On the right path?

Some random photos and video from a recent long run on the Nakasendo in Gifu Japan.

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Ghost run

Last Sunday I ran the Kani City Hanafesta 10km road race in memory of my friend Keith Crotty.
I was definitely in better shape for it last year but still managed to beat my previous time.  I used the virtual run feature on my Garmin watch as a pace keeper.

 2013

Click here to see the data on Garmin Connect Website.  

2012

 Click here to see the data for the 2012 race on Garmin Connect Website.

The test.

This is me.  

I feel a little exposed, almost denuded.  To take all the running I've done over the past 2 1/2 years and break it down into a few lines of text.  No narrative or colourful adjectives.  Just the raw data.  

The Test

I paid me money and I took me chances.

http://www.moveo.ca/services/lactate-balance-point-testing/

It was not cheap, about twice the price of my usual 10k race entry fee. The "FaCT Lactate Balance Point assessment" is meant to give an athlete a measurable, repeatable, yard stick on which to build a training strategy.  After the test I was given a brief consultation about what the numbers meant - which I promptly forgot since I was exhausted from running for about an hour on a treadmill indoors without a fan.  Also I forgot to bring water so by the time I got off the treadmill I was a bit wobbly.  

2010							2013
Speed mph	km/h	min/mile	min/km	HR	Lactate mmol/l		Speed mph	km/h	min/mile	min/km	HR	Lactate mmol/l
4.5	7.2405	13m 20s	8m 17s	132			4.5	7.2405	13m 20s	8m 17s	141
5	8.045	12m 0s	7m 27s	145			5	8.045	12m 0s	7m 27s	146
5.5	8.8495	10m 54s	6m 46s	151			5.5	8.8495	10m 54s	6m 46s	151
6	9.654	10m 0s	6m 13s	156			6	9.654	10m 0s	6m 13s	155
6.5	10.4585	9m 13s	5m 44s	158			6.5	10.4585	9m 13s	5m 44s	162
7	11.263	8m 34s	5m 19s	165			7	11.263	8m 34s	5m 19s	168
7.5	12.0675	8m 0s	4m 58s	171	3.6		7.5	12.0675	8m 0s	4m 58s	173
5.3	8.5277	11m 19s	7m 2s	145	2.1		8	12.872	7m 30s	4m 40s	182
5.6	9.0104	10m 42s	6m 39s	150	1.7		8.5	13.6765	7m 3s	4m 23s	188	7.6
6.0	9.654	10m 0s	6m 13s	155	1.6  LBP		4.5	7.2405	13m 20s	8m 17s	153	3.2
6.4	10.2976	9m 22s	5m 49s	160	1.8		5.0	8.045	12m 0s	7m 27s	160	1.9 LBP
							5.5	8.8495	10m 54s	6m 46s	165	2.1

The first test was performed in July 2010 on a treadmill in North Vancouver BC at Moveo fitness.  I wore a Polar s625 heart rate monitor.  I had been running for about  10 months before the test. 

 The second was in Feb 2013 at the same location on the same treadmill by the same technician. I wore a Garmin 305 heart rate monitor. 

So I got my answers, and then some.  

2013 Suggested training zones 

2010 Suggested training zones