The most important factor for runners is avoiding injuries.
Up to a point, I've found increasing total miles improves my running times regardless of the training method. For maximum improvement, I find about 42 training miles a week works best for me. (This does not include steps outside of running). My maximum "Fitbit miles" a week to avoid injuries is about 75 miles. Past this point, I start to get minor injuries that force me to take time off to avoid chronic problems.
Metronome use
I've been using a metronome for walking and running for about three years. To determine the cadence for walking, I walked my normal route without a metronome and used the slowest cadence for a five minute period. I got this from the summary chart for steps. At first, it was 115 beats per minute (bpm). Now it's 120 bpm. For running, I started with the cadence for what I call "old man running." This starts when it becomes natural to raise the arms. Each training day, I increased the cadence by 0.1 bpm. (I use Audacity for creating a click track. If anyone is interested, I'll explain more.) This small increment is important as I don't notice the intensity increase from one run to the next. Since I do timed runs, I also increase the distance slightly each run.
Using a metronome sounds horrid, but after about ten training sessions, I found my feet followed it automatically without thought.
Maffetone Method
Dr. Maffetone has been doing extensive running research since the early 80's.
I discovered the Maffetone method in 2015. The simple version is run at a pace where your heart rate is less than 180 minus your age. This comes close to 70% of a person's theoretical maximum heart rate. Maffetone recommends running all miles at this heart rate. Running at this heart rate causes the body to burn 70% fat and 30% carbs. Even ten beats higher can reverse the ratio to 30% fat and 70% carbs. In other words, the training includes an anaerobic portion which results in quick fatigue.
In practice, I look at the average heart rate for the whole run and look at the heart rate graph to see if there are extended excursions above the target heart rate. Sometimes, especially in cold weather, the Fitbit heart rate monitor goes wild on the up side. I ignore these.
In my opinion, this is the best book on the Maffetone method.
Jeff Galloway
I discovered Jeff Galloway recently. He has been running for 50 years and training runners for about 43 years. The emphasis is on avoiding injury and training recreational runners. I'll define recreational as those who run a 3 hour marathon and slower. It can also be used for short distances. It's basically interval training in disguise. Many people feel interval training is the quickest method to improve cardiovascular conditioning. They also associate it with huffing and puffing. Jeff has a strict "no huffing and puffing rule" to avoid injuries.
Basically, a new out of shape runner would walk for 55 seconds and run slowly for 5 seconds. With time they would run for a time and walk for a time. 20 seconds of walking and 60 seconds of running works well. If a person likes they can walk for a minute and run for three minutes. (This is greatly simplified.) They are free to vary the ratio to what feels good.
The concept is resting before a person's weak link has a chance to turn to an injury.
The biggest objection to the Galloway method is "real runners don't walk during races." That is until the last six miles of a marathon for many. The counter to this objection is taking frequent walking breaks during a race will result in the runner being fresher at the end and running faster. My mathematical counter is a person running at a cadence of 160 bpm, which is average for advanced recreational runners, will slow their pace by about 7%. However, because of interval training, the pace is likely to be faster than using other methods. They will also be able to continue this pace longer.
Those who worry about the pace are missing the point of running without injury and enjoyment.
Truthfully, I used to hate alternating running and walking, but after I gave it a fair chance, I enjoy it.
Two books I recommend:
The Run-Walk-Run Method Kindle Edition
by Jeff Galloway (Author)
Running Until You're 100 3rd Ed Kindle Edition
by Jeff Galloway (Author)
Putting it all together
Before each run, I create a click track using Audacity. It starts with a 20 minute walking warm up. Then I alternate 20 seconds of walking and 60 seconds of running at a slow pace for 50 minutes. I end with a ten minute cool down walk. There is nothing magical about an 80 minute training period. It's just the time I have available each morning. Later, I'll play with the walking and running times.
I measure progress by calculating the cadence for the entire training session. Since the running cadence goes up each session, the cadence for the training session should increase each day. I don't worry about times as eventually, they will follow the cadence.
I start my Charge 2 using the running function at the start and stop it at the end. (I also stop it if I have to duck into the woods.) I use the Nike Running app to play the click track and to give voice cues every mile. The times and distances are accurate, but the pace is not. Ideally, I won't look at my Charge 2 for the entire session.
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