 posted Apr-14-2006 09:12 AM
   
MAFFETONE EXPERIMENT WRAP-UPBelow are the MAF tests that I've done since starting Maffetone training. All of these were done on a treadmill, at the same temp, and at 0% incline. You'll see that there is a loss of fitness trend that continued until the run on 3/30. All the miles between 11/30 and 3/25 were done at or under MAF of 141. I did a lactate threshold run during a race on 3/26 for 6 miles. After that, I stopped slowing down at the end of long runs and letting my HR drift 5-10 beats over MAF. Mileage was also increased to 70 miles per week. I saw a rapid increase in fitness. MAF TESTS:
DATE.........ave pace....decay from mile 1-5
11/30/05.......10:07.....15.58%
12/12/05.......10:14.....12.98%
2/8/06..........10:32.....13.27%
2/17/06........10:35.....13.70%
3/30/06........10:12.....10.69%
4/13/06..........9:54 .....8.04% I started using some MAF runs for recovery during training for Philly Marathon. At the time, I was running "hard" aerobic runs between 65-78% HRR and other recovery runs at 70% HRR and below. Included were some all-out races, lactate threshold runs between 76-88% HRR, and a few interval sessions at 93-98% HRR. I followed a hard/easy approach. Here are the MAF runs I did during this training. These runs are a good indicator of my aerobic fitness at the time. MAF RUNS DURING MULTI-ZONE TRAINING:
HAHR=(highest average heart rate per mile)
date..........distance.....HAHR..pace.....course
8/24/05......5 miles .....136.....9:39.......Bike Trail
9/17/05......7 miles .....136.....9:32.......Bike Trail
9/25/05......9 miles.....138.....9:24.......Bike Trail
10/11/05.....5 miles.....134.....9:45.......Bike Trail
10/13/05.....7 miles.....136.....9:32.......Bike Trail PHILLY MARATHON:
11/20/05....... 26.2miles.......time:3:28.10......pace: 7:57 *BQ A week after the marathon, I started Maffetone Training. All miles averaging 141 or below. Below are the 7 milers I did. The times are remarkably slower than during the multi-zone training period at the same heart rate. Some of the slowing might have been due to post-marathon tiredness, less mileage, and a two week break, but that doesn't account for it all. It took sixteen weeks to get back to 10:48. I experienced a loss of fitness that slowly started to return as I increased mileage and the length of my long runs. 7 MILERS DURING MAFFETONE TRAINING:
11/27/05.......7 miles .....139.....10:48.......Bike Trail
12/1/05.........7 miles......140.....10:56.......Bike Trail
12/3/05..........7 miles.....138.....10:28.......Bike Trail (2 week break from running from 12/17/05 to 1/02/06) 1/20/06..........7 miles.....139.....11:33.......Bike Trail
3/22/06....... 7 miles.....135.....11:21.......Bike Trail
3/28/06....... 7 miles.....139.....11:11.......Bike Trail
4/1/06............7 miles.....139 .....10:48.......Bike Trail 5 MILERS DURING MAFFETONE TRAINING:
12/2/05..........5 miles......141.....10:31.......TM
12/5/05..........5 miles......134......10:34 ......TM
12/14/05........5 miles......137......10:22 .......TM (2 week break from running from 12/17/05 to 1/02/06) 1/17/06..........5 miles......135......11:03 .......TM
1/26/06..........5 miles......137......11:07 .......TM
2/9/06............5 miles......136......10:28........TM
3/9/06............5 miles......135......10:10........TM
From the data I've compiled, these are my observations and thoughts about training at or below the MAF:
--I experienced a rapid loss of fitness that reversed itself only when I increased weekly mileage and the length of my long runs to 20+ miles. The rate of progression increased when I topped 70 miles per week and allowed my HR to go to MAF +5 to 10 (67-70% HRR) in the last quarter of my medium long and long runs. Included in this rapid progression was one lactate threshold run that topped out at MAF +37 (88% HRR). --My rate of progress during this aerobic base period was much slower than when I trained in the two zones prescribed by Hadd (55-60% HRR for recovery days, and 60-77% HRR on hard days), or the two zones I used during Pfitzinger training (65-78% HRR for hard days and 70% HRR for easy days). I never had a loss of fitness with Hadd and Pfitzinger training. --my progress might have been due more to the higher mileage than the MAF zone (65% HRR and below) --For me, when I'm building an aerobic base, I think what works best is using a percentage of HRR in two zones. The hard day zone should rise to a ceiling of at least 70% HRR by the end of the run. I found 78% HRR by the end of the run to work really well. Not adding on for drift. The easy/recovery day zone needs to be easy. I ran my best marathon when I started to use MAF and below for some of my easy days. 70% HRR and below worked well during the base periods. --when I did my first lactate threshold run a t a 10k race, and my first marathon race pace tempo run on Monday, my legs felt slow, and my fitness was no where near what it was prior to the Philadelphia Marathon. --At this point, I believe that a percentage of MHR or HRR is the way to go. The use of any formula (i.e. 180-age, 205-1/2 age. 220-age) is too arbitrary and doesn't cover everyone. My data from the last two years of trying 3 different methods of heart-rate training indicates that I am still working aerobically on my hard days if I top out near 78% HRR on my 14-22 milers. This ceiling includes at least 5-10 BPM (maybe more) of HR drift, thus by the last part of a long run, I'm really exerting myself the same as about 70% HRR. It's still aerobic.
--I'm going to continue to do MAF tests as I return to multi-zone training. I think it's an excellent way of measuring aerobic fitness. I also am still a believer in a 12-week aerobic base period of no speedwork, racing or lactate threshold work. And of course using the HRM as a tool to either slow myself down or speed myself up according to my body's fitness, not what I think I should be running.
So, since, I'm not pure Maffetone any more, I'll leave this report as my last post in this thread. Take it or leave it, of course.
Thanks Jesse. It was a worthwhile experiment. --Jimmy My Running World
[This message has been edited by jjwaverly42 (edited Apr-14-2006).]
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