I read Finding Ultra by Rich Roll last month. I'm not a big fan of athletes' memoirs that take you into the details of their childhood, but somehow this one works. Makes me think that we all start out with something and the choice is yours to use it or lose it -- and -- more hopefully, get it back in your 40s if you're so inclined. I like that he's intense. A lawyer. A recovered alcoholic. A nerd. A vegan. And of course:
One Of 2009's Men's Fitness Magazine's
"25 Fittest Guys In The World"
Rich tracks his data and suggests several brands of heart monitors among other products. I have never trained for performance, but if I'm going to meet a new speed goal this year for the marathon, I figured I should buy some sort of highfalutin device. I got an ugly Garmin wrist watch Forerunner 210. It spits out the exact same heart rate as the shiny handles on the treadmill at the gym. It tells me the exact outdoor pace and mileage as my Nike ishoe. Please tell me I didn't drop $250 on a toy I don't need with money I don't have. I need to find a way to justify this purchase!
What is my ideal maximum heart (MHR)?
I did a cut and paste for best estimate of MHR based on age (see below). Using these formulas, mine should be:
Formula #1 (beginning runners): 182
Formula #2 (active people): 183
Formula #3 (same idea): 178
Long Run
Here are the stats from my first long training (8 miles) using my new Garmin. I don't think I'm supposed to be at max for these runs, and I wasn't.
Ave HR 155 bpm
Max HR 171 bmp
Long Run 8/25 by jsilka at Garmin Connect - Details
NOTE: I had to get off the treadmill at the YMCA and re-register for it every 30 mins, so that's why my heart slowed down at those points.
Hills
I did my next run on the treadmill, too. Good thing is I did a proper hill workout I found on the internet and my heart rate was higher on average and max. Still, looks like I actually need to push harder to reach my 182/3 ideal.
Ave HR 167 bpm
Max HR 174 bmp
Tempo
Today I had a six mile "tempo" run, which means run comfortably hard, an oxymoron if you ask me because hard isn't comfortable so I tend to run slower than a 10 minute mile and then feel badly about it.
According to the article below, the goal for a tempo run is 85% of MHR .8(183)=156
- I ran the first few miles at 5.7 on the treadmill (10:30 pace), but then had to slow it down as my heart rate creeped to 160.
- In rereading the advice here, I guess I could've kept my HR at 165 and have done just as well. I'll give myself more flexibility next time.
HEART RATE Heart rate is tricky because a new runner could reach tempo pace at 60 percent of maximum heart rate, while a well-trained runner might achieve tempo pace at 90 percent. Begin by using 80 to 85 percent of your max and adjust your pace or heart rate in conjunction with the other methods. Determine your max heart rate by running 3 x 800 meters with two minutes recovery. On the third 800, run the last 400 as hard as you can and you will come close to your max heart rate
Ave HR 156 bpm
Max HR 163 bmp
NOTE about tempo runs -
- For easy-paced runs, most runners take three footstrikes while breathing in and two footstrikes while breathing out.
- For tempo runs, you should be at two footstrikes while breathing in and one footstrike while breathing out. If you're breathing faster than that, your pace is too fast.
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Simple Formulaic Estimation of the MHR Based on Age:
In general, this method will provide reasonable accuracy for about 80% of runners, but it should almost invariably be supplemented with an actual test. Typically, one of three simple formulas is used to estimate one's maximum heart rate.
Formula #1: The first formula involves simply subtracting your age from the number 220 (for men) or from 226 (for women). This method is preferred for beginning runners, those who have been leading a sedentary lifestyle. MarathonGuide.com Simple Heart Zones Calculator
Formula #2: The second formula is very similar, but is preferable for those who are already quite active. For this formula, simply subtract half of your age from the number 205.
Formula #3: The third formula runs along the same vein as the two preceding it. For men, subtract 80% of your age from the number 214. For women, subtract 70% of your age from the number 209.
All of these formulas provide approximations that are based on the standard curves representing the "normal" MHR's for any given age, and they get you close to your own MHR, but not close enough. The numbers you will get when you plug in your own age would best be used as a guide, as opposed to an accurate measure.
Full article:
