Yesterday was my final pre-event Maximum Aerobic Function Test - MAF Test, based on the Maffetone Method of training I've been doing. I go into detail where you can read what it is and why I'm doing it in another post here
Quick Recap
Basically it is a test of how aerobically energy efficient I am. I need to run for a loooong time without crashing on my event. That means I need to be able to be very energy efficient otherwise I will crash and fall apart before the finish line (a very common reason for a DNF - Did Not Finish). Improving my MAF score means I can run faster for longer without burning my glycogen stores which when gone are GONE... aka the dreaded 'Bonk'.
MAF Progress
Since the start of April, I've not completed a MAF Test simply because I know I was pushing the training every further and not having enough time to recover. The point of these tests are you need to do them when you feel fresh and I haven't felt Fresh for two months...
...Until Yesterday.
Tapering, left me feeling fresh so I jumped on the treadmill and completed my final pre-event MAF Test.
As a reminder what is important to note is progress over time at my maximum aerobic HR. This is 180 minus my age (47) which leaves me with my aerobic max at 133 BPM. If my HR goes above 133 bpm I have to slow down as that's where I cross into glycogen burning territory. Here was how my very first month looked:
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 at that effort level saved in 4 weeks
Interestingly, I did a MAF Test just before my 52km in April and it registered the same as in end of Jan. Here are how the MAF Test Results look at the end of my training cycle and with a few days rest under my belt....
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
March 30th - 5 min warm up | 30 min MAF Run - 3.25km
May 12th - 5 min warm-up | 30 min MAF Run - 4.44km
4.44km!!
That is almost a 50% improvement of my running aerobic efficiency! I am VERY happy about that.
To put that in perspective, it took me 34 hours to hike the route in 2019 and was pretty broken after. A 50% improvement would, in theory, bring me in at 18hrs! Not saying that will happen, But I am feeling better about my stretch target of coming in inside 24hrs.
Add to that my VO2 Max has improved by 25% to a score of 39 (I was 32 in week1). There is also the fact that I have reduced my bodyweight by 16kg which means I am approaching 15% lighter. This gives me the sense that combining all of this the MAF numbers make sense and I WILL be much faster over the same distance (god-willing there are no problems). This leaves me at a point where I can trust my training has gone to the plan I set out with. I've done as much as was realistic and feasible in the run up to this challenge and I can Trust in The Training knowing I'll get through it. On the day anything can happen, but out of the things I can control, I've done the job I set out to do. This puts me in a great headspace for next weekend. No doubt at all that I can run this course. I've put it in my legs. Now I just have to be smart in HOW I run it on the day. I need to be well rested and have had a lot of sleep in the days leading up to it. I need to keep the diet clean. I need to keep moving just to keep the lymphatic system turning over. I need to get everything ready well ahead of time, etc. My next post will be about my final preparations before the event. I look forward to seeing you on the next one...
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