Why Runtastic?
First off, I need to declare that this experiment is completely of my own volition. I am not being rewarded financially or in-kind by Runtastic or Adidas. Apart from receiving the one-year premium subscription for free, the only benefit I will receive from this is from my own sweat equity.
I was musing a few years ago about switching to a new device and was doing a lot of reading about the Adidas mi Coach. At the time I was doing a bunch of reading and research about run cadence and wanted something with a foot pod. I had tried the Nike+ system and was reasonably pleased with it. I had a bunch of Garmin Forerunners - all of which I liked - and thought about picking up one of the Garmin SDMn (n = 1, 2, 3 or 4) models. All were compatible with the Forerunners I had at the time.
I was surfing Kijiji and found a Garmin SDM4 for sale, as well as a miCoach wrist unit and footpod for nearly the same price. I created a miCoach account, downloaded the app and poked around the app and website as extensively as I could without having the devices connected, and I was pretty impressed. What drove me to buy the Garmin footpod was the fact that I didn't want to have to start over with w new system. I had already done that years ago when I switched from Polar to Garmin, and partially so when I received a TomTom Runner as a gift. Once I had the new (to me) footpod, I didn't give miCoach a second thought, that is until I received a message from them in February...
In February Adidas replaced its miCoach service with Runtastic - a €220 million acquisition they made in August, 2015. Apparently, everyone with a miCoach account received a one-year premium subscription to the Runtastic system. Now I'm a guy who gets a lot out of the free subscriptions to fitness services (Strava, RunKeeper, DailyRunner, etc.), as well as the services offered by the device manufacturers (Garmin Connect and TomTomMySports), and have not really considered signing up for any service as a "Premium Member." That being said, now that I had this subscription come to me, I didn't want to let it go to waste.
The Experiment
My plan was (and is) to exclusively use as many of the apps/services in the Runtastic system until the subscription runs out. As I said in a previous post, I am pretty much done with training for running by just running and also want to have better all-around fitness. This means having a healthy balance of resistance training and cardio. Since run streak was halted in January due to illness, I had not done any exercise and needed to get busy doing something... anything. These two realities (premium level fitness offering and complete lack of fitness) were colliding.
The Plan
The first thing I did was download all of the apps and log in with my miCoach credentials (I can't believe that I remembered them.) I also logged in on the Runtastic web site. I will admit at this point that I did not have any real method to assess the Runtastic system; my plan was to start with the Runtastic Results app - the one app that seems to be the hub for everything else Runtastic - and then build out from there. The web site also aggregates all of the data collected through the various apps and presents everything in a common view. I ran through the premium benefits that are available to me and was presented with an opportunity to build a custom 12-week workout plan, starting with a fitness test.
As I was completely out of shape, the fitness test was tortuous, but I made it through. I was put through four exercises and I had the record how many reps I could do. At the end, I was presented with my plan where I could choose how many days per week I wanted to work out and I could commit to a certain number of minutes of cardio, which is measured through the Runtastic app. On days when I ride or run, I use the Runstastic PushUps app for a bit of pre- or post-activity strength training. I plan to install PullUps, SitUps and Squats apps down the road. In addition, I want to see if I can pair my phone with the Bluetooth heart rate strap that came with the TomTom runner. If so, I should be able to add heart rate monitoring to all of the Runtastic apps that support it (most likely Runtastic and Runtastic Results).
I just recently noticed that "free" training plans are a premium benefit, something Runtastic has in common with other services. (They are "free" because you pay for the subscription, hence not really free.) I just signed up for a half marathon plan that ends on September 17, which happens to be race day for the Army Run. When I selected the plan, it only presented me with three possible end dates. I would prefer to select my own race day. That ought to be fixed.
My Impressions So Far
The thing that impresses me the most is how well the system is integrated. The apps call home well and work well with each other. I don't find that I have to go to one app for a particular piece of information and another app for other information. Results has everything in one timeline. That being said, it is a bit of a closed system. I can connect it with Google Fit and Apple Health, but there are no options for connecting to other activity tracking apps outside the system (e.g. Strava). I can export activity data in .gpx and import it into Garmin Connect and Strava, but it is a manual process.
Another thing I like is that it works with my Pebble watch. With the announcement last December that Pebble has been subsumed by Fitbit, I know that the writing is on the wall for Pebble and that support has already started to disappear. Strava hitched their wagon to the Apple Watch and don't offer Pebble connectivity from iOS. The Pebble connectivity with Runtastic is flawless.
I need to log in to the Runtastic app every time I open it. I don't need to do this with Results or PushUps, and I have no idea why things are different with Runtastic. It's not a defect per se, but it is annoying and I think this also ought to be fixed.
UPDATE (May 24, 2017): This has been fixed. My first ticket with Runtastic support ended when the support agent wrote that the issue has been escalated to the Product Managers and marked the ticket as 'Solved', which was a bit odd since the issue was not 'Solved.' After advertising this blog post on Twitter, Runtastic replied, asking me to register another ticket. I did and the helpful agent informed me that the issue was indeed resolved and that I would need to completely uninstall the app from my phone and re-install. That worked and I can now stay logged in. Thanks, Runtastic!
I have found many other systems do not allow for mixing strength training with cardio in one place. In the past, I would go to one app to do strength training and the results would be stored there, and then use other app (or apps) to ride or run or ski or snowshoe and store the results there. Perhaps there are apps out there that will aggregate the data, but I haven't found a good one. The upside of a closed well-integrated system is that this is possible and the data is well aggregated and unified in presentation; the downside is that one is forced to completely buy-in to the closed system or manage fitness data in a collection of disparate (best-of-breed) systems.
Next Steps
The first step is to complete the 12-week program to see where that takes me. I have committed to 90 minutes of cardio each week (3x30min sessions). My hope is that I will be leaner and in decent running shape by the August. I am also considering doing a half or full marathon in late Autumn, but I am remaining cautious on that.
