Seven Summits Body – Fitness and Training

Tag: training program

  • Training After Elbrus

    For the past few weeks after my attempt on Elbrus, a volcano in Russia and one of the Seven Summits, I have been working to regain my strength and fitness, and I have to admit, this is probably the fastest I’ve ever gotten back into the groove for training after an expedition.

    Family Hike for Fall Colors
    Taking the kids up the canyon to view the Fall colors

    In addition to doing some heavier weights in this training cycle, I’ve also done some family hikes and road bike rides with my 11 year old since returning from Elbrus. It’s fall here in Utah right now, and the colors are just awesome, with a lot of reds this year. I’m looking forward to going out to Colorado during the next school holiday, and wanting to run the Grizzly Ridge to Torrey’s and maybe Buffalo.

    Post Elbrus Training Stats from my private Blog

    Saturday September 29
    ITM: [1961′]
    1.00 mi – 50:00 – 40% – (1.2 ave.) – [50:000 pace] – 2112′ – (2534/42.24 vert per hour/minute)
    Stairmaster: 48:00 – 65 s/m – 2080.00 ft. – 0.44 mi.
    ITM: [-250′]
    2.37 mi – 24:00 – -2% – (5.925 ave.) – [10:08 pace] – -250.272′ – (-626/-10.43 vert per hour/minute)
    Bike Ride: 15.3 mi.

    Friday September 28
    I: 3:00
    Freestrider: L8 – 14:30 – 2000′
    GHR: 17 (concentrated no poles)
    Safetybar Sumo Partial Goodmorning: 25 @ 65 lb
    Safetybar Sumo High Box Squat: 25 @ bw / 65 / 115 / 165 / 195 / 215 !!!
    Band Sissy Squat: 25 @ green
    Leg Extension: 25 ea @ 30 lb

    Thursday September 27
    I: 2:30
    Ski-Erg: L5 – 9:00 – 1296 meters – 5.369 mph – 11:11 min/mi – 2.4 meters/second
    Superset: 2 x {
    Hopping Dip: 100
    Hopping Pullup: 100
    Hyper/RC: 25
    }
    Superset: {
    Bench Press: 5 @ 135 -purple; 5 x 5 @ 160 -purple
    Horizontal Row: 5 @ 90 lb; 5 x 5 @ 125 lb
    }
    Superset: 3 x {
    Suprabar Shoulder Curl/Press: 10 @ bar+ 20 lb
    Inverted Row: 10
    Neutral Grip Chinup: 5 singles from standing
    }
    ITM: [1182′]
    4.482 mi – 62:00 – 5% – (4.337 ave.) – [13:50 pace] – 1183.248′ – (1145/19.08 vert per hour/minute)

    Wednesday September 26
    I: 2:30
    Freestrider: L8 – 7:06 – 1000′
    GHR-Poles: 5 x 10 @ bw
    Superset: 5 x {
    Safetybar Parallel Box Squat: 6 @ 65/115 lb; 3 x 6 @ 135 lb
    DB Incline Chest Press: 10 @ 25 lb ea
    }
    Sumo SLDL: 5 x 5 @ 155 lb
    ITM: [247′]
    2.35 mi – 30:00 – 2% – (4.7 ave.) – [12:46 pace] – 248.16′ – (496/8.27 vert per hour/minute)
    Stairmaster: 25:00 – 60 s/m – 1000.00 ft. – 0.21 mi.

    Tuesday September 25
    I: 2:30
    Ski-Erg: L5 – 9:00 – 1263 meters – 5.232 mph – 11:28 min/mi – 2.339 meters/second
    Hopping Dip/Pullup: 100 ea
    DB Shoulder (side/front/rear): 25 ea @ 5 lb ea
    Bench Press: 25 @ 45 lb
    Horizontal Row: 25 @ 90 lb
    Seated Goodmorning (curl/oblique): 25 @ bw
    Safetybar Goodmorning: 5 @ 65 lb
    Trapbar Deadlift: 5 @ 145 lb
    Stairmaster: 10:00 – 60 s/m – 400.00 ft. – 0.09 mi.

