The Rainbow of Running

So I've been reflecting on Sunday's race and my relationship with my body.  After doing a little data crunching, I noticed that what distinguished my best runs from my worst was my heart rate.  On the good runs, I would push myself comfortably hard (or for a short period, just beyond) and finish feeling exhilarated.  But if I pushed too hard, I would crash, and the results were disastrous.  Couple this with what I've been learning about the different training benefits of easy days vs. hard days, and I've come up with a new approach to guide my training.  I call it the Rainbow of Running:

190+ - Uncomfortably hard - bad for me      

180s - Uncomfortably hard - good for me    

170s - Comfortably hard                            

160s - Moderate                                       

150s - Easy                                             

<150 - So easy it's hard  (painfully slow)      

The heart rates are just ballpark numbers, subject to fluctuations in weather and terrain, but at least it gives me a starting point.  I have yet to determine exactly what percentage of time I need to spend in each zone, although there seems to be a consensus that one should follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of miles should be easy.  So I need to plan to spend most of my time in the cool color zones.  And after Sunday, I hope to God to stay out of the red zone from now on!

This approach also maps onto Sunday's lesson about the importance of running happy.  Run smart, yes.  Run fast, preferably.  But by all means, RUN HAPPY.  As luck would have it, I already have the t-shirt!