Once I start seeing measurable results, I will post them. In the mean time, I recommend giving Runtastic a try.
Showing posts with label hrm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hrm. Show all posts
Monday, May 1, 2017
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Run Ottawa Run Streak - Days 19 and 20
Day 20
NOTE: While this is Day 20 of the Run Ottawa running Streak, this is also Day 80 of my personal streak. Not too shabby.
I managed to get outside today and it was a totally different experience than late last week and Monday. The path by the Canal was ploughed, making it much wider and scraping off the top layer of slippery, grimy snow. It was definitely warmer than yesterday and the wind was noticeable, but slight. I wore the New Balance 3090's again and the new shoes are starting to break in. I felt little intermittent aches and pains in my feet, but they disappeared as I progressed through the run.
While I was on the treadmill last night, I realized that I have been running too slow. Because consistency has been the goal for the past few months, my focus has been on injury avoidance, and I haven't been paying attention to pace or HR. To be clear, I have noticed that my average pace is increasing and my average HR is decreasing for runs over the same routes, but I have not been training with a specific pace or HR zone in mind. Today I selected the scheduled workout on my new Forerunner from my Garmin Connect plan and did 45 easy minutes. During the run, I held a pace that I could have held for much longer, but my Forerunner was chirping at me constantly. Either I have the zones wrong, or I need to slow down a bit, although I can't imagine running much slower.
The new Forerunner... The other day I purchased a new-to-me Garmin Forerunner 610. It was a great bargain on Kijiji at $75 for nearly new device with premium HR strap, charger and ANT+ USB stick. I got it home and did a master reset - something you must do immediately and before you pair the device with Garmin Express - and a thorough wash of the HR strap. The strap came out like new. I registered my device with Garmin Express (and Garmin Connect) to install the latest version of the firmware and download all of my profile information. My only other configuration change was to switch the recording interval from Smart Recording to 1 second recording. I wanted to see how it would do out-of-the-box. Bracing myself to have a myriad of things go wrong on the first run with it, the device picked up the HR transmitter and footpod immediately. Even in downtown Ottawa, getting a lock on the satellites was very quick. Connectivity with my 310XT would have been impossible where I was standing and was taking up to 5 minutes in an area with decent line-of-sight to the heavens. HR recording was smooth; no spikes. This was probably the smoothest transition to a new device that I have ever experienced. I plan on switching to this device for the foreseeable future. I like it that much.
In the past I have owned the following Forerunners: 201, 305, 110, 310XT, 405. I still have the 305, 310XT and 610 (obviously). The 305 and 310XT are arguably the most full-featured devices that Garmin ever produced. For running, the 610 comes surprisingly close.
Day 19
When lunchtime rolled around, I looked at the temperature (-28C with the wind chill) and at the pile of clothes I was going to put on, and I said, "No way." I just didn't feel like putting on however many layers of clothes I brought with me to fight a stiff northwesterly wind. I decided that getting on the treadmill in the evening, yet again, was my fate. When I got time to actually hit the treadmill, I started thinking that I should not just be shuffling along for the duration of the workout just to check the box. I need to be more intentional about it. I imagined what kind of training I should be doing in order to prepare for the trail races I have in the Summer, and started remembering what we did in cross country practices back in high school. The focus was always on hills and high knees; therefore, I decided to do the hilliest pre-set workout on the treadmill, which was the one I have been doing most often, with high knees. The difference in the quality of the exercise was tremendous. My average HR was 10bpm higher than normal, and my posture was much better, even though I had the X-Files going on my tablet. (For those keeping score at home: Season 3, episode 4, starring a very young Jack Black). If/when I have to go back to the treadmill, I will approach it the same way I did tonight.
NOTE: While this is Day 20 of the Run Ottawa running Streak, this is also Day 80 of my personal streak. Not too shabby.
I managed to get outside today and it was a totally different experience than late last week and Monday. The path by the Canal was ploughed, making it much wider and scraping off the top layer of slippery, grimy snow. It was definitely warmer than yesterday and the wind was noticeable, but slight. I wore the New Balance 3090's again and the new shoes are starting to break in. I felt little intermittent aches and pains in my feet, but they disappeared as I progressed through the run.
While I was on the treadmill last night, I realized that I have been running too slow. Because consistency has been the goal for the past few months, my focus has been on injury avoidance, and I haven't been paying attention to pace or HR. To be clear, I have noticed that my average pace is increasing and my average HR is decreasing for runs over the same routes, but I have not been training with a specific pace or HR zone in mind. Today I selected the scheduled workout on my new Forerunner from my Garmin Connect plan and did 45 easy minutes. During the run, I held a pace that I could have held for much longer, but my Forerunner was chirping at me constantly. Either I have the zones wrong, or I need to slow down a bit, although I can't imagine running much slower.
The new Forerunner... The other day I purchased a new-to-me Garmin Forerunner 610. It was a great bargain on Kijiji at $75 for nearly new device with premium HR strap, charger and ANT+ USB stick. I got it home and did a master reset - something you must do immediately and before you pair the device with Garmin Express - and a thorough wash of the HR strap. The strap came out like new. I registered my device with Garmin Express (and Garmin Connect) to install the latest version of the firmware and download all of my profile information. My only other configuration change was to switch the recording interval from Smart Recording to 1 second recording. I wanted to see how it would do out-of-the-box. Bracing myself to have a myriad of things go wrong on the first run with it, the device picked up the HR transmitter and footpod immediately. Even in downtown Ottawa, getting a lock on the satellites was very quick. Connectivity with my 310XT would have been impossible where I was standing and was taking up to 5 minutes in an area with decent line-of-sight to the heavens. HR recording was smooth; no spikes. This was probably the smoothest transition to a new device that I have ever experienced. I plan on switching to this device for the foreseeable future. I like it that much.