    Monday September 24
    Ski-Erg: L5 – 9:00 – 1257 meters – 5.207 mph – 11:31 min/mi – 2.328 meters/second
    Hyper/RC: 25 ea
    DB Shoulder (side/front/rear) 25 ea @ 5 lb ea
    Leg Extension: 25 ea @ 20 lb
    Hunchbacks: 25
    Safetybar High Box Squat: 25 @ 65/115/165/185 lb
    Safetybar Standing Calf: 25 @ 65 lb
    ITM: [2513′]
    1.28 mi – 49:09 – 40% – (1.563 ave.) – [38:24 pace] – 2703.36′ – (3300/55 vert per hour/minute)

    Sunday September 23
    I: 2:30
    Superset: 2 x {
    Hyper: 25
    Roman Chair: 25
    Hopping Pullup: 100
    Hopping Dip: 100
    Ski Erg: 1:30 – L5 – 247/232 M
    }
    Pulse Pushup: 40
    DB Lateral Shoulder: 2 x 25 @ 5 lb ea
    Bench Press: 2 x 25 @ 45 lb
    Inverted Row Scapular Contraction: 25
    ITM:  [595′]
    .58 mi – 25:20 – 20% – (1.374 ave.) – [43:41 pace] – 612.48′ – (1451/24.18 vert per hour/minute)

    Freestrider: L8 – 23:40 – 4000′

    Saturday September 22
    I: 2:30
    Hopping Chinup/Pullup: 2 x 100
    Hopping Dip: 2 x 100
    Machine Ab Curl: 50 @ L6; 25 @ L4
    Superset: 2 x {
    Inverted Row: 10
    Elevated Pushup: 10
    }
    Bike Ride: 7.6 mi (stats?)

    Friday September 21
    Zercher Safetybar High Box Squat: 10 @ 65 lb
    Safetybar High Box Squat: 2 x 10 @ 155 lb; 2 x 10 @ 205 lb; 5 @ 225 lb (pulled oblique)
    Bailed on rest of workout today

    Thursday September 20
    I: 2:30
    Superset: 5 x {
    Bench Press: 5 @ 135 lb -purple
    Suprabar Horizontal Row: 5 @ 115 lb
    Suprabar Curl/Press: 5 @ bar+30 lb
    Wrist Roller: 5 lb (both ways)
    }
    Superset: 3 x {
    Inverted Row: 10
    Incline Press: 10 @ 25 lb ea
    Facepull: 10 @ L2/L3
    }
    Superset: 3 x {
    Assisted Pullup: 10 @ blue (knees)
    Tricep Rope: 10 @ L3
    }
    ITM: [-227′]
    2.16 mi – 24:00 – -2% – (5.4 ave.) – [11:07 pace] – -228.096′ – (-570/-9.5 vert per hour/minute)

    Wednesday September 19
    I: 2:30
    Blaststrap Sissy Squat: 10
    Superset: 5 x {
    Straightleg Deadlift: 5 @ 135 lb
    Safetybar Full Squat: 5 @ 65 lb
    }
    Freestrider: L6 – 24:00 – 3445′

    Tuesday September 18
    Superset: 8 total sets {
    Bench Press: 25 @ 45 lb; 5 @ 135 -reds; 2 @ 185 -purples; 5 x 3 @ 185 -purples/reds
    Suprabar Horizontal Row: 8 x 10 @ 95 lb
    }
    Superset: 2 x {
    Suprabar Curl/Press: 10 @ bar+20 lb
    Assisted Pullup: 25 @ blue
    }
    Incline DB Press: 25 @ 22.5 lb ea
    ITM: [2400′]
    1.22 mi – 52:04 – 40% – (1.406 ave.) – [42:41 pace] – 2576.64′ – (2969/49.49 vert per hour/minute)

    Monday September 17
    Freestrider: L10 – 7:29 – 1000′
    GHR-Poles: 25
    Band Goodmorning: 2 x 25 @ purple band
    Parallel Box Squat: 10 @ bw/65; 2 x 10 @ 85 lb
    Trapbar Deadlift: 5 @ 145/195; 3 x 10 @ 225 lb
    ITM: [-168′]
    1.6 mi – 24:00 – -2% – (4 ave.) – [15:000 pace] – -168.96′ – (-422/-7.04 vert per hour/minute)

    Sunday September 16
    Freestrider: L8 – 12:00 – 1511′
    KB Swings – not recorded
    GHR-Poles: 5 x 10
    Superset 2 x {
    Machine Abs: 25 @ L6
    Hanging Knee-up: 10
    Incline DB Chest Press: 25 @ 20 lb ea.
    Rear Delt Fly: 15 @ 5 lb ea
    }
    ITM: [2410′]
    1.23 mi – 54:00 – 40% – (1.367 ave.) – [43:54 pace] – 2597.76′ – (2886/48.11 vert per hour/minute)

