Jennifer MacDonell ran 3:23:59 at age 70 on the same Toronto streets that introduced me to my next version. I’m not comparing our times. I’m paying attention to what her record says about preparation, support and the goals we can keep carrying forward.
Jennifer MacDonell Ran a 3:23 Marathon at 70. I’m Taking Notes. Read Post »
Masters Running, Running After 60, Running Journey
A lower heart rate at the same pace looks like progress. I’m learning to check the route, weather, effort, sensor and workout section before I celebrate the number.
Lower Heart Rate at the Same Pace: Fitness Gain or False Signal? Read Post »
AI Running Coach Experiment, Training
Garmin can record pace, heart rate and cadence, but it can’t feel the run. At 68, I use RPE as the human signal that helps CoachChat interpret the numbers, especially when conditions change or a sensor misbehaves.
RPE for Running: The Number My Watch Can’t Measure Read Post »
AI Running Coach Experiment, Running After 50, Testing & Data
I usually run alone, which makes the conversational-pace test a little awkward. Nose breathing gives me a simple effort check, but I don’t treat it as a magic Zone 2 detector. Here’s how my personal NBr scale fits beside RPE, heart rate and the rest of the run.
Why I Keep Talking About Nose Breathing on My Easy Runs Read Post »
AI Running Coach Experiment, Running After 50, Testing & Data, Training Tips
At 68, my easy-run cadence often sits well below the famous 180-SPM target. I looked at what the number really means, what the research supports and why my AI coach treats cadence as evidence, not a command.
Running Cadence Over 50: Why I’m Not Chasing 180 SPM Read Post »
AI Running Coach Experiment, Running After 50, Testing & Data, Training Tips
My watch can divide a run into tidy coloured zones. The untidy question is whether those zones describe me. Here’s how I used a field baseline, RPE, breathing and later runs to create provisional numbers without pretending they’re laboratory results.
Heart Rate Zones for Runners Over 50: Why Mine Are Provisional Read Post »
Experiment
Running faster at the same heart rate sounds like simple proof that fitness is improving. I am learning that it is useful evidence, but only after I check whether the two runs deserve to be compared.
Pace at the Same Heart Rate: What It Can and Cannot Tell Me Read Post »
AI Running Coach Experiment, Running After 50: Testing & Data
Heart rate rose during an easy run. Does that prove the run became too hard? I look at what heart-rate drift can tell an older runner, what can corrupt the number and why my AI coach sometimes refuses to calculate it.
Was My Easy Run Really Easy? AI, RPE and Heart Rate Drift Read Post »
AI Running Coach Experiment, Heart Rate Training, Running After 50: Testing & Data
A Garmin activity summary shows the result. The FIT file holds the timeline underneath it. Here’s what that file can tell an AI running coach, what it can’t know, and why the runner’s own report still matters.
What Is a Garmin FIT File? The Runner Behind the Summary Read Post »
AI Running Coach Experiment, Running After 50: Testing & Data
Strava saw my fastest average pace of the month and two “intervals.” CoachChat saw a humid endurance run, a failing chest strap and enough late-session cost to hold the next week steady. The difference wasn’t smarter AI. It was better context.
What Strava Missed About My Run, and My AI Running Coach Caught Read Post »
AI Running Coach Experiment, Running After 50, Testing & Data