In the past I have owned the following Forerunners: 201, 305, 110, 310XT, 405. I still have the 305, 310XT and 610 (obviously). The 305 and 310XT are arguably the most full-featured devices that Garmin ever produced. For running, the 610 comes surprisingly close.
Day 19
When lunchtime rolled around, I looked at the temperature (-28C with the wind chill) and at the pile of clothes I was going to put on, and I said, "No way." I just didn't feel like putting on however many layers of clothes I brought with me to fight a stiff northwesterly wind. I decided that getting on the treadmill in the evening, yet again, was my fate. When I got time to actually hit the treadmill, I started thinking that I should not just be shuffling along for the duration of the workout just to check the box. I need to be more intentional about it. I imagined what kind of training I should be doing in order to prepare for the trail races I have in the Summer, and started remembering what we did in cross country practices back in high school. The focus was always on hills and high knees; therefore, I decided to do the hilliest pre-set workout on the treadmill, which was the one I have been doing most often, with high knees. The difference in the quality of the exercise was tremendous. My average HR was 10bpm higher than normal, and my posture was much better, even though I had the X-Files going on my tablet. (For those keeping score at home: Season 3, episode 4, starring a very young Jack Black). If/when I have to go back to the treadmill, I will approach it the same way I did tonight.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Running Streak - Day 44
When I checked the temperature in the morning, it was 9C with moderate winds and a "feels like" of 6C, which would have been great. As it turns out, my 1:00PM, when I started my run, it was 5C with strong winds (gusts of up to 35km/h) and a "feels like" of 0C. Sadly, I didn't check before I left and dressed for the morning conditions. It wasn't horrible, but man, in shorts, long sleeve shirt and vest, it felt cold.
Since there was nothing on the plan for me today and the 6 day delay had passed for the next Zombies, Run! mission had passed, I decided to let the mission parameters dictate the duration of the run: 41 minutes, no problem. I ran an out-and-back on the Ottawa River again, getting to just past Parkdale before turning around. The curious thing is that I ran almost the same distance as yesterday - I even turned around at the same set of benches - and yesterday it felt much more difficult. When I checked the data at the end of the run, I ran only 5 seconds slower per kilometer than my average pace yesterday. 5:42min/km shouldn't feel much different than 5:36, but it did. I can't explain it.
Another weird thing is that I had no HR data from the run. I guess the transmitter on the strap never connected to the receiver in the watch. It would have been great to have HR data to compare the effort between the two runs. After the run was over today, I stopped the workout and put it into Treadmill mode as I walked around the building*. The connectivity was fine. Again, I can't explain the problem.
* I discovered that if I have it in Treadmill mode and don't start a workout, I can see my HR in BPM, which is really useful in recovery as I walk around to cool down. My HR isn't visible in Run mode before starting a workout.
Since there was nothing on the plan for me today and the 6 day delay had passed for the next Zombies, Run! mission had passed, I decided to let the mission parameters dictate the duration of the run: 41 minutes, no problem. I ran an out-and-back on the Ottawa River again, getting to just past Parkdale before turning around. The curious thing is that I ran almost the same distance as yesterday - I even turned around at the same set of benches - and yesterday it felt much more difficult. When I checked the data at the end of the run, I ran only 5 seconds slower per kilometer than my average pace yesterday. 5:42min/km shouldn't feel much different than 5:36, but it did. I can't explain it.
Another weird thing is that I had no HR data from the run. I guess the transmitter on the strap never connected to the receiver in the watch. It would have been great to have HR data to compare the effort between the two runs. After the run was over today, I stopped the workout and put it into Treadmill mode as I walked around the building*. The connectivity was fine. Again, I can't explain the problem.
* I discovered that if I have it in Treadmill mode and don't start a workout, I can see my HR in BPM, which is really useful in recovery as I walk around to cool down. My HR isn't visible in Run mode before starting a workout.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Running Streak - Days 41 and 42
I'm going to combine the blog entry for days 41 and 42 because the runs were identical in every respect: 20 minutes on the treadmill using the same pre-set hill workout starting at 11:30PM. The weather outside was beautiful. It was mostly cloudy and 14C on Saturday; 5C on Sunday. I took advantage of the good weather to get some work done in the yard and on the outside of the house that didn't get done in the Summer. That work, coupled with other prior commitments, meant that I would be on the treadmill late at night again, which is no big deal, except that I'm starting to feel tired.
I discovered that my Forerunner 310XT is simply not suited to running indoors. It is taking a long time to "boot" up and there is no Indoor Mode that other models have. Saturday's run was captured as having happened on April 1, 2007. In its defense, a hard reset is probably long overdue. Periodic hard/soft resets are, in my opinion, a critical part of maintaining these devices (from all manufacturers). I can't explain it; I have just come to accept it. An interesting finding... There was no HR spike when using the Garmin. I forgot the chest strap for the other run where I used the Tomtom.
I calculated how many days that this streak is supposed to run. I cannot believe, given my nature, that I had not done this earlier. November 2 to January 1 is 61 days, inclusive, which means that, as of today, I am now 2/3 of the way. My Sunday School class thinks I should extend the streak to 100 days, with a new end date of February 9. I'm not making the call right now, but with 41 runs behind me and no ill effects, 100 days is looking awfully tempting.
I discovered that my Forerunner 310XT is simply not suited to running indoors. It is taking a long time to "boot" up and there is no Indoor Mode that other models have. Saturday's run was captured as having happened on April 1, 2007. In its defense, a hard reset is probably long overdue. Periodic hard/soft resets are, in my opinion, a critical part of maintaining these devices (from all manufacturers). I can't explain it; I have just come to accept it. An interesting finding... There was no HR spike when using the Garmin. I forgot the chest strap for the other run where I used the Tomtom.
I calculated how many days that this streak is supposed to run. I cannot believe, given my nature, that I had not done this earlier. November 2 to January 1 is 61 days, inclusive, which means that, as of today, I am now 2/3 of the way. My Sunday School class thinks I should extend the streak to 100 days, with a new end date of February 9. I'm not making the call right now, but with 41 runs behind me and no ill effects, 100 days is looking awfully tempting.
