Swim/Run: Heartrate training?

Last night I attempted a swim and run at Magic Island. I got there rather late, about 5:45, but the sun wasn't supposed to set until 6:30, so I figured I had time. Went in the water and I was just settling in and admiring how unusually clear the water was, when my goggles broke. Bummer. So much for that.

So I went for the run. I did intervals (2' slow, 30" fast) and worked on running on the balls of my feet. Along the way I ran into T (the guy I used as my rabbit in Tinman training). He's doing Honu training with a group that does Heart rate training.

The idea is that you do all your training at an aerobic level, so 180 - your age. When you go above that, you're training anaerobically (sp?). By training at an aerobic level, you don't get tired, so you can go further with less effort. As your body adjusts, you can go faster and faster without exceeding that threshold.

It's an interesting idea, but I'm a little sceptical. I wonder, if it does work, how long it takes for the body to adjust. One of the guys teaching the class is a fairly well-known ironman finisher, and he claims he went from 7.5 minute miles while running to 5.5 after doing this.

T was saying that he can run 8 minute miles normally, but they did a track test where he stayed in his aerobic level and that slowed him down to 13 minute miles. There was a 65 year old guy on the track who's been doing this for 7 years, and he kept lapping T. So, maybe it works. I'll let Tom try it out and get a report from him after Honu.

I went to Sports Authority after the run and bought new goggles.