Thursday, November 18, 2010

Max Heart Rate = 170

Aung Sang Suu Kyi
Someone with a bigger heart than all of us!


Had my test today, don't know how I should think about the result, on the one hand it is lower than the formula 220 minus ones age (which would be around 175 in my case) so it says that I'm fit but not too much difference. The highest I could get it today was 170.

I've been running my sessions on the assumption that my MHR was between 190 and 180 because a few years ago I was able to get it up there on my hard runs. Actually surprised it's come down so much.

I do know now that I've been red lining too much in the past and definitely went into my last marathon over-trained! Just have to find the balance between that and the half I just ran where I slowed down significantly in the last 3rd of the race because I was under-trained. Sounds easy but it really is an art/science.

So now to adjust my sessions and see if the training by heart rate works! The one thing I have concern with is: I'm supposed to do my easy runs between 95 and 115 BPM and I reckon until I get a bit fitter I'm going to find it hard to keep those runs in that range.

I'll let you know how I get on.

4 comments:

  1. I would say 170 max is pretty much to be expected.
    I think you will easily keep your HR around 100 on easy runs.
    Look forward to hearing how you get on.

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  2. Scott;
    I just did the sums on the casio and came out with the following based on MB program.
    level one 102-119BPm
    level 2 119-136BMP
    Level 3 136-148 BPM
    Level 4 148-156
    Based on your max 170
    Not sure where you got your L 1 figures from?
    Don't worry about that 220 minus age thing its alway way out for most people as it just gives an average figure and no one is average, we are all different!
    My max use to be 185 at 29 years old now at 49 its less than 160, I guess it's got bigger and stronger over the years and I still P.B'd this year with a lower max, so not to worry.

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  3. I wouldn't be surprised if your maximum is a little higher - maybe 175. For a very fit person (you), it's difficult to get near maximum HR unless you're well rested (2 or 3 days of no exercise).

    I'm not fully fit at the moment, and am finding it hard to keep the HR down on easy runs (without jogging very slowly). I should be 120 or lower. As you get fitter you'll be OK. Maybe run at the upper limit (or a little over) of what's recommended.

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  4. That would be a recovery run - for me to keep my HR that low I'd have to be running at ~ 6:00 pace or slower. Maybe that makes me really unfit though......

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