Friday, December 11, 2015
Running Streak - Day 40
Round numbers have a such a nice ring to them, and 40 sounds like a bona fide milestone. To me, my biggest milestone so far was 4. Once I strung 4 consecutive days of running together, I felt like I was actually going somewhere, especially having been on the couch of doom for so long. Two weeks (14 days) really surprised me, too. Now that I'm at 40 days, I'm looking ahead more than behind. After tomorrow I will be 2/3 complete.
Today was the best day weather-wise of the whole week. It was sunny, 14C and absolutely un-December-like. Every runner I saw on the Ottawa River pathway was grinning from ear-to-ear. We are all out there running looking like cats who swallowed the canary. I know that anyone reading this blog is wondering why I am going on so much about the weather. To give you an idea, it was a balmy -3C with a bit of snow on this date last year, and in 2013 it was a frigid -22C. A "normal" temperature for mid-December in Ottawa is -10C and today I was out in a short sleeve tech shirt and shorts. This is an absolute blessing, and I am so grateful to be able to take full advantage of it.
I started out a little hard today, perhaps frolicking in the warm temperature. I got to the 1km point and said to myself, "What are you doing?" I should cut the pace and enjoy my time in the sun a little more, rather than blast through the run to get it done. I also was feeling the effects of the intervals on Wednesday and the up-tempo run yesterday. I slowed down noticeably and as it turns out, I had the opposite experience of Tuesday evening. I thought I had slowed my pace quite a bit, but it was faster than planned. I can't explain it.
The Tomtom produced spikes in the HR readings at the beginning of the run again. I was thinking about it and am starting to wonder if it is "premium" chest straps that don't get along with me. My rigid Garmin strap does not do that, but I have had the same thing with all three (Polar, Tomtom and Garmin) straps. I'm going to explore this a little more. It's too bad that I can't wear two straps at one to compare the readings.
Today was the best day weather-wise of the whole week. It was sunny, 14C and absolutely un-December-like. Every runner I saw on the Ottawa River pathway was grinning from ear-to-ear. We are all out there running looking like cats who swallowed the canary. I know that anyone reading this blog is wondering why I am going on so much about the weather. To give you an idea, it was a balmy -3C with a bit of snow on this date last year, and in 2013 it was a frigid -22C. A "normal" temperature for mid-December in Ottawa is -10C and today I was out in a short sleeve tech shirt and shorts. This is an absolute blessing, and I am so grateful to be able to take full advantage of it.
I started out a little hard today, perhaps frolicking in the warm temperature. I got to the 1km point and said to myself, "What are you doing?" I should cut the pace and enjoy my time in the sun a little more, rather than blast through the run to get it done. I also was feeling the effects of the intervals on Wednesday and the up-tempo run yesterday. I slowed down noticeably and as it turns out, I had the opposite experience of Tuesday evening. I thought I had slowed my pace quite a bit, but it was faster than planned. I can't explain it.
The Tomtom produced spikes in the HR readings at the beginning of the run again. I was thinking about it and am starting to wonder if it is "premium" chest straps that don't get along with me. My rigid Garmin strap does not do that, but I have had the same thing with all three (Polar, Tomtom and Garmin) straps. I'm going to explore this a little more. It's too bad that I can't wear two straps at one to compare the readings.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Running Streak - Day 39
Another absolutely stunning day, weather-wise. A lunch with some former colleagues was cancelled, but fortunately I had my running stuff with me at work and was able to get out shortly before 1:00PM, when it was 10C. Being so warm, I was out in my long sleeve Army Run tech shirt and shorts, which was ideal. I was contemplating going with short sleeves, but as it turned out, there was a pretty stiff westerly wind and I was glad to have something covering my arms.
Apart from knowing that I wanted to run The Bridges, I had no objectives for time or intensity. My plan was to enjoy the weather and the undulating route. I've been saying that pretty soon I will be confined to the flat pathway beside the Rideau Canal at lunch, but the forecast is now saying that it will not be that soon; there is only one day in the long range forecast where it below 0C. I wonder is we are looking at a green Christmas.
I have been trying to sort out my Tomtom HRM and I'm not winning. I shorted out the battery in the transmitter pod and the watch picked it up right away. I'm still showing spikes in the readings at the beginning of my run (see graph below of today's run). If you look back on all of my other runs with the Tomtom, you will see the same behaviour. My Garmin Forerunners do not tend do this, at least not as consistently.
I have now followed all of my own advice, but nothing has solved it yet. Since the readings are normal after the spike, there is an indication that normal operation is possible. I have apparently eliminated the strap as a cause because the readings are the same with the Tomtom strap and the Polar strap (perhaps I should try the Garmin strap?); therefore, in my small mind, it must be the transmitter pod. It's really frustrating because I rather like the unit. I will start interrogating Mr. Google to see what he can offer.
Apart from knowing that I wanted to run The Bridges, I had no objectives for time or intensity. My plan was to enjoy the weather and the undulating route. I've been saying that pretty soon I will be confined to the flat pathway beside the Rideau Canal at lunch, but the forecast is now saying that it will not be that soon; there is only one day in the long range forecast where it below 0C. I wonder is we are looking at a green Christmas.
I have been trying to sort out my Tomtom HRM and I'm not winning. I shorted out the battery in the transmitter pod and the watch picked it up right away. I'm still showing spikes in the readings at the beginning of my run (see graph below of today's run). If you look back on all of my other runs with the Tomtom, you will see the same behaviour. My Garmin Forerunners do not tend do this, at least not as consistently.
 |
| Heart Rate Spike |
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Running Streak - Days 37 and 38
Day 38
Todays scheduled run consisted of intervals where it was 2:00 on/1:00 off with a 10:00 warm-up and cool-down - the same workout as last week. This workout is very do-able over a lunch hour, and it felt awesome today. I don't have much snap in my legs yet, but I can increase my pace on demand and hold it for 2:00. I haven't looked ahead in the Garmin training plan to see if the work portion of the intervals will increase. I suspect that it does. Even if it doesn't, I know that I will benefit. Like the folks at Endurance Nation preach, first you get fast, then you go long.
