Week 3: Experimentation

This week I decided to do something different to avoid boredom and vary my training.  I headed for the local 400m running track.  I started with a slow jog around the track to warm up.  Then I alternated running with my knees high for thirty seconds, jogging for thirty seconds, then heel to backside for thirty seconds.  After this I alternated thirty seconds jogging and thirty seconds at high speed.  This is commonly known as Fartlek.  Finally I did one complete tour at jogging pace.  My emphasis was not on distance but speed and fitness training.  I finished with a series of stretches.
For my next run I did a longer 10km run with a heart monitor to gauge my heart rhythm.  Knowing your heart rate can help with training, as many plans include training at a certain percentage of maximum heart rate.  An average person has a heart rate of between 60 and 100 beats per minute (BPM) when resting.  The lower the better, high level athletes can having resting rates of 40.  Mine is around 70.  According to calculations found on line (the simplest and probably least accurate is 220- age) my maximum should be around 170 BPM.   During my long run I fluctuated between 140 and 160, so not really at maximum effort.
My final run of the week took place at the local gym.  I woke up in the morning to pouring rain and, wimping out, I headed for the running machine.  It was my first time on a machine and, once I got over the fear and embarrassment of falling off the end of the machine, I was able to vary speed and gradient.  The information on the screen proved very useful and should help me understand pace.
I also decided to sign up to my local gym to undertake fitness training, and running during the worst winter months.  My objective is two gym sessions per week.  During these sessions I will do some weight training and either static bike or rowing machine.  On very cold or wet days I'll use the running machine.  In this way I'll be running three times a week and fitness training twice a week.
I have also started looking for a good race preparation plan.  There are literally hundreds of plans of varied lengths for all sorts of races from 7km to Marathons.  Some concentrate on kilometers, others on time and the more complicated on effort measured in percentage of BPM.  I think I will end up creating my own plan which will take something from all of these and suit my schedule.
I have also started thinking about nutrition, diving into a world of calories, proteins, fats and sugars.  There seems to be much debate about the amount of protein necessary ranging from 0.8grams per kilo for a sedentary adult to as much as 3grams per kilo for an athlete.  I have plumped for 1grams per kilo which is nice and easy to calculate.  I haven't started looking at calories yet but one on line calculator suggested 2500 calories a day.  To be honest at 1m72 tall and 58 kilos I'm more worried about losing weight and ensuring I have enough energy reserves.   I definitely do not want to become obsessed about diet.