My Road to TOWaterfront 42K
Whoot! I was looking forward to this Threshold Pace & HR Test. I even took an extra rest day, so I felt pretty good going in. But…
I had my usual pre-run noshes – white bread and jam – but, and it’s a big BUT, I didn’t heed the coach’s advice and ate too close to run time. I paid for it. I could hardly catch my breath at the start, and the wheels gradually, then abruptly, fell off.
I couldn’t complete the expected duration. I’m not sure if I physically couldn’t, or if I became demoralized. Either way, my paces were downgraded. That might be a blessing in disguise. I think the much later start, heat, and late fueling most likely impacted execution. I’ll adhere to the downgraded Z2 paces to keep HR lower, but I’ll continue with my original Threshold paces. Fingers crossed.
📊 Metrics at a Glance
- Duration: 40:09 (planned: 44:00)
- Distance: 6.17 km
- Average Pace: 6:30/km (10:28/mi)
- NGP: 6:21/km
- Average HR: 160 bpm | Max HR: 170 bpm
- Cadence: 165 spm avg | Max 184 spm
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 114 m / 117 m
- Pa:HR: 5.68%
- rTSS / hrTSS: 64 / 58
- IF (pace) / IF (HR): 0.94 / 0.89
- VAM: 170 m/h (≈ 0.85 W/kg)
- Calories: 459 kcal
🧢 Coach’s Corner
Execution vs Plan
The plan called for a Threshold Test with warm-up, strides, and a sustained effort. You started well but cut short the duration (40 vs 44 minutes). Execution was incomplete.
Performance Quality
HR data shows you were working at threshold (160 bpm avg, max 170 bpm), but fueling missteps compromised your ability to sustain the effort. The numbers confirm you were capable of threshold output, but execution faltered.
Advisability
Cutting the session short was wise once breathing and fueling issues set in. Pushing through would likely have led to overreaching or GI distress. Adjusting Z2 paces downward for aerobic work is a sensible adaptation.
Hilliness Impact
Elevation gain of 114 m adds context: it wasn’t flat, but terrain didn’t drive the failure. HR and pace trends remained steady until fueling/respiratory issues took over.
Takeaway
This was a learning run more than a test. Threshold capacity is there, but fueling timing undermined execution. You wisely adjusted afterward by recalibrating Z2 pacing to better manage HR. The Threshold target itself remains valid.
Conclusion
Not every test delivers the numbers you want, but every test delivers lessons. Today’s was about timing nutrition and adapting paces to reality. Fitness is still building – the data proves it.