It was another day with amazing weather: 6C, slight wind and sunny. Again , I was in shorts, long sleeve tech shirt and vest, but I probably could have dropped the vest after 10 minutes or so. The only thing I should have brought was sunglasses. I can't believe that this is December, and the forecast for the rest of the week has highs in double digits.
Still having problem with spikes in HR readings at the beginning of my run. I experimented with something new. I connected the transmitter pod to my Polar premium strap, but nothing changed. It worked perfectly with my Garmin transmitter when I was getting silly readings with the Garmin premium strap and it was chafing me nearly in half when I ran with it. Having seemingly eliminated the strap as the cause of the spikes, I am thinking of shorting out the pod by inverting the battery for 30 seconds and then re-pairing it with the watch.
Day 37
My day was full of meetings and I couldn't get out for a run a lunch. When the lunch our is book-ended like it was today, I don't like the stress that rushing through the run causes. I normally can confine my running sessions to an hour or less, but I something holds me up - I run into someone I know or I have to wait for a shower to become available - I'm late for the second meeting, guaranteed, and no one (especially me) likes that.
I had some forced waiting time in the evening and decided to get the run in then. I dressed for the run in the building where I work so that I could run from then spot where I would need to wait later, and I just ran a loop with a nice hill a few times. I didn't want to stray too far in case I needed to cut the run short. I re-listened to Mission 2 of Zombies, Run! When I did it the first time, I shortened the duration to only 18-20 minutes; today I did the entire mission at the recommended length of 31 minutes and picked up more supplies. I will do this again with another couple of missions until the delay for downloading a new episode has expired.
The run itself was interesting. According to my phone, it was cloudy, negligible wind and 2C. The phone was correct on everything, except for the temperature, which felt definitely colder. Luckily, I brought a thermal base layer shirt to add to the long sleeve tech shirt and vest I was wearing. I had my MEC Dart nylon pants to cover my legs. I thought I was clipping along at a good pace, but when I checked my watch or received alerts from Zombies, Run!, it turns out that I was running slower. I gradually picked up the pace and negative split every kilometer. My dumb move of the day was wearing my Tomtom HR transmitter on the Polar strap with my Garmin Forerunner 310XT on my wrist. I wanted to see if I could find the source of the spikes in the HR readings, but the mismatch in devices meant no HR readings at all. I will try the experiment tomorrow.
Todays scheduled run consisted of intervals where it was 2:00 on/1:00 off with a 10:00 warm-up and cool-down - the same workout as last week. This workout is very do-able over a lunch hour, and it felt awesome today. I don't have much snap in my legs yet, but I can increase my pace on demand and hold it for 2:00. I haven't looked ahead in the Garmin training plan to see if the work portion of the intervals will increase. I suspect that it does. Even if it doesn't, I know that I will benefit. Like the folks at Endurance Nation preach, first you get fast, then you go long.
It was another day with amazing weather: 6C, slight wind and sunny. Again , I was in shorts, long sleeve tech shirt and vest, but I probably could have dropped the vest after 10 minutes or so. The only thing I should have brought was sunglasses. I can't believe that this is December, and the forecast for the rest of the week has highs in double digits.
Still having problem with spikes in HR readings at the beginning of my run. I experimented with something new. I connected the transmitter pod to my Polar premium strap, but nothing changed. It worked perfectly with my Garmin transmitter when I was getting silly readings with the Garmin premium strap and it was chafing me nearly in half when I ran with it. Having seemingly eliminated the strap as the cause of the spikes, I am thinking of shorting out the pod by inverting the battery for 30 seconds and then re-pairing it with the watch.
Day 37
My day was full of meetings and I couldn't get out for a run a lunch. When the lunch our is book-ended like it was today, I don't like the stress that rushing through the run causes. I normally can confine my running sessions to an hour or less, but I something holds me up - I run into someone I know or I have to wait for a shower to become available - I'm late for the second meeting, guaranteed, and no one (especially me) likes that.
I had some forced waiting time in the evening and decided to get the run in then. I dressed for the run in the building where I work so that I could run from then spot where I would need to wait later, and I just ran a loop with a nice hill a few times. I didn't want to stray too far in case I needed to cut the run short. I re-listened to Mission 2 of Zombies, Run! When I did it the first time, I shortened the duration to only 18-20 minutes; today I did the entire mission at the recommended length of 31 minutes and picked up more supplies. I will do this again with another couple of missions until the delay for downloading a new episode has expired.
The run itself was interesting. According to my phone, it was cloudy, negligible wind and 2C. The phone was correct on everything, except for the temperature, which felt definitely colder. Luckily, I brought a thermal base layer shirt to add to the long sleeve tech shirt and vest I was wearing. I had my MEC Dart nylon pants to cover my legs. I thought I was clipping along at a good pace, but when I checked my watch or received alerts from Zombies, Run!, it turns out that I was running slower. I gradually picked up the pace and negative split every kilometer. My dumb move of the day was wearing my Tomtom HR transmitter on the Polar strap with my Garmin Forerunner 310XT on my wrist. I wanted to see if I could find the source of the spikes in the HR readings, but the mismatch in devices meant no HR readings at all. I will try the experiment tomorrow.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Running Streak - Day 36
Work was busy today and I had spontaneous 90 minute meeting that went straight through lunch. I had put my stuff in one of the day lockers early in the morning. As noon was approaching, I had a check in my spirit that I should abandon an e-mail I was writing and drop into my colleagues office instead to see him in person. It was definitely the right call. As such, I knew that without a run at lunch, I would be on the treadmill tonight. The positive side is that it was not as late as runs have been in the past couple of weeks, and I will get a decent night's sleep.
