The Maximum Aerobic Function Test, or MAF Test for short (Not Maths Test), is a key part of the Maffetone Method of training I am doing. If you've not read previous blog posts (I predictably suggest you do) then this is the crux of the entire approach I am taking. It works off the premise that we mostly overtrain when getting into shape, etc (or finally decide to get off the couch in some Big Bang moment) and that the majority of us recreational 'athletes' *cough cough* are metabolically inefficient.
Why does that matter?
Anyone seeking to run/walk/crawl any kind of endurance event will have heard of the dreaded 'Bonk'. That moment when the tank is utterly empty and there is no way back. Spaghetti legs, loss of consciousness, emptying of bowels even.
When it happens, you are done.
It's something I've seen first hand when doing the ultramarathon hike a couple of years back. If it happens in the wrong place, it can be very dangerous. As an example someone bonked in front of me and fell into the road in that event. Another fell down the climb at Swyre Head (and rolled 250ft to the bottom needing to be airlifted).
When it hits, it hits hard and will take hours to recover from. And on an ultra, unless you are either experienced or prepared, your chances of this are going to be very high indeed...
In my next post - Energy is Everything, I talk about in more detail why it's one of the most important factors in the challenge I'm doing; but, for now, I'll say that that burning through your muscle energy stores faster than you can refill them is the main reason to crash in a long distance challenge. Your aerobic function is Dr Maffetone's biggest suggested area for development.
This, simply put, is the zone where you burn fat for fuel. Not muscle glycogen. Hence my drive to being better fat adapted, where my body favours fat for fuel. It is designed to make me 'Bonk Proof'... well that's the plan.
Think of it this way.... If you're just starting to get into shape then try walking 5 miles, without stopping. That'll get you fairly tired. The next day, try jogging it. That'll likely be really challenging non stop. The next day try sprinting it... flat out impossible. Why? Because you burn through your muscle glycogen for fuel faster, the higher your heart rate goes.
Getting more efficient
The Maffetone approach is simple. 180bpm Heart Rate (HR) Minus Your age. That is the golden rule. No higher than that. (there are exceptions to this if you are well trained, injury free etc.). This is a discipline for 8-12 weeks of 'Base Building', where the aim is to become more aerobically efficient, where you can progressively run faster and longer over time, but at the same heart rate. The MAF Test is the measure of this.
How to perform the MAF Test
It's simple. Wear a HR Monitor. Pick a route that you can repeat exactly the same each time and see how far you can get each time while keeping your rate under your MAF level... in my case 134bpm.
You perform a ten minute warm up (CRUCIAL) and then you measure the distance you travel in 30 mins UNDER your MAF Heart Rate.
Every time you hit your MAF HR, you have to slow down!
Sounds easy, right? Nope. You start out having to run really slowly, and if you are starting out of shape like me, you are mixing slow jogging and walking. It's quite disheartening the first few weeks as progress feels so slow. (But it DOES work)
What's also really interesting is that if you are hot, tired, sore, stressed then it makes it even harder as they all impact on your HR causing it to rise. All of my training is constructed at this MAF HR. It has to be this way to improve it. It's counterintuitive. Usually to get fitter people think they must train harder, but that doesn't train your metabolic efficiency. In an endurance event, your ability to stay in your fat burning zone for as long as possible is king, as eating 20,000 calories plus in gels, energy drinks, etc is very difficult to do after 12 hours of non stop movement.
Over time (3months+ I have for this) the plan is this will make me cover further and further distance
So that said... here are the results from my 1st MAF Tests in January
Month 1 MAF Test Results
Conducted on the same treadmill
Jan 2nd - 10 min warm-up | 30 min MAF Run - 3.00km
Jan 14th - 10 min warm-up | 30 min MAF Run - 3.14km
Jan 29th - 10 min warm-up | 30 min MAF Run - 3.25km
As of writing this that is an 8% improvement in distance covered/time saved in 4 weeks
8% doesn't sound a lot but To put that in context, when I hiked the same 100km route I'm running this year, it took me 34 hours. This improvement suggests that I would cover the same route in the same conditions and circumstances in 3 hours less today!
My stretch target is to be 30% more effective than I was in 2017. I'm almost a third of the way there in month 1 so I'm happy with that. If I can continue to lose the weight and reach my weight target (especially being a bag of cement lighter) then I can absolutely achieve this goal!
...I just need to make the treadmill my friend. :-)
See you in the next one.
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