jesswah's group - FULL of sexy triathletes! (Page 8)

My apologies for being "obsessed" with HR monitoring, but I've got another question on that matter:

How come that when I run at 83% of my Max HR, I feel fine over a long period of time, while when reaching 83% of my MHR on my bicycle, I feel that I have to slow down and ease the effort?

What do I miss?

Thanks in advance. 

First, I think HR training is a great tool to help you keep your effort level in check.

Because cycling tends to be less aerobically intensive than running, your max HR and HR zones are different for the 2 sports.  For me 160bpm is ~80%mhr when I run.  On the bike, it's probably >85% (haven't determined my cycling max HR).  So if you are using your running max HR to determine intensity during cycling, you'll feel like you have to work harder to attain the same HR.  You can determin your HR zones for cycling much in the same way that you would for running.  You can ride at an increasing pace until you are sprinting all out to get your Max HR.  But you can also do field tests on a short loop course looking at the time it takes, and your HR to determine your lactate threshold HR - then use tables to look up your training zones.  I think for any given effort level, you cycling HR should be ~5-10bpm lower than your running HR (same effort).

This page has a link to another site with how to test, and probably also the tables, if you are interested.  Don't get too caught up in the numbers though.  Many other things can affect your HR - fatigue from previous workouts, sleep deprivation...

Thank you, Jess. This explains it then.

One of the reasons for my questions has to do with the spinning class I am attending now. The instructor is using HRM and guides the group based on HRM. He defined 4 HR levels (zones) and at any given time he calls the group the HR level we should be in. What I noticed is that I can barely keep at it when he calls for levels 3 (85% to 95%) and 4 (95% to 100%) - and actually, I never reached level 4 - no matter how hard I tried...

On another note, I exercised some kick drills the other night at the pool. I did better that the first time - and managed to complete a full 25 yards lap before getting a muscle cramp in the back of my right thigh... Although I completed the lap, it was a very very long lap...

Wish you all a great weekend!

Thanks for your insight George!

I totally agree that HRM is a great tool and shortly after I started training, I got one. It was actually the second purchase I did after buying my first pair of running shoes. All the reading I have done so far on that matter, was focusing on running. Now, when training in multiple disciplines, I am trying to better understand how it all fits together.

Hooray for 3-day weekend!!!  Anyone got anything fun planned?

I'm getting dragged out to look at bridesmaid shoes Monday... for a wedding in July... just to see what styles are out... but not buy... and one girl doesn't wear leather.  Ugh.  I have managed to talk my way out of seeing "27 Dresses" afterwards.  I love my friends, but I think the shoe shopping will just about finish me off!!

Happy Friday!!

I also found that the hand sensors are pretty accurate.

I went over my log (in which I capture all workouts, and all the details collected by my HRM). It is interesting to see that in the gym (whether I run or bike) my Max HR is lower than similar distances when doing the same distance outdoors (temperature, inclines and alike are obviously different).

When outdoor, I got once my HR to 202 which is 110% of my max RH. On some other occasions, I've seen 102-104% as well. Those are pretty rare though. I reached 104% while running my first 1/2 marathon. The 110% was indicated while riding my bicycle in the NYC 5 Borough bike ride (I guess while climbing the Verezano Bridge towards the end of the ride).

What's up gang? I got ruined on Wednesday night with a stomach flu and I'm still pretty down and out. I'm not looking to good for goals this week. I'm unsure if I'll be able to do anymore then I've already done and I'm only at about 50%. I wish I had something better to report.

Have a good weekend.

My resting HR is between 50 to 54 while sitting down and it is below 50 when I lay down.  

My max HR is that high b/c I am young - as you get older your max HR tends to decrease.  Oddly enough though, my resting HR has never been low, and I've pretty much given up hope on it.  On a really good day, it may be down to 55.  But usually it's more like 60-65, which given my fitness seems high.  In fact, exercise doesn't seem to affect my RHR.