Because it was a little earlier, I selected a 30 minute pre-set workout that was a little faster and a little hillier than the other one I had been using. I completed Mission 6 of Zombies, Run! and figured out a little trick for doing these missions on the treadmill: select the duration for the workout in my head or on the treadmill and then adjust the length of the mission to one minute less than the workout. This gives me enough time to start the treadmill, start the watch and then start the mission and have it all come out of the oven at the same time.
In the topic of the watch, my Tomtom HR chest strap is giving me fits. I did everything I recommended in my other post, with one exception: I did not moisten (i.e. lick) the contacts or use electrode gel. I had hand-washed it thoroughly early this morning and let it hang to dry, and it is still is producing high readings at the beginning of the run. I will wash it again right after I publish this and try it with electrode gel tomorrow.
Because it was a little earlier, I selected a 30 minute pre-set workout that was a little faster and a little hillier than the other one I had been using. I completed Mission 6 of Zombies, Run! and figured out a little trick for doing these missions on the treadmill: select the duration for the workout in my head or on the treadmill and then adjust the length of the mission to one minute less than the workout. This gives me enough time to start the treadmill, start the watch and then start the mission and have it all come out of the oven at the same time.
In the topic of the watch, my Tomtom HR chest strap is giving me fits. I did everything I recommended in my other post, with one exception: I did not moisten (i.e. lick) the contacts or use electrode gel. I had hand-washed it thoroughly early this morning and let it hang to dry, and it is still is producing high readings at the beginning of the run. I will wash it again right after I publish this and try it with electrode gel tomorrow.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Running Streak - Day 33
I did my first interval session of the streak today, and the experimental angle on today's run is that I programmed the Garmin training plan workout (10min warm-up; 5x2:00 Work, 1:00 Rest; cool down), into my Tomtom Runner. The process of setting up the workout was very intuitive. It would have been nice to have the ability to assign target HR zones to the "Work" portions (Tomtom vocabulary), but then again, it felt really good to run hard by feel and how have the watch chirping at me. I'm not sure if I can set up a bunch of interval workouts or if I will need to set up one at workouts a time on or before the day I'm scheduled for it.
Dressing for running these days has been difficult. I checked the forecast when I woke up and it said high of 5C by noon with a "feels like" of 0C. I end up packing a bag full of clothes in the morning because I can't know exactly what I need until I head to the change room. Today I wore a long sleeve tech shirt, nylon vest and shorts. My legs were fine, but my torso was really cold for the first 10 to 12 minutes (teeth chattering cold). Once I warmed up and turned around so that the wind was at my back, I was fine. That's the difficult thing: I was underdressed when heading into the wind and just right for the second half.
It felt really good to get outside again. This treadmill stuff has to be saved for only the worst days. I was really surprised that I could get the pace below 5:00/km and run all five intervals at a very consistent pace. When I was doing speed work in the Spring, my pace would decline with each interval. I think the consistency in my running over the past month is starting to show. I feel that I'm forming a good base. I just need to dial in the sleep and nutrition.
Dressing for running these days has been difficult. I checked the forecast when I woke up and it said high of 5C by noon with a "feels like" of 0C. I end up packing a bag full of clothes in the morning because I can't know exactly what I need until I head to the change room. Today I wore a long sleeve tech shirt, nylon vest and shorts. My legs were fine, but my torso was really cold for the first 10 to 12 minutes (teeth chattering cold). Once I warmed up and turned around so that the wind was at my back, I was fine. That's the difficult thing: I was underdressed when heading into the wind and just right for the second half.
It felt really good to get outside again. This treadmill stuff has to be saved for only the worst days. I was really surprised that I could get the pace below 5:00/km and run all five intervals at a very consistent pace. When I was doing speed work in the Spring, my pace would decline with each interval. I think the consistency in my running over the past month is starting to show. I feel that I'm forming a good base. I just need to dial in the sleep and nutrition.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Running Streak - Day 25
The weather was unseasonably warm today. I think it was 10C at noon with only a slight wind. There was some light rain, but I'm not complaining. November has been fantastic. I was out in a long sleeve tech shirt and shorts. I was going to try my new Bluetooth ear buds, but the battery died just after I hit the start button on the Tomtom. No Zombies, Run! for me today. Mission #5 will have to wait for another day.
The run itself felt really smooth. I didn't feel like I was running especially fast, but when I checked my run data on Strava, it looks like I ran much faster today than what I have been averaging over the past couple of weeks. Today my average pace was 5:31/km; yesterday was 6:17/km. That being said, my GPS was way off at the beginning and readings from my HRM were erratic throughout the entire run. (I think my chest strap is due for a wash.) In my mind the data is very suspect, but I still think I was faster.
I need to catch myself here. I have seen improvements in my gait, pace and weight, but I can't let myself get caught up in this and start pushing harder. I have been prone to do this in the past. If my primary objective is consistency and completing this streak, I need to run in such a way that I complete the streak, i.e. not get burned out or injured. This is a prime opportunity to set a good base. Speed and endurance can come later.
The run itself felt really smooth. I didn't feel like I was running especially fast, but when I checked my run data on Strava, it looks like I ran much faster today than what I have been averaging over the past couple of weeks. Today my average pace was 5:31/km; yesterday was 6:17/km. That being said, my GPS was way off at the beginning and readings from my HRM were erratic throughout the entire run. (I think my chest strap is due for a wash.) In my mind the data is very suspect, but I still think I was faster.
I need to catch myself here. I have seen improvements in my gait, pace and weight, but I can't let myself get caught up in this and start pushing harder. I have been prone to do this in the past. If my primary objective is consistency and completing this streak, I need to run in such a way that I complete the streak, i.e. not get burned out or injured. This is a prime opportunity to set a good base. Speed and endurance can come later.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Running Streak - Day 24
I started feeling a twinge in my right knee last night and I woke up with some soreness this morning. It's not a good sign, but I'm hoping that I will be able to run through this. It very well could be some adaptation. I will be mindful of it over the next few days, and I'm musing if it is time to change the shoes. There are only just over 300km on them, but they were designed as a racing flat and they are around 5 years old. Perhaps the materials are breaking down.
