Concerned About Heartrate. HELP!
Question:
GK, When using hrm’s for training, it is important that your personal max hr is determined first. It is this fixed number which anchors your training zones. Yes there are multiple zones, five, with benefits from training in each zone. They are not cumulative. Age does not alter the max hr, however, lifestyle may. Thusly, the age related formulas for determining ones max hr do not work. You must do an actual performance test to accurately determine your max hr. I suggest you visit www.heartzone.com and read the tips section. When the batteries go down in a hr monitor, they usually give out in the transmitter first. Expect to see strange readings such as very low hr during intense work outs. This last for a short period before the signal isn’t strong enough to be picked up by the receiver. Please feel free to email other questions to me regarding the use of hrm’s. Bill Stainbrook Heart Zone trainer, Physical Educator and Endurance Athlete
Response:
How about grabbing your neck and counting? I’d rely on the old fashioned perceived effort method. It’s more reliable and works every time. Your gadget may be picking up your cadence or, god forbid, the brainwaves of Olsen’s students. You ‘ran’ a 14:45 mile at 160 bpm. How hard were you breathing while moving at that extraordinary speed? People have been seen walking faster than that at no more than 100 bpm. It may be the slow motion syndrome that raises your HR. Was your breathing in synch the 160 bpm effort? I recommend throwing in a 7:00 mile that would be more appropriate for 160 bpm. PPP – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m very concerned about my running lately. I used to train at around 10:00-10:30 min. miles and race around 8:25 for short races (5K) and 10:00 for long (my last marathon was 4:22 and some seconds). My heart rate "zone" is between 133-144 BMP. Lately, however, even when I run 12:00 minute miles, my heart rate is over 150 BPM. I got in from a run about an hour ago. I ran 5.5 miles in 1:08:41. My average HR was 149 BPM. The splits I monitored were: 12:41 with 170 BPM 10:28 with 168 BPM 14:45 with 160 BPM I’m confused. My diet has changed *slightly* recently. I gave up all sweets and alcohol for Lent. I used to drink a glass or two of wine a week, maybe three or four but no more. I drank the alcohol for my health (really). I also have not had a cookie, dish of ice cream, or anything sweet recently. During today’s run, I had to walk a few times just to bing my HR down. Anyone have a clue as to what might be going on? I’m training for a Marathon in May, but at this rate, I’m afraid to go on. I have to run 20 this weekend, and I don’t know if it would be wise to do it. I can’t seem to run *slow* enough. During my run this evening, I had to stop and walk a few times. I *have* increased my mileage during my Marathon training. In February I took 6 days off just because I was tired. I ran 92.2 miles all of February — that’s low for me. In January I ran 102. This month, so far, I have run 146.1 miles. That’s all my information that might be relevant. For anyone who has time to reply, thank you very much. — GK Run the 5K for the United Way! Register online at http://homepage.interaccess.com/~5k.html FrodoJRR at Interaccess dot com OS/2 Version 4.00 FixPack 12 There are 26 Processes with 106 Threads. This machine’s uptime is 4d 22h 32m 4s 476ms.
Before you buy.
Response:
Don’t take the heart rate zones too seriously. You need to realise all the things which affect your heart rate.. there are too many to list, you should always be more concerned on what your pace is like. Abnormal heart rates can also be a sign of overtraining, stress, inflammation or just something exceptional going on in your body. Another thing to do is, you shouldn’t all the time watch the heart rate monitor so closely, I’ve noticed that my heart rate often actually gets lower when I don’t keep my eye on it so much, then afterwards when I check my heart rate I realise that I’ve been trying to keep myself back too much (before). What I would do is; I would forget the heart rate monitor for a while and just run at an intensity which feels good. You should also monitor for other overtraining symptoms which can include fatigue, insomnia, abnormal waking pulse, sudden weight loss.. etc.. Don’t let the heart rate to dictate your training, keep your eye on it, but don’t let it become your "master". — axu — "Try and you’ll succeed"
Response:
What I would do is; I would forget the heart rate monitor for a while and just run at an intensity which feels good. You should also monitor for other overtraining symptoms which can include fatigue, insomnia, abnormal waking pulse, sudden weight loss.. etc..
Thanks for the tips. I *don’t* want to stop running at all. What is "abnormal waking pulse?" Don’t let the heart rate to dictate your training, keep your eye on it, but don’t let it become your "master".
Sounds wise. I’ll still do my 20 on Saturday then. — GK Run the 5K for the United Way! Register online at http://homepage.interaccess.com/~5k.html FrodoJRR at Interaccess dot com OS/2 Version 4.00 FixPack 12 There are 32 Processes with 122 Threads. This machine’s uptime is 5d 20h 11m 59s 320ms.
Response:
OK, first a couple things. Did you compute your heart rate "zone" based on 220-age or some other formula? If so, your REAL zone is plus or minus 15 BPM of what you think it is. If you haven’t measured your max heart rate under true stress, your don’t know what your true training zones are.
