VO2max decreases after long runs.

To get a better understanding of what is going on, take a look at the Performance Condition graph in GC for a recent run. This shows your performance relative to your VO2Max baseline. Typically it will start slightly positive, and decline over a long run as fatigue accumulates.

Note that an accurate VO2Max requires an accurate HRMax figure.

@ mcalista. Thanks for the reply. Yes yesterday the performance condition started at baseline en went to -9. Normaaly it starts at about 6 and goes to about -2 after an hour.

Are you sure that those 90 minutes at lactate threshold are actually giving you a net training benefit?

What happens during your next runs? Can you keep the same pace at the same heartrate as you could before, or has your pace become slower / your heart rate become higher?

I dont intend to keep at lactate threshold for 90mins. It just feels best to run at that pace/heart rate, if its for 60mins of 90mins. The runs.after are normally 5 km about the same.pace. Maybe I need to start a running program.with different training. E.g. interval, endurance, etc.

My question regarding the relationship between your heart rate and your pace in the following runs still stands.

Normally on a Saturday I run 15km to 20km these are the days when the VO2max drops. Sunday is rest day, on the Monday after 90mins upper body I do an easy 5km on the treadmill steady pace @11km p/h with a steady heartbeat of about 140. Wednesday is a 12km run in about 1hour, heartbeat stays steady at just under threshold (167hr). Im.46 years old and max hr186.

on the Monday after 90mins upper body I do an easy 5km on the treadmill steady pace @11km p/h with a steady heartbeat of about 140.

OK. What I was aiming at was: In weeks where you haven't done these long, rather fast runs during the weekend before, what happens to your Monday and Wednesday runs? Can you run those at a lower heart rate and the same pace?

If yes, the VO2Max calculation after the long run may be correct.

Too much, too hard in my opinion. You’re not recovering from the previous efforts. Your under threshold runs are at 89% MHR and your doing that for 2.5hrs a week, with only 5K at 75% MHR. I would stick to the 80/20 rule. 80% easy - zone2 heart rate somewhere below 80% MHR. 20% hard, fill your boots. Intervals, flat out 5K etc. If you are running 80% easy you can probably fit in another run if you have the time, more mileage is good IMO.

CW

Disclaimer: I am not a coach.

I wouldn't do long runs with 2/3 of the time at LTHR every week.

A 19km long run also seems wayyyy too long if your total volume is 35k. I think no more than 30% of your weekly volume should be long runs -- maybe 40-45% if you are training for a marathon. Anything more and you are looking to get injured.

If you're running 5X a week, this is my two cents for what that week should look like:

Midweek (once): Workout (intervals -- speed/stamina, hills). This is when you get to go all out.
2-3 times a week: Easy runs (< 70-80% MHR or Zone 2). Ideally these should be boringly slow.
Saturday/Sunday (once): Long run (this should usually be at easy/moderate pace -- < 80% MHR).

The day after a long run or workout, it helps to get an easy recovery run in. (They say that the true purpose is just for that additional mileage, and not to "recover", but the key is still that it has to be easy.)

If you must push during long runs, try adding "quality" to your long run, every other week. You could incorporate "race pace" into your long runs if you're training for a half marathon. e.g. 5k warmup, 10k RP, 4k cooldown. You could also just run the second half faster than the first.

If you want to push your LT pace faster, I think the best way is to do intervals (at just below LTHR), and not to do significant chunks of your long runs at LTHR every week.

When I started running most of my runs easy, I saw more improvement in 3 months then I had seen in the previous 2 years. When I tried to run hard all the time, I plateaued very quickly.

The device can't calculate true VO[SUB]2[/SUB]max. It just estimates based on your pace and heart rate; if your heart rate rises at the end of a long run while your pace stays constant then the device may consider that your VO[SUB]2[/SUB]max has declined. This could be a real decline if you're over training, or it could be just a false temporary decline even though your actual fitness is increasing.