Outdoor running
I did my first 5km outdoor run of 2023 yesterday. It took me 34:34 to do 5 km run on the road in Gurgaon. It was an easy run and my objective for the month of May 2023, is to make running a habit.
Run Stats:
Distance: 5 km
Time: 34:34
VO2 max: 38.6
Avg. pace: 06'53"/km
Heart rate zones while running
The run was a stretch, not unbearable but not effortless too. Running 5 km after a long break was challenging. After months of inactivity, I expected to experience some discomfort during the run. However, after I got into the rhythm, my body began to adapt and I found myself feeling more energized and alive.
VO2 max measures how much oxygen (usually in milliliters) you breathe in while exercising as hard as you can. The more oxygen you inhale, the more energy your body can use. Higher VO2 max usually means better physical fitness.
Heart rate zones are an essential factor to consider while running, as they help in optimize training and improving overall fitness level. Heart rate zones are determined by the percentage of maximum heart rate, which varies based on age and fitness level. Typically, there are five heart rate zones, ranging from very light to maximum effort. Each zone has different benefits and targets different physiological systems in the body. For example, running in the lower heart rate zones can help to improve endurance and fat burning, while running in the higher zones can improve speed and anaerobic capacity.
From the workout stats, I have set the goal of doing 5km runs regularly in May 2023 to reduce the percentage time spent in Maximum zone to 20% or less while maintaining similar overall time. In a lay man's terminology, it means I intend to make running 5km effortless so that my heart rate stays within reasonable zones.
Heart rate zones while swimming
I had logged my heart rate zones while swimming in my blog My first 5 km swim on 9th April 2023. The major difference between the swim and run is the percentage time spent in Heart Rate Zone 5, while doing an intense swimming session, I only spent 12% time in the Maximum Zone while.
Nike Winflo 9
I was gifted Nike Winflo 9 on my birthday by my sister in law, Avani Parashar. They are a great pair of training shoes for running up to 10 km in a go. They are also good for running on the asphalt road.
