain a marathon by running at or below 160 for the first 10, then 160-165 for the next 5, 165-170 for the next 5, then going all out (170-180) for the last 10K. So when I am getting close to a marathon, I try to train in the 160-170 range and it seems to help quite a bit in "topping off the tank", but I don't know if it works to do that over a long period of time. I think to significantly increase my speed (as opposed to endurance) I have to train in the 170-180 range. (Today I hit 183.) And to increase my endurance (which happens slowly) I like to train in the low heart rate zone. So when I am not getting ready for a marathon, my current plan is to run hard (170-180) or easy (125-132) (a lot more easy than hard); except for the long run, where I usually try to play around with marathon pacing at least part of the run.

So looking at your statistics, I would say those heart rates (155-160) are just right to prepare for a marathon, otherwise perhaps consider bumping it up by 10 bpm for fast running and do lots of slow stuff like you did today.

Sorry for the long reply!

Thanks for the great advice. That all makes sense. Obviously I'm not in near the good shape you are in. I can't sustain above 160 for a long period of time...maybe 3 or 4 miles after during a long run for me. My longest run has been 20 m about a week ago and at the end I was pretty drained. I think I'm going to run in Livestrong Austin Half Marithon on Feb. 20 but I'm really feeling nervous about it. Guess I should just do it....No expectation since "I just run".!

You are probably underestimating the shape you are in. Your 20-miler was run at an overall pace which was about the same as my last two marathons, and you didn't have much of a fade at the end. Plus, your 5K and mile times are significantly faster. Not to say a good time for me is a good time for you, but your progress look great from where I am sitting.