In spite of the knee pain, today's run went very well. It was a Garmin plan day (W02D4-Easy Run) so I was set to run 40 minutes in Zone 2. I have been really enjoying running without my HRM chirping at me; therefore, today's run took a bit of getting used to. It was colder than forecasted (actually -8C with the wind, rather than 1C) and I was a bit underdressed (Peak Performance jacket, long sleeve tech shirt, pants, Adizero Manas). There was no risk of frostbite; it just took longer to get warmed up, which meant that I had no HR readings for the first 10 minutes or so. I enjoyed the blissful silence from my 301XT, and the uninterrupted playing of Mission 3 of Zombies Run! When the HRM finally kicked in I had just put in a burst of speed, as instructed, to escape a pursuing hoard of the undead. Needless to say, I wasn't in Zone 2. I settled down after a minute or so and made sure that I stuck to Zone 2 for the remainder of the run. It felt painfully slow, but I know that it was good for me.
I was talking about the streak with a couple of work colleagues yesterday and when I said I was at 23 days, the number sounded pretty impressive to them (and to me). Before this, my longest string of consecutive days was 11 (to the best of my recollection). Also, I did a weigh-in this morning - the first since Day 2 - and I am down 4 pounds. To be honest, I was surprised that the number had changed at all. Not too shabby...
In spite of the knee pain, today's run went very well. It was a Garmin plan day (W02D4-Easy Run) so I was set to run 40 minutes in Zone 2. I have been really enjoying running without my HRM chirping at me; therefore, today's run took a bit of getting used to. It was colder than forecasted (actually -8C with the wind, rather than 1C) and I was a bit underdressed (Peak Performance jacket, long sleeve tech shirt, pants, Adizero Manas). There was no risk of frostbite; it just took longer to get warmed up, which meant that I had no HR readings for the first 10 minutes or so. I enjoyed the blissful silence from my 301XT, and the uninterrupted playing of Mission 3 of Zombies Run! When the HRM finally kicked in I had just put in a burst of speed, as instructed, to escape a pursuing hoard of the undead. Needless to say, I wasn't in Zone 2. I settled down after a minute or so and made sure that I stuck to Zone 2 for the remainder of the run. It felt painfully slow, but I know that it was good for me.
I was talking about the streak with a couple of work colleagues yesterday and when I said I was at 23 days, the number sounded pretty impressive to them (and to me). Before this, my longest string of consecutive days was 11 (to the best of my recollection). Also, I did a weigh-in this morning - the first since Day 2 - and I am down 4 pounds. To be honest, I was surprised that the number had changed at all. Not too shabby...
Monday, November 23, 2015
Running Streak - Day 22
I was on the treadmill this evening, and no, it was not 11:30PM. For this run, I had a whole bunch of things going on. I found my Garmin transmitter/Polar HR strap combo* over the weekend and I paired it with my 310XT to use tonight. I clipped the Garmin footpod on my NB Minimus WT20GG2's. I picked up a pair of Bluetooth earbuds and used them with my phone to complete Mission 3 in Zombie Run! Finally, I used a 30 minute hilly preset workout on the treadmill that I actually rather liked. It really pushed me more than grinding out steady minutes. I wasn't very distracted by all of the technology, except the earbuds because they kept nearly falling out. Gotta find a solution for that.
The WT20GG2's are starting to feel good on my feet. I think it is a case where I am adjusting to the shoes more than the shoes are adjusting to me. My best guess at a reason is that there is hardly anything to them. I think I should be OK to start using a flatter shoe from now on. Yet another experiment...
* I learned this trick from DC Rainmaker and numerous accounts on the Garmin forums. The transmitter from the Garmin premium strap, which caused me (and many others) no end of discomfort, fits perfectly on the Polar strap, which is very comfortable. Very highly recommended.
The WT20GG2's are starting to feel good on my feet. I think it is a case where I am adjusting to the shoes more than the shoes are adjusting to me. My best guess at a reason is that there is hardly anything to them. I think I should be OK to start using a flatter shoe from now on. Yet another experiment...
* I learned this trick from DC Rainmaker and numerous accounts on the Garmin forums. The transmitter from the Garmin premium strap, which caused me (and many others) no end of discomfort, fits perfectly on the Polar strap, which is very comfortable. Very highly recommended.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Solving Erratic Heart Rate Readings
I am a big fan of heart rate training. Most of the time I use my heart rate monitor (HRM) to keep me out of trouble, especially on runs where I'm supposed to be running easy. That being said, I have had a love-hate relationship with every one of my HRMs. As we move into fall and winter, your (and my) frustration with your HRM may grow. I hope this article will help you avoid that. In my experience, the strap is almost always at fault. Here we go...
A heart rate monitor that is reading, transmitting and recording properly looks like this:
A heart rate monitor that does not have any skin-to-strap contact looks like this (no readings from 0 to around 4:30):
A heart rate monitor that is having a hard day looks like this:
As a non-super hero, I cannot make my heart rate hit 250 beats per minute (bpm). In reality, since I wasn't scaling the side of a mountain when these readings were taken, my heart rate would have been on the same trajectory from 0:00 to 4:10, but my HRM was confused. Lack of good contact really throws off the average HR for the activity. In the grand scheme of things it's not a big deal, but when one has an HRM, one would want it to work correctly. Here is what I do to solve or at least minimize erratic heart rate readings.