    Saturday September 15
    I: 3:30
    Freestrider: L6 – 8:00 – 1106′
    KB Swings 25 ea multiple angles
    GHR-Poles 5 x 10
    Trapbar Deadlift: 5 x 10 @ 145 lb
    Safetybar Seated Goodmorning: 12 @ 65
    High Box Squat: 5 @ 65/155 lb; 5 x 5 @ 205 lb
    Assisted Pullup: 25 @ Blue Band
    Seated Calf Raise: 25 @ 90 lb

    Friday September 14
    Hyper/RC: 25
    Hanging Knee-up: 2 x 12
    Machine Ab Curl: 2 x 25 @ L10
    Superset: 2 x {
    Bench Press: 25 @ 45 lb
    Seated Suprabar Shoulder Curl/Press: 2 @ bar
    Rope Row: 25 @ L4
    }
    Assisted Pullup: 4 x 12 @ Blue Band (Standing)
    Strap Tricep Press: 10 @ L4
    Supported Tricep Dip: 10 @ bw -legs
    Inverted Row: 10
    ITM: [632′]
    .81 mi – 25:00 – 15% – (1.944 ave.) – [30:52 pace] – 641.52′ – (1540/25.66 vert per hour/minute)

    Thursday September 13
    I: 2:00
    Hyper/RC: 25
    Blast Strap Sissy Squat: 25
    Safetybar High Box Squat: 25 @ 65 lb; 17 @ 115 lb; 12 @ 155 lb; 5 x 10 @ 185 lb
    Side Abs: 25 ea @ 5 lb (handle)
    Single leg high box: 25 ea @ bw
    Twisting Abs: 25 @ bw
    ITM: [-308′]
    1.46 mi – 25:00 – -4% – (3.504 ave.) – [17:07 pace] – -308.352′ – (-740/-12.33 vert per hour/minute)

  • My Training Log from Elbrus

    Here are some examples of what I’ve been doing the past few weeks while training for Elbrus. The following is only the cardio segment of each day so that you can get an idea of what type and amount of cardio I do while training for a big mountain.

    Running on Incline Treadmill
    Treadmill Running at 5 AM while the family sleeps

    Note: ITM = NordicTrack Incline Treadmill (-6% – +40% inclination)

    July 30
    ITM: [123′ – mostly 6.0 mph]
    2.34 mi – 24:00 – 1% – (5.85 ave.) – [10:15 pace] – 123.552′ – (309/5.15 vert per hour/minute)

    Afternoon:
    Ski Erg:
    L5 – 06:00 – 983 meters – 6.108 mph – 9:49 min/mi – 2.731 meters/second

    July 31
    Freestrider: 24:00 – L10 – 3624′

    ITM: [423′]
    2.01 mi – 24:00 – 4% – (5.025 ave.) – [11:56 pace] – 424.512′ – (1061/17.69 vert per hour/minute)

    August 1
    ITM: [1542′]
    1.12 mi – 40:00 – 27% – (1.68 ave.) – [35:43 pace] – 1596.672′ – (2395/39.92 vert per hour/minute)

    Stairmaster: 40:00 – 75 spm – 2000′

    ITM: [63′]
    1.21 mi – 14:00 – 1% – (5.186 ave.) – [11:34 pace] – 63.888′ – (274/4.56 vert per hour/minute)

    Afternoon:
    Ski Erg: L5 – 15:00 – 2420 meters – 6.015 mph – 9:59 min/mi – 2.689 meters/second

    August 2
    Trail Run: Big Baldy Traverse
    4400′ (up and down) – 3:51 – 11.0 miles

    August 3
    ITM: [876′]
    (1.81 mi – 46:00 – 5-10%)

    August 4
    ITM: [-685′]
    (-2% – 74:37 – 6.50 mi – long intervals 5.0/6.0/6.5 mph +/- 20:00 ea)

    August 5
    Bike Ride: Keystone to Montezuma and back (Colorado)
    1300′ (up and down) – 1:49 – 14.3 mi

    Run to top of Olympus
    Mountain Trail Run Ascent and Descent

    August 7
    ITM: [-749′]
    7.10 mi – 72:30 – -2% – (5.876 ave.) – [10:13 pace] – -749.76′ – (-620/-10.34 vert per hour/minute)

