Today is a rest day on my half marathon fitness blueprint.

Yesterday I completed the 6o minute extensive interval programme and used RPE (rate of perceived exertion), but I also used a heart rate monitor and kept an eye on what my heart rate was doing when I was self regulating in the RPE zones of 7, 8 & 6.

In my first 20 minutes it fluctuated between 145 and 156 beats per minute.

The next 20 (RPE-8) was between 155 and 165 and the last 20 minutes (RPE 6) was 125 to 140 (apart from the last 2 minutes when I was accidentally sprinting and working far to hard to even look at what my heart rate was doing!)

Tomorrow is the first of the long runs – 6 miles – so I’ll let you know how it goes.

Monday is another rest day, but I’ll be discussing some more issues around heart rate training.

Don’t forget to download you free blueprint by **clicking here**

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So today I did the first of my non running training sessions (that’s what I mean by cross training).

This involved doing what I would term extensive intervals.

You can see the exact blueprint **here** , but here’s what I did today.

To set my intensity I used what is called RPE (rate of perceived exertion).

I use a scoring system of 1-10, with ten being the hardest level. You can get a full explanation by signing up for my free fitness blueprints at the top right had side of this screen.

Today’s session was a one hour (non running) programme for which I did the following.

Cross Trainer – 20 mins – RPE 7
Stepper – 20 mins – RPE 8
Cycle – 20 mins – RPE 6

Everything went really well apart from one thing….

As I was coming to the end of my 20 min cycle at RPE 6, a really excellent tune started on my iPod which meant that I just couldn’t hold back and I charged my way into a maximum all out sprint for the last 2 mins, oops, broke my programme.

… I just couldn’t help myself.

Tomorrow is a rest day, but I’ll still post a message about the use of heart rate in training and what my heart rate, when I was doing the hour long extensive interval session, was in relation to my RPE.

Don’t forget to get your free blueprint **click here**, so you can follow along too.

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