Before I dispense my sage wisdom, I should share some of the "wisdom" I have heard. I have heard advice like "Don't wear technical fabrics.", or "Don't run near sources of electrical interference." I'm sure that this is offered by well-meaning individuals, but come on, if I go out for a long run in a cotton shirt, I will have no skin left on my torso by the time I'm done. IT's simply not an option. As for sources of electrical interference, unless I'm deliberately running in a elevator shaft or through a field of power lines and transformers, I probably can't detect electrical interference on my own, e.g. through the fillings in my teeth. There are probably other tidbits you have heard, but as the owner of many HRMs from different manufacturers over the years, here is what I know works:
1) Use electrode gel on the contacts. This is especially important in cool/cold weather because proper reading of heart rate signals depends on good contact between the contacts on the strap and your skin. Sweat is perfect for maintaining this contact, but when it takes a while to start sweating, you need a bit of help. (See the second and third graphs above.) This is where electrode gel comes in because it replaces sweat when sweat is a long time in coming.
It is available in medical supply stores and is relatively cheap. A large tube will last a couple of Canadian winters for me. Just apply a line across the length of each contact on the strap and brace yourself for the shock of cold gel hitting your skin. Don't despair; it warms up fast. This solves things in pretty much every situation.
2) Clean the contacts. Nothing fancy. Just use warm water and liquid dish soap. Sneak it in when you are washing dishes and let it air dry. If you have one of the premium straps, remember to remove the transmitter first. You need to clean the part of the strap that contacts your skin to read your heart rate. Washing the entire strap - the transmitter/contact part, and the elastic strap - has the added benefit of not driving family members and pets from the room when you pull it out of your gym bag.
3) Wet the elastic part of the strap. This will keep it from slipping until you start sweating. If the strap slips, contact between it and the skin can be broken. Warning: no matter what time of year it is, this will feel cold on your back. Brace yourself! That being said, it is well worth the shock. Having it slip and trying to fix it when you are wearing a bunch of layers is a royal pain.
4) Change the battery. If your unit is sealed, it should be replaced by a qualified technician; contact your device's manufacturer for help. If the battery is replaceable, you can replace the battery yourself. It is a cheap and easy way to help with troubleshooting. I have owned units from Polar, Garmin and TomTom. All have used the same lithium battery, the ubiquitous CR2032, which is available in a three pack at the dollar store. I could spend more on name-brand batteries, but I find they last well and I can buy a dozen or more of the cheap ones for the price of one name-brand.
I hope this helps you. I know full well that none of this is new; there are numerous sites and forums where you can find the same advice. I wrote this because I get asked about this a lot. If you have found anything else that works for you, please share it in the comments below.
A heart rate monitor that is reading, transmitting and recording properly looks like this:
 |
| HR recording as expected |
A heart rate monitor that does not have any skin-to-strap contact looks like this (no readings from 0 to around 4:30):
 |
| Heart rate reading when there no contact at the start of an activity. |
A heart rate monitor that is having a hard day looks like this:
 |
| Heart rate reading when contact is poor or intermittent at the start of an activity |
As a non-super hero, I cannot make my heart rate hit 250 beats per minute (bpm). In reality, since I wasn't scaling the side of a mountain when these readings were taken, my heart rate would have been on the same trajectory from 0:00 to 4:10, but my HRM was confused. Lack of good contact really throws off the average HR for the activity. In the grand scheme of things it's not a big deal, but when one has an HRM, one would want it to work correctly. Here is what I do to solve or at least minimize erratic heart rate readings.
Before I dispense my sage wisdom, I should share some of the "wisdom" I have heard. I have heard advice like "Don't wear technical fabrics.", or "Don't run near sources of electrical interference." I'm sure that this is offered by well-meaning individuals, but come on, if I go out for a long run in a cotton shirt, I will have no skin left on my torso by the time I'm done. IT's simply not an option. As for sources of electrical interference, unless I'm deliberately running in a elevator shaft or through a field of power lines and transformers, I probably can't detect electrical interference on my own, e.g. through the fillings in my teeth. There are probably other tidbits you have heard, but as the owner of many HRMs from different manufacturers over the years, here is what I know works:
1) Use electrode gel on the contacts. This is especially important in cool/cold weather because proper reading of heart rate signals depends on good contact between the contacts on the strap and your skin. Sweat is perfect for maintaining this contact, but when it takes a while to start sweating, you need a bit of help. (See the second and third graphs above.) This is where electrode gel comes in because it replaces sweat when sweat is a long time in coming.
It is available in medical supply stores and is relatively cheap. A large tube will last a couple of Canadian winters for me. Just apply a line across the length of each contact on the strap and brace yourself for the shock of cold gel hitting your skin. Don't despair; it warms up fast. This solves things in pretty much every situation.
2) Clean the contacts. Nothing fancy. Just use warm water and liquid dish soap. Sneak it in when you are washing dishes and let it air dry. If you have one of the premium straps, remember to remove the transmitter first. You need to clean the part of the strap that contacts your skin to read your heart rate. Washing the entire strap - the transmitter/contact part, and the elastic strap - has the added benefit of not driving family members and pets from the room when you pull it out of your gym bag.
3) Wet the elastic part of the strap. This will keep it from slipping until you start sweating. If the strap slips, contact between it and the skin can be broken. Warning: no matter what time of year it is, this will feel cold on your back. Brace yourself! That being said, it is well worth the shock. Having it slip and trying to fix it when you are wearing a bunch of layers is a royal pain.
4) Change the battery. If your unit is sealed, it should be replaced by a qualified technician; contact your device's manufacturer for help. If the battery is replaceable, you can replace the battery yourself. It is a cheap and easy way to help with troubleshooting. I have owned units from Polar, Garmin and TomTom. All have used the same lithium battery, the ubiquitous CR2032, which is available in a three pack at the dollar store. I could spend more on name-brand batteries, but I find they last well and I can buy a dozen or more of the cheap ones for the price of one name-brand.
I hope this helps you. I know full well that none of this is new; there are numerous sites and forums where you can find the same advice. I wrote this because I get asked about this a lot. If you have found anything else that works for you, please share it in the comments below.
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