762. What is base building in running?

Base building for runners – what I first thought of it anyway – was taking it easy…

Taking it easy in a way not necessarily during my runs, but not running as much 

Instead of 50 miles per week, I’d run 25. After all, I was ‘base building’ 

Really though, I was just running less. 

Base building refers to our Aerobic base 

Its something we talked about before 

Our aerobic base is our “go all day” gear 

It’s how we can endure super distances with just our legs – it’s because of our aerobic base. 

So really base building exercises our aerobic base aka aerobic base building

That means, we don’t necessarily have to run less but we do want to run easier or slower

Meaning 

Our heart rate shouldn’t jump over this formula: 180 minus our age. 

I’m 26 so 180 – 30 = 150 beats per minute. That’s my aerobic threshold. 

So during my training, that means I want to keep my heart rate below that 150 number

Once I hit 151 beats per minute, my body enters into an anaerobic state…

That means we’re not building our aerobic base anymore and instead – dare I say – not training as effectively? Not training towards our desired outcome of building a better base? 

And this brings us down to another question: why base build? Why build our aerobic base? 

Because it makes us faster. Slowing down to speed up, it’s counterintuitive but we know that’s usually how things work. 

Ever see cars? Doc is teaching McQueen to race on dirt in one of the movies, turn left to go right, doc explained – it seemed like witchcraft to McQueen 

and this may seem like witchcraft to you

but aerobic base building works. 

So how do you track your heart rate? 

A heart rate monitor is the easiest way. 

Many running watches on the market today have a heart rate feature…

The problem is those wrist heart rate watches are usually inaccurate. 

A chest heart rate monitor is going to be a lot more reliable. And about half the price of a watch. 

For the chest strap, you do need a phone or something to be able to see our heart rate date, otherwise, you’re good to go. 

One last thing, an aerobic base building block is a great off-season training block, something I’m doing now during my off-season. 

I’m incorporating different forms of cardio cross-training like a stair climber, erg, the bike, some jump rope

keeping my heart rate below that 150 BPM 

what do you think?