If you are not currently doing your easy runs based of of Heart Rate, why not?

Original Posta wrote:

OCDRunner wrote:

I like to zone out on easy runs so I don't want to be thinking about heart rate. Easy means run at a pace that feels easy. The HR will take care of itself.

No. Easy means at an Effort that allows your body to recover. It has practically nothing to so with Pace.

The body doesn't recover while training.

here's a newsflash wrote:

Original Posta wrote:

No. Easy means at an Effort that allows your body to recover. It has practically nothing to so with Pace.

The body doesn't recover while training.

But it can while running significantly below maxHR. Anyone with a cursory knowledge of exercise physiology would know that.

Like the comma in your last sentence?

You underestimate the importance of effort throighout the run. You could have easily overdone it, slowed down at the end, checked your HR when you stopped, and decided that your easy effort was spot-on.

xlev2 wrote:

I did, for a long period of dedicated time, and did not get any better nor avoid injury any more. Now, after many many years, despite what supporters of HR based training would say, I really do know when I am going easy enough to call it easy. Also in winter I train in darkness and don't want to be fiddling with trying to see the readout, set alarms etc.

Audible alerts. They are all the rage.

here's a newsflash wrote:

Original Posta wrote:

No. Easy means at an Effort that allows your body to recover. It has practically nothing to so with Pace.

The body doesn't recover while training.

Easy Running absolutely speeds recovery.

I used a HR monitor for a few weeks, learned some valuable information about what running in an HR easy zone felt like, and then ditched the HR monitor. So to answer your question, if you're halfway smart and a bit in touch with your body you don't need an HR monitor every day. But it was useful to use it a few times to confirm what easy should feel like and learn that what i thought was easy was too hard most of the time.

beatingofheartsistheonlysound wrote:

EZ10Miler wrote:

Why wouldn't you just go for an easy run?

I do. How do you determine what is Easy?

What that saying? "Life is hard. It's harder when you are stupid."

Look if you can race at 6 flat, 8 flat should be super easy.. adjust accordingly.

Original Posta wrote:

FitzyXC wrote:

I got a hell of a lot better once I ditched the watch and just went out the door and got the miles in at whatever pace felt right that day. If that pace ended up being fairly quick, so be it...I'm only doing 1 workout a week anyway (and not exactly a ball-busting one either).

I think there is a point where immediate/constant feedback becomes counter-productive.

If you aren't trying to get better, it probably doesn't matter anyway.

Ah I see. There is only one true way to get better, and it is however OP is training. All other training methods are garbage and don't work.

Original Posta wrote:

here's a newsflash wrote:

The body doesn't recover while training.

Easy Running absolutely speeds recovery.

This is correct, the body may not recover why running but running more, like twice a day forces the body to adapt and recover faster in a shorter period of time. Therefore easy runs indirectly make the body recover faster

The answer has been given multiple times but OP has a hard head. Running with a HRM is useful for inexperienced runners, who have a tendency to run too fast on recovery days. But then they gain experience, learn what correct effort feels like, and don't need the monitor any more. Worked for me, too.

I have trained seriously for 45 years, but the last few years, injuries were nagging. I got a HR and for the first time in 15 years I can maintain steady 50-mile weeks year round, without aches and pains. I was running two minutes/mile too fast on my "easy" runs. They probably really were easy...20 years ago.

Most masters guys run in the black hole of "moderate" too much as they try to hold onto their pride of not succumbing to "hobbyjogging". And when we line 'em up, I will pass them by with a smile, and no groaning afterwards. I'll hobbyjog the training on my easy days, and pocket the hardware on race day.

I'm with the OP. Just because I like my Garmin I keep an eye on it during almost all runs, and I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't take advantage of it. Easy and recovery days are two different things and I keep a different lid on the pace for each, which I can exceed at my own discretion. I know the approximate heart rates associated with these paces and if my heart rate is a little high on a give day, that's a signal. I don't stess out over the pace and heart rate but know them is a great benefit.

FitzyXC wrote:

Original Posta wrote:

If you aren't trying to get better, it probably doesn't matter anyway.

Ah I see. There is only one true way to get better, and it is however OP is training. All other training methods are garbage and don't work.

Maybe I misunderstood the "I'm only doing 1 workout a week anyway (and not exactly a ball-busting one either" comment.

Former D2 now 51 wrote:

I'm with the OP. Just because I like my Garmin I keep an eye on it during almost all runs, and I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't take advantage of it. Easy and recovery days are two different things and I keep a different lid on the pace for each, which I can exceed at my own discretion. I know the approximate heart rates associated with these paces and if my heart rate is a little high on a give day, that's a signal. I don't stess out over the pace and heart rate but know them is a great benefit.

Everything you say makes perfect sense, except the part where you look at the Garmin.

Original Posta wrote:

FitzyXC wrote:

Ah I see. There is only one true way to get better, and it is however OP is training. All other training methods are garbage and don't work.

Maybe I misunderstood the "I'm only doing 1 workout a week anyway (and not exactly a ball-busting one either" comment.

Hard/Easy is not the only way to the promised land, my friend. Steady mileage, one solid workout, and regular strides/speed work (never hard enough to be a "workout" in my book) has gotten me further than 2 workouts and a race a week with easy runs slower than 7:30 pace.

Alan Bennet wrote:

Former D2 now 51 wrote:

I'm with the OP. Just because I like my Garmin I keep an eye on it during almost all runs, and I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't take advantage of it. Easy and recovery days are two different things and I keep a different lid on the pace for each, which I can exceed at my own discretion. I know the approximate heart rates associated with these paces and if my heart rate is a little high on a give day, that's a signal. I don't stess out over the pace and heart rate but know them is a great benefit.

Everything you say makes perfect sense, except the part where you look at the Garmin.

Quantitative feedback in real time is always useful.

maybe this: wrote:

Alan Bennet wrote:

Everything you say makes perfect sense, except the part where you look at the Garmin.

Quantitative feedback in real time is always useful.

I agree. Hopefully, though, you keep an ear on it instead of an eye on it. Looking at it repeatedly would get annoying.

I ran faster than 6-flat for 10k (36:57 p.b), and I would struggle to maintain all my easy runs at 8-flat and sometimes I run 8:40-9:00 on my easy days, I don't use HRM, though.

George_213 wrote:

I ran faster than 6-flat for 10k (36:57 p.b), and I would struggle to maintain all my easy runs at 8-flat and sometimes I run 8:40-9:00 on my easy days, I don't use HRM, though.

Easily 3+ minutes over your 5k, then. I get similar numbers when I do my easy runs by HR. I would be very curious to see your numbers if you ever DO see the light :-)