• Uses terms interchangeably –Base, MAF, zone 2 – all kind of the same thing

• Depends on the type of athlete and if his athlete is using threshold or not

• Lots of his athletes are just MAF based
• But Triathletes use zones, ftp, threshold tests

• Base = zone 1 / zone 2 / threshold -20 (+/- a few BPM)

  • Wide range

  • MAF is well below 50/50 fat/carb burn

  • Very moderate

  • Without an RQ / metabolic efficiency test, it’s a bit of a guess, but you have to assume the MAF formula is good (if doing MAF)

  • (really fit athlete could have MAF = zone 3)

• Tempo = roughly MAF + 10 or threshold -10; zone 3

  • But this is different based on the type of athlete

  • Ultra-runner vs. Olympic distance triathlete

    • Triathlete should have a wider zone 3

    • Triathlete may have a 15 beats below threshold

    • Ultra may be 5 beats below threshold (b/c threshold is low)

  • If an athlete only does MAF, nothing else at all, then threshold will drop, closer to MAF

    • You’ve closed the zone 3, 4 window – and zone 4 may be eliminated

    • E.g. MAF was 5:50; dropped to 5:40 in marathon and went above threshold, so MAF + 10 was “blow up”

    • Big negative for marathoner and most other athletes like sprint and Olympic distance triathletes, but not so bad for 100 miler…

    • Trying to keep a theoretical space between what you can hold for 1 hour vs. 3 hours

    • Example of elite marathoners dropping 20-30s/mile for a short burst (mile) and being fine, but if you don’t have that window, you can’t do it…

    • Having a high end is important

    • Doesn’t take 6 months of speed work

    • Short periods of vo2max, speed, threshold work will bring it back up

    • E.g. 7 weeks, 1 speed session per week, is adequate

• Tempo vs. threshold

  • Threshold = 98-103% of LT

  • Tempo = can hold for over an hour, or up to 2

  • A “feel”

  • HR will drift over the hour+

  • (so ignore HR)

• Lactate threshold/FTP – zone 4, a bit into zone 5

• Zone 5 – VO2Max

  • Close to mile repeat efforts, but no HRM on mile repeats

  • But if you max mile is 8 minutes – that’s too long

  • VO2Max cut off is 5 – 5:30 minutes

Races

• Mile

  • Close to vo2max, or just under, depending on actual duration

  • VO2max is 5-5:30 minutes

• 5k

  • Start at threshold, or just under, or you start to fast

• Half Marathon – threshold

  • But again depends on speed

  • 2 hours = zone 3/aerobic threshold

  • 1:15 – 1:20 zone 4

• Marathon speed is zone 3

  • May start at MAF, drifts to z3 by mile 6 or 7, drifts to z4 at 15-20 => no single marathon HR as it changes during the race

  • Marathon pace is “aerobic threshold” (Canova) – 50/50 fat/carb burn

• 50 miler

  • mostly MAF or lower for most runners

  • but those going really fast (6 hours)  – moderate tempo

• 100 miles

  • MAF, but with fatigue and cardiac drift, HR isn’t that useful

  • Use for 5-6 hours then don’t bother

• Notes on terminology

  • If using “zone” based training, it’s not MAF

  • Zones are based off of threshold, MAF is not

  • Can make educated guess

  • E.g. MAF+20 = threshold – just a guide

Miscellaneous…

• Just need to be close – it’s hand grenades – these are big ranges

• Take the calculators with a grain of salt – it’s the type of training you do that indicates what you are capable of…

• Definitely likes athletes to at least use an HRM for a while – coach and athlete need to get on the same page w.r.t. terminology…  Also need to agree on perceived exertion…