I’ve been working with the 133-144 zone for a while now. I did not use the formula. I actually figured it out a few different ways. All in all, my ample heart rate for exercise is around 137. My concern, however, is up until now, I’ve been exercising in that zone comfortably. It’s only recently that it’s climbed so much. Second, a few things can affect your training BPM. A common one is viral infection. Your body’s busy fighting something off, and your HR accelerates due to it. Your training will suck while this is happening. So will your racing. While there’s not much you can do about it, regular tracking of your HR will help you spot and deal with it (i.e. don’t plan any race
PR’s). This is a good point. I hadn’t considered a virus or something like that. I’ve felt fine. Tracking your resting heart rate is very useful. Resting heart rate is an important part of the training formula if you are planning on doing HRM based training. Your RHR is the basis for the low end of your exertion scale. As you become more fit, your RHR will drop (to a point, obviously dead people aren’t super fit). If you see that spike, you are most likely about to get sick. If it climbs slowly even though you think you’ve been training well, you’re overtraining and your body is begging for some recovery.
I did give blood last week. These problems started long before I gave blood, however, so I don’t think that was the problem. However, my pulse that morning was 64, BP 130/80 (I get a little nervous before I donate). Last night I took BP and HR: 117/73, HR 57. Thanks for writing in. Before you buy.
Response:
I’m very concerned about my running lately. I used to train at around 10:00-10:30 min. miles and race around 8:25 for short races (5K) and 10:00 for long (my last marathon was 4:22 and some seconds). My heart rate "zone" is between 133-144 BMP.
One more thing to add: I use a Polar Protrainer NV HRM. Is it possible that the batteries are just low? What happens when the batteries get low in these things? — GK Run the 5K for the United Way! Register online at http://homepage.interaccess.com/~5k.html FrodoJRR at Interaccess dot com OS/2 Version 4.00 FixPack 12 There are 31 Processes with 118 Threads. This machine’s uptime is 4d 23h 46m 36s 757ms.
Response:
Are you on any medicines, Rx or over the counter? Cannon
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m very concerned about my running lately. I used to train at around 10:00-10:30 min. miles and race around 8:25 for short races (5K) and 10:00 for long (my last marathon was 4:22 and some seconds). My heart rate "zone" is between 133-144 BMP. One more thing to add: I use a Polar Protrainer NV HRM. Is it possible that the batteries are just low? What happens when the batteries get low in these things? — GK Run the 5K for the United Way! Register online at http://homepage.interaccess.com/~5k.html FrodoJRR at Interaccess dot com OS/2 Version 4.00 FixPack 12 There are 31 Processes with 118 Threads. This machine’s uptime is 4d 23h 46m 36s 757ms.
Response:
I’m very concerned about my running lately. I used to train at around 10:00-10:30 min. miles and race around 8:25 for short races (5K) and 10:00 for long (my last marathon was 4:22 and some seconds). My heart rate "zone" is between 133-144 BMP.
OK, first a couple things. Did you compute your heart rate "zone" based on 220-age or some other formula? If so, your REAL zone is plus or minus 15 BPM of what you think it is. If you haven’t measured your max heart rate under true stress, your don’t know what your true training zones are. Second, a few things can affect your training BPM. A common one is viral infection. Your body’s busy fighting something off, and your HR accelerates due to it. Your training will suck while this is happening. So will your racing. While there’s not much you can do about it, regular tracking of your HR will help you spot and deal with it (i.e. don’t plan any race PR’s). Tracking your resting heart rate is very useful. Resting heart rate is an important part of the training formula if you are planning on doing HRM based training. Your RHR is the basis for the low end of your exertion scale. As you become more fit, your RHR will drop (to a point, obviously dead people aren’t super fit). If you see that spike, you are most likely about to get sick. If it climbs slowly even though you think you’ve been training well, you’re overtraining and your body is begging for some recovery.
Response:
I’m very concerned about my running lately. I used to train at around 10:00-10:30 min. miles and race around 8:25 for short races (5K) and 10:00 for long (my last marathon was 4:22 and some seconds). My heart rate "zone" is between 133-144 BMP. Lately, however, even when I run 12:00 minute miles, my heart rate is over 150 BPM. I got in from a run about an hour ago. I ran 5.5 miles in 1:08:41. My average HR was 149 BPM. The splits I monitored were: 12:41 with 170 BPM 10:28 with 168 BPM 14:45 with 160 BPM I’m confused. My diet has changed *slightly* recently. I gave up all sweets and alcohol for Lent. I used to drink a glass or two of wine a week, maybe three or four but no more. I drank the alcohol for my health (really). I also have not had a cookie, dish of ice cream, or anything sweet recently. During today’s run, I had to walk a few times just to bing my HR down. Anyone have a clue as to what might be going on? I’m training for a Marathon in May, but at this rate, I’m afraid to go on. I have to run 20 this weekend, and I don’t know if it would be wise to do it. I can’t seem to run *slow* enough. During my run this evening, I had to stop and walk a few times. I *have* increased my mileage during my Marathon training. In February I took 6 days off just because I was tired. I ran 92.2 miles all of February — that’s low for me. In January I ran 102. This month, so far, I have run 146.1 miles. That’s all my information that might be relevant. For anyone who has time to reply, thank you very much. — GK Run the 5K for the United Way! Register online at http://homepage.interaccess.com/~5k.html FrodoJRR at Interaccess dot com OS/2 Version 4.00 FixPack 12 There are 26 Processes with 106 Threads. This machine’s uptime is 4d 22h 32m 4s 476ms.
