Running with a control/pacer.

2026 Day 138. #RunnyDays.

All of my runs are solo. I put my earphones in and and then run with the plan. I do not like to talk, I do not like to have a conversation, I just simply do my run and move forward.

Today I decided to run with a friend. They go to the gym to train and build muscle but do not really train of cardio. Physically much similar to me but obviously my cardiovascular fitness was at a much greater level. I have been training for the past few months and it would have been surprising if I was not so much better.

Still this set into perspective the average fitness level of an unstrained person. I was happy to see how far I have come. There is still a lot of place for improvement but I believe I have been doing well. I am at a point where my pace is not embarrassingly slow. My running habits are improving thanks to constant evaluations.

Below is the comparison of some important metrics from our run. We both measured everything via our watch based sensors. My friend set the pace and I followed them so that they do not get left behind when comparing it to my usual pace.

The Run.

Pace — 8:15 min/km

Distance — 4km

Average Heart Rate

Me — 128 bpm, F — 166

Max Heart Rate

Me — 160 bpm, F — 198

Cadence

Me — 138 spm, F — 148 spm

Physical Baseline

Resting Heart Rate

Me — 48–52 bpm, F — 73–80 bpm

Walking Heart Rate

Me — 66–75 bpm, F — 90–104 bpm

Age

Me — 25, F — 28

Training

Me — Functional Strength + Running, F — Strength Training only

We are also at similar height, body weight, and physique although I am slightly bulkier.

The base comparisons taught me that I had come a long way. I was possibly at the same level of fitness as my friend once upon a time but I have since improved. The major difference between the two runs was obviously the metrics that I have stated here.

A quiet difference that I only started observing midway was the running technique. I was running slower than my Zone 2 pace, slipping into Zone 1 mostly. My friend was at Zone 3 or higher the entire them. They could not maintain a pace, it kept fluctuating as time went along. Instead of running on the streets we had decided to run in a small 400m loop. This helped to avoid vehicle traffic and run with relative safety. I run early in the morning and this run was in the afternoon, a little before sunset.

I enjoyed the run and the pace. It was not hard at all (obviously) but I could see my friend struggling at times. They felt tired, thirsty (from the mouth breathing) but overall a little energised. The run was effective in invigorating the heart but they knew they pushed a little too much.

Mid-run I offered some tips to help make tier runs easier. I could observe that their cadence was much higher than mine even before we compared the metrics. Their steps were shorter which possibly elevated their heartbeat even more.

I was surprised to see the difference in the resting heart rate as well. I had never really regarded myself as someone who was fit. I was definitely on the fitter side but until I had made this comparison I could have imagined how far off some people can be from my baselines. Your resting heart rate is an indicator of cardiovascular fitness, the lower the better. My friend also grew a little concerned because 73 seems a little high. This difference in our heart rate remained consistent across rest, walking, running, and even sleeping.

On the other hand I have never had my watch measure anythign above a a 185 bpm heart beat. My friend made it to 198bpm when we did a 100m short sprint for comparison. It is here that my heartbeat reached 160 (max). I will be a doing a little more research on this as this is an interesting observation. I had never focussed on my maximum heart before but maybe I can look into it.

See you tomorrow.