It has been 6 months since Christmas when I received a heart rate monitor and began a more scientific approach to running. Now I'm looking at my historical data without seeing improvement, actually it seems I slowed down.
During 2006 my training consisted of running against the clock. For the first half of the year I'd do the same course around my neighborhood and by summer I developed a new route adding a few miles. Once the cooler weather of fall arrived I combined both routes into a long run. Training was up to 5 days a week with about 30 miles of running.
My first run with the heart rate monitor showed I was pushing to hard with 153 beats per minute. According to the calulation for my age the maximum training rate of 85% should not exceed 146 and the recommended training zone of 65-75% for most runs would be 112-130. I slowed down but this seemed like a snails pace so I programmed the monitor with my age 10 years younger. During races my average heart rate is around 172.
Researching pace and speed I have read articles that indicate your body learns by doing so if I train according to the heart rate and go slow my times will not improve. I'm not expecting to be a gold medalist but I don't want to finish last either... Any Suggestions?
Dan, I have not had any experience in that so all I can say is that it sounds like you have to find a compromise between the speed you would like to run at and what is safe for you.
By the way I should get one of those heart monitors to prove the people who say I don't have a heart wrong :)
Dan,
I use a heart rate monitor when I do cardio, I get a little obssesive with the numbers. My target is between 137-170 so I average around 150, but if I do the same routine for more than a couple days I have a hard time staying in "my zone" so I switch it up to keep challenging my body.
Thesa... Ya think I'm gonna exercise myself to death..... I'm trying to keep myself alive.. :-)
Suzanne... I'm a numbers nut myself... Have an Excel sheet with stats from every run. I don't understand switching it up to stay in the zone, Do you have a hard time keeping your heart rate high? My problem is I cannot keep it low, for example training at 75% would be about 130 BPM which seems terribly slow, like a fast uphill walk. Either I am out-of-shape or miscalculated my Max Heart rate using the age method.
Dan,
170 does seem really high, I never have that problem. What kind of monitor do you use? You said you program it for someone 10 years younger, so this would give you a higher number to start with, correct?
I have a hard time keeping it high, if I don't switch it up. Never had the problem of being too high...hmm
Suzanne... It is a Reebok Monitor. Correct that telling it my age is 10 years younger uses a higher number for calculations but it would not alter the actual heart rate being counted, Right?
Max HR = 172 would yield ranges Z2 of 112-129 Z3 of 130-146 which seems to slow
Age 38 = 182 gives these ranges Z2 of 118-136 Z3 of 137-155
Normally my training runs still go over zone... Typically on a one hour run two thirds of my time will be in the Z3 zone with a 147-148 Average HR and the other third of the time is over range at 162-163...
Never really know how to read this... Either the monitor is telling me I am Out-of-Shape and working my heart to hard or I've got a heart equivalent to someone in their mid-thirties....??? I assume the latter.
Hmmm....you think too much! LOL!
well we know your not going to have in check out, so that ones eliminated. We know your not out of shape, LOL! So it must be the that your heart is young! :)
Ha Ha.... Business is slow so I do have a bit to much time to think... Kind of like a Retired Guy.... with the...
Wisdom of a man in his 40's
Heart of a guy in his 30's
Mind of a dude in his 20's and of course the Appetite of a growing Teen..... LOL.....
Dan,
You have peaked the interest of the "big guy" , check this out.
Suzanne... I have seen many of the article but it just seems so easy when I stay within the zone. If I walk/jog in the 65-70% range I can go all day.
Danny... How you making out with all the rain?