    August 8
    I: 2:00
    Starimaster: 70:00 – 75 spm – 3500′

    Afternoon:
    Ski-Erg: L5 – 15:00 – 2263 meters – 5.625 mph – 10:40 min/mi – 2.514 meters/second
    (circuit with abs, lats, pecs)

    August 9
    ITM: [577′]
    5.50 mi – 66:15 – 2% – (4.981 ave.) – [12:03 pace] – 580.8′ – (526/8.77 vert per hour/minute)
    really beat – unrecovered – legs empty but still managed some 1/4 mi. intervals of 7.0 and up

    August 10
    ITM: [5696′]
    4.14 mi – 90:00 – 27% – (2.76 ave.) – [21:44 pace] – 5901.984′ – (3935/65.58 vert per hour/minute)

    August 11
    ITM: [-738′]
    7.00 mi – 69:22 – -2% – (6.055 ave.) – [9:55 pace] – -739.2′ – (-639/-10.66 vert per hour/minute)

    August 12
    Stairmaster:
    10:00 – 85 s/m – 566.67 ft. – 0.12 mi.
    10:00 – 90 s/m – 600.00 ft. – 0.13 mi.
    4:00 – 95 s/m – 253.33 ft. – 0.05 mi.
    = 1420′

    Jacob’s Ladder:
    5:00 – 309′

    Biggest Loser Ladder
    Jacob’s Ladder Trainer

    August 13
    Stairmaster:
    46:00 – 100 s/m – 3066.67 ft. – 0.65 mi.
    ITM: [3435′]
    2.50 mi – 50:00 – 27% – (3 ave.) – [20:000 pace] – 3564′ – (4277/71.28 vert per hour/minute)
    6501.67/6630.67′
    Roughly Equal to Classic in 96:00

    August 14
    ITM: [-453′]
    4.31 mi – 50:06 – -2% – (5.162 ave.) – [11:37 pace] – -455.136′ – (-545/-9.08 vert per hour/minute)

    Freestrider: L8 – 44:00 – 7316′

    August 15
    ITM: [1244′]
    .82 mi – 24:00 – 30% – (2.05 ave.) – [29:16 pace] – 1298.88′ – (3247/54.12 vert per hour/minute)

    Stairmaster: 12:00 – 110 s/m – 880.00 ft. – 0.19 mi.

    ITM: [1296′]
    .86 mi – 24:00 – 30% – (2.15 ave.) – [27:54 pace] – 1362.24′ – (3406/56.76 vert per hour/minute)

    Stairmaster: 6:00 – 120 s/m – 480.00 ft. – 0.10 mi.

    3900’/4020 in 66:00

    August 16
    ITM: [161′]
    1.54 mi – 26:06 – 2% – (3.54 ave.) – [16:57 pace] – 162.624′ – (374/6.23 vert per hour/minute)

    August 17
    Trail Run: ascent of Mount Olympus in Salt Lake City
    4500′ (up and down) – 3:39 – 6.3 miles

    Stairmaster Stepmill
    Stairmaster Stepmill Training

    August 19
    ITM: [1000′]
    .51 mi – 24:43 – 40% – (1.238 ave.) – [48:28 pace] – 1077.12′ – (2615/43.58 vert per hour/minute)

    Jacob’s Ladder: 12:00 – 747′
    Freestrider: 23:23 – L6 – 4000′ (FAST!)

    August 20
    ITM: [3600′]
    1.84 mi – 63:25 – 40% – (1.741 ave.) – [34:28 pace] – 3886.08′ – (3677/61.28 vert per hour/minute)

    Stairmaster: 34:00 – 80 s/m – 1813.33 ft. – 0.39 mi.

    Afternoon:
    Trail Run: Bonneville Shoreline Trail, Utah County
    1200′ (up and down) – 1:47 – 8.1 mi

    August 21
    ITM: [-527′]
    5.00 mi – 58:54 – -2% – (5.093 ave.) – [11:47 pace] – -528′ – (-538/-8.96 vert per hour/minute)

    August 22
    ITM: [2725′]
    1.80 mi – 72:02 – 30% – (1.499 ave.) – [40:01 pace] – 2851.2′ – (2375/39.58 vert per hour/minute)

    August 25
    Bicycling: Frisco to Vail Pass and return
    1900′ (up and down) – 23.3 mi – 2:57

    August 27
    ITM: [10,700′]
    7.78 mi – 162:04 – 27% – (2.88 ave.) – [20:50 pace] – 11091.168′ – (4106/68.44 vert per hour/minute)

    August 28
    Freestrider: L6 – 13:00 – 1868′

    August 29
    Stairmaster: 45:00 – 75 s/m – 2250.00 ft. – 0.48 mi.

