Re: Assessing effort. I'd love to learn more on this front. Is heart rate generally considered to be the gold standard among effort metrics? Are there additional measures one could use in an effort to triangulate "true" effort? I found it interesting (and encouraging, for you, I hope!) that these high heart-rate readings were followed by "effortless" mile (+/-) repeats. Feel the learn :)
Re: I <3 XC. Amen! What most impresses me in events like this is shared sincere emotion, among teammates and across teams. Here are a country's top young student-athletes at the end of a semester, a season, in some cases a collegiate career; all the ups and downs of academics, athletics, team dynamics, and relationships inside them; the event asks (demands?) that they give all they have; and the spectators and cameras watch what they do, when the stakes feel highest, and most if not all defenses have been stripped away. My respect to all the athletes who presented the best version of themselves on race day.
I actually think the good ole fashion talk test is the best indicator of effort, but I don't talk to myself on solo runs so it's a hard one to use when alone.
My HR reading is a good indicator of if I am getting sick or if I know I am run down, so I like to use it to make the internals visible. But I find that if I am too wed to it, I look at the number every minute when I am running. That's no fun!
Not XC, but I'm excited to watch track races at BU this weekend to see all of the same NCAA stars blast fast 5ks. It will be wild.
Dear Pen Pal,
Re: Assessing effort. I'd love to learn more on this front. Is heart rate generally considered to be the gold standard among effort metrics? Are there additional measures one could use in an effort to triangulate "true" effort? I found it interesting (and encouraging, for you, I hope!) that these high heart-rate readings were followed by "effortless" mile (+/-) repeats. Feel the learn :)
Re: I <3 XC. Amen! What most impresses me in events like this is shared sincere emotion, among teammates and across teams. Here are a country's top young student-athletes at the end of a semester, a season, in some cases a collegiate career; all the ups and downs of academics, athletics, team dynamics, and relationships inside them; the event asks (demands?) that they give all they have; and the spectators and cameras watch what they do, when the stakes feel highest, and most if not all defenses have been stripped away. My respect to all the athletes who presented the best version of themselves on race day.
Carry on!
I actually think the good ole fashion talk test is the best indicator of effort, but I don't talk to myself on solo runs so it's a hard one to use when alone.
My HR reading is a good indicator of if I am getting sick or if I know I am run down, so I like to use it to make the internals visible. But I find that if I am too wed to it, I look at the number every minute when I am running. That's no fun!
Not XC, but I'm excited to watch track races at BU this weekend to see all of the same NCAA stars blast fast 5ks. It will be wild.