The Effort

It's all about the effort and not being capped or destroyed by a number.

That's the simple advice from Kristian when I told him that I was struggling a bit with trying to reach the appropriate level of effort in some sessions.

As an example, I have one run session which starts out easy, then goes to moderate, then comfortable uncomfortable and then hard.

I can't help but get caught up - when on the treadmill - of trying to run faster from session to session. Watching specific speeds and the corresponding mile per minute pace. I'm a triathlete after all!

What was confusing me was falling back onto the numbers - instead of trusting myself.

I'm still thinking a lot in terms of heart rate because that's how I trained and raced for most of the last decade. And I do think there is great value is using a heart rate monitor, especially for novice athletes.

``The Method does not discourage the use of heart rate monitors or power meters - whatever context best conveys the desired training level to you is the context that will help you best achieve your goals."

I'm trying not to overthink the numbers.

Here's a bit more of what Kristian reminded me about:

"Honestly you know what EASY is ... sometimes athletes confuse EASY with pseudo easy...
but in essence easy is warming up pace to get the blood flowing and your body to release all the enzymes needed to use fat as a fuel source. Then if the whole session is easy that's the effort.

Moderate could be a bit slower than marathon pace on the run - say sustainable for 4hrs on run, a pace that would be sustainable for up to 7hrs on the bike

Comfortable uncomfortable is "it feels hard, but i could keep going" 1/2 mara pace

Hard is Hard > 10k run pace is hard

ALL out is everything you have."

And so the journey continues:

Adjust to feel and do not define your session by speed or pace.