  • Training Log Example – Weekly Blog Log

    The below is an example of a training log taken from a Blogger Blog I share with my wife to track our daily workouts, eating, and goals. I use a little shorthand, since I’ve been doing this for years. Each day immediately after each exercise I write what I do on a small whiteboard I got from Target for $1 in those little bargain aisles just inside the door.

    Training Log on Whiteboard
    Write Your Workout Immediately on a Whiteboard

    I can usually get 2-3 days to a board if I’m doing weights, or 5 to a board if I’m doing just cardio.

    Right now I’m in full-on training mode for Elbrus Race 2012 (still not locked in, so not totally committed unfortunately – the visa and flight issues at the end of August are causing me moderate stress as I strive to overcome those obstacles). Hence I am not doing heavy weights, but am going for high volume of light weight to flush blood through my muscles and build endurance and vascularity. (some research has shown an increase in acclimatization with greater vascularity)

    I really suggest you log your training for best results. I use a blog that I’ve marked as “Private” and given access (by logging in) to myself and my wife. There are a slew of social sites now where you can do the same thing and share it with all your friends, but I’ve been doing this longer than there even were such things, and I really don’t want to share my every day sweating, despite some of more frequent post topics.

    One of my favorite aspects of the online blog version of tracking my workouts is that I can give them labels or tags, so I can find groups of exercises with common themes like “going for maximum vertical per hour” or “squat day” etc. and compare where I am now with where I was a year or two ago.

    Angie Lat Pulldown
    Angie on the Lat Tower of the Power Rack

    Key to log below:
    I: Inversion Table
    ITM: Incline Treadmill
    SLDL: Straight Leg Deadlifts
    FS: Nordic Track Freestrider
    RC: Roman Chair
    DB: Dumbbell
    M-: Combo Machine
    GHR: Glute Ham Raise
    xxxx’/yyyy’ left is from machine display, right is from calculator

    Monday July 9

    181.6 lb

    I: 2:00
    FS: L8 – 12:00 – 2000′
    Box Stepping/GHR-Poles 25 ea
    Stairmaster: 90:00 – 75 spm – 4500′

    Daily Total Vertical: 6500′

    Tuesday July 10

    180.2 lb

    I: 3:00
    Incline Treadmill: [1800′ – ~mph – hands-free]
    1.19 mi – 47:24 – 30% – (1.506 ave.) – [39:50 pace] – 1884.96′ – (2386/39.77 vert per hour/minute)

    Superset: 2x {
    Standing Wide Row: 25 @ L3
    Box Squat: 10 @ 65 lb Safetybar
    DB Shoulders: 25 @ 10 lb ea.
    DB Fly: 25 @ 10 lb ea.
    }

    Hyper/RC: 25 ea
    Side Plank: 30 seconds ea.

    Incline Treadmill: [2000′ – 1.6 mph – hands-on]
    1.32 mi – 49:27 – 30% – (1.602 ave.) – [37:28 pace] – 2090.88′ – (2537/42.28 vert per hour/minute)

    Daily Total Vertical: 3800’/3974′

    Wednesday July 11

    182.0 lb

    I: 3:00
    FS: L8 – 12:00 – 2000′
    ITM:  [2012′ – 1.6/7 mph – way hands-on]
    1.33 mi – 47:00 – 30% – (1.698 ave.) – [35:20 pace] – 2106.72′ – (2689/44.82 vert per hour/minute)

    Stairmaster: 36:00 – 80 spm – 1920′

    Daily Total Vertical: 4012’/4106′

    Thursday July 12

    181.4 lb

    I: 2:30
    ITM: [2000′ – 1.6 mph – still too much hands-on]
    1.32 mi – 44:48 – 30% – (1.768 ave.) – [33:56 pace] – 2090.88′ – (2800/46.67 vert per hour/minute)

    Superset: 2 x {
    Box Squat: 15 @ 65 lb
    SLDL: 15 @ 145 lb
    Seated Calf: 15 @ 85 lb
    }

    Stairmaster: 48:00 – 80 spm – 2560′
    I: 3:00

    Daily Total Vertical: 4560’/4650′

    Friday July 13

    183.4 (rice and popcorn and veggies and soup)

    I: 2:30
    FS: L6 – 12:25 – 2000′
    12″ Box: side/rear/front stepping 25 ea; Pole Squat: 25 ea;
    GHR – poles: 25  — way out!

    ITM: [1000′ – 1.6 mph]
    .67 mi – 24:54 – 30% – (1.614 ave.) – [37:10 pace] – 1061.28′ – (2557/42.62 vert per hour/minute)

    Superset: 2 x {
    M-LPD: 25 @ L5
    M-Row: 25 @ L5
    DB-Fly: 25 @ 10 lb ea
    DB-Shoulder: 25 @ 10 lb ea
    Buttup: 25
    Partial Pushup: 25 !!
    Swing DB-Bicep: 25 @ 10 ea.
    }

    Daily Total Vertical: 3000’/3061′

    Saturday July 14

    183.2

    I: 2:30

    ITM: [3374′ – 1.7/2.0]
    2.225 mi – 72:00 – 30% – (1.854 ave.) – [32:22 pace] – 3524.4′ – (2937/48.95 vert per hour/minute)
    Stairmaster: 48:00 – 100 spm – 3200′

    Daily Total Vertical: 6574’/6724′

    Weekly Total Vertical: 28,446′ / 29,015′

  • Book Review: The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing

    The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing

    by Phil Maffetone

    I’ve been training hard for quite a while now, and learned to cruise at 165 bpm heart rate. I have to go fairly quickly on the stairmaster to accomplish this, max’ed out the elliptical way before that, and can only run fast enough to accomplish it at an elevation of 6% or so on the treadmill.

    Some recovery issues have prevented me from weight training very seriously for a few months now. As well, my continuously decreasing pace for the last few half-marathons and marathon. Based on the reviews for this book, and several top ranked triathletes having successfully used this training format, I decided to give it a shot.

    The book is laid out linearly, in categories, so you can skip whole sections and not miss anything. Since I have long been free of most sugars and simple white carbs, I could skim those sections for tidbits but not get bogged down. If you still depend on them, then please, do read it.

    Why is a book on training and racing talking about sugar? In a nutshell, the aerobic system needs only a trickle of sugar, depletes our massive fat stores, and is more easily recoverable. The anaerobic system consumes sugar, and in spite of any loading plans, runs out fairly quickly and takes longer to recover.

    Standard training wisdom is to train like a sprinter, and work very hard to get your heart rate ever higher, but the point of this book is to help you increase your speed at a very low heart rate that will allow you to maintain that speed for a very long time with very little energy expenditure.

    There are a lot of ideas for how to go about this, some self-tests to assess your current state, a lot of information on eating and fat reduction, as well as foot health – he’s a “sensible” bare foot advocate. I’m not really all that interested in barefoot running since I’m a big old guy who’s worn the wrong shoes for most of my life. It would take years of rehab to overcome all that, and honestly I really can’t give up training to learn a skill that isn’t likely to have all that much value. YMMV.

    After a week or so of reading, I decided to go ahead and try it. Based on his formula, my target heart rate zone is centered on 132 bpm. ARGH! So I messed around some to find some combination of speed, and incline that would put me there. I reset my Polar so that Zone 2 is from 130-140. ARGH!

    I have been working on the treadmill and stairmaster to achieve that goal HR. Very tough. My first couple days I kept going over, and had to step off now and then to rest, but after a couple weeks it’s not that hard to maintain the right pace. Btw: stepping off is a LOT harder to do on a stairmaster. 🙂

    I got to try it at 10,000′ in Colorado. Since he doesn’t mention anything about heart rate at altitude I kept my target, and plodded along. No running in CO, pretty sure I can’t run at that altitude at that low a HR. The treadmill I have access to there allows a 20% incline so I can walk to achieve my zone. He does include one of the best sections I’ve read yet on high and low pressure/altitude training, resting, and sleeping. If you’re interested, that alone is worth the price of the book, imho.

    After a few weeks of training that “slowly” I have noticed a visible (like in fat loss) change, my speed at that HR is actually increasing, and it’s getting easier to stay in the zone. I’ve been averaging around 20 miles a week for some time now, and this program hasn’t changed that. I’ll try this program for a few more months and will keep you in the loop.

    If you’re an “endurance athlete” (events longer than 5k, day-long hikes or climbs, training more than 6 hours a week) or even just unable to recover from your current training, this book is totally worth a read.