Wearing HRM during race day?

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2007-03-15 8:28 PM

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Subject: Wearing HRM during race day?
Soooooo ... Im wondering what the deal is with wearing a HRM during a race? Obviously you wear one to help you train but since its race day it might be more of a hassle to waste time putting it on in T1? I like the idea of having my Garmin 305 along to give me pace info ... Coming from experience what do you think?

Edited by grit_nugget 2007-03-15 8:44 PM

2007-03-15 9:13 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?

I put mine on before the swim and it stays in place just fine under my wetsuit.  Is there a reason why you'd only put it on in T-1?  OK, maybe if you're not wearing a wetsuit, as I've heard they can slip down out of position otherwise?

 

2007-03-15 9:14 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
Seeing that my first tri isn't until March, I really can't respond. But from what I was told. You wear it the entire time, to make sure you're in the zone you want to be depending which race you do. Some don't want to push it too far I guess and need to pace themselves, hence watching your zones. But my question is, why not go off of RPE rather than HR? I don't think it's critical you wear it though.
2007-03-15 9:17 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
In my vast experiance of one sprint Tri, I say why not? I wore mine simply because I wanted to know the results. Although is was hard to lie when my wife asked if I was nervoius 5 mins before my start with my watch beeping!! If you are in it just to finish and get the experience, I say go for it.
2007-03-15 9:20 PM
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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
max - 2007-03-15 10:13 PM

I put mine on before the swim and it stays in place just fine under my wetsuit. Is there a reason why you'd only put it on in T-1? OK, maybe if you're not wearing a wetsuit, as I've heard they can slip down out of position otherwise?



Two of my first 3 tris will be in pools ... so not sure I can wear the HRM or the strap in the pool!
2007-03-15 10:00 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
I don't wear mine during racing. I personally think the HRM is annoying. An annoying chest strap and data I don't want to be bothered with. I just go off of how I feel when I race. I use it for training though.

2007-03-15 10:09 PM
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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
grit_nugget - 2007-03-15 9:20 PM

max - 2007-03-15 10:13 PM

I put mine on before the swim and it stays in place just fine under my wetsuit. Is there a reason why you'd only put it on in T-1? OK, maybe if you're not wearing a wetsuit, as I've heard they can slip down out of position otherwise?



Two of my first 3 tris will be in pools ... so not sure I can wear the HRM or the strap in the pool!


I've been the "what is on his chest" guy at my pool before. I have a basic nike triax. I stopped wearing it because my watch got wet when jacked with the buttons too much; I took it apart and dried it, but I don't trust the seal anymore. I used mine solely as a way to do repeats: I'd swim a short distance (short meaning sub-100m...) and start again when my HR came down into z1. I was using a looser version of what my zones are now for a run, so I don't know how applicable it was. But I felt like it helped me to slow down and try to focus on keeping effort and HR as low as possible.
2007-03-15 10:44 PM
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2007-03-15 11:43 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
got to have it on all the time.  Just love to see the data after a workout.
2007-03-16 2:38 AM
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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
I haven't worn my in a race yet, but I just started wearing one, and I can't believe I ever went without one. I love training in my zones I fill a lot better after workouts and never fell "overworked". With that being said I would wear it during the whole try to make sure that I am not pushing myself to hard.
2007-03-16 2:56 AM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
I always wear mine (Polar S625X) during the race... with the adrenalin pumping, it's just tough to keep the effort balanced... have a tendency to start out too hard and then suffer towards the end. The HRM allows me to keep my max effort during the entire race.

2007-03-16 5:45 AM
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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
I've worn mine for all my races, including when the race includes a pool swim. I wear a trisuit for racing so it helps to hold it in place but before you start, make sure the strap is relatively tight.

For short course, I race purely by RPE - I shut the HR display off on my watch and look at lap and split info only. However, for long course I used HR as a regulator on the bike and run so that I didn't go out too hard.

In both cases, I like to go over the data with my results and look for mistakes that I feel I made and if the data bears that out.

Shane

2007-03-16 10:20 AM
in reply to: #724794

Westminster, CO
Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
I've used my HRM in all my races last year: mainly for the data and to help with pacing in my HIM. When I cannot wear the strap during a swim I do put it on in T1 or just out of T1.

To me, having the data is very useful because those are the times when I'm pushing myself the most - I've struggled with performing quality TT's in the past - so this data provides good comparison.

However - I have read that your HR can be inherently higher when racing (bc of anxiety, the crowds, etc.) so you if this is importat to you you may want to research.
2007-03-16 10:42 AM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
If two of your upcoming races are in pools, I'm guessing they're likely sprint races that will be over in less than 2 hours. Pacing and managing your effort into specific heart rate zones is less important for races of that length and distance than for races in which you'll be going longer.

When I race sprints, I race to the red line all the time. Oly, 1/2 IM and IM are different deals, but if I know the race is over in an hour or so, I just go all out like something's chasing me.

You can go anaerobic for longer periods of time in a sprint with less detrimental effects since the races are shorter. I'd go without and base your effort based upon feel. It's a good excercise to learn about managing you effort based upon perception rather than being a slave to your HRM.
2007-03-16 11:28 AM
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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?

grit_nugget - 2007-03-15 10:20 PM Two of my first 3 tris will be in pools ... so not sure I can wear the HRM or the strap in the pool!

I always wear a HRM in races, even ones with pool starts. I have a tight tri top that keeps the HRM in place. I hate that top. So last race I raced with my other top that's a little looser. This is fine when wearing a wetsuit, but without a suit it's like having no top on at all; I have to really cinch the HRM strap down to keep it in place. That's the part I neglected in my last race. About the second or third turn, I pushed off and the belt slipped a little. And then a little more. And then some more. It was like a belt by the end and I'm fortunate it didn't come off in the 17' deep end. So once I got out of the pool, I was trying to get the strap back where it was suppose to live around my chest. And that's when I ran by the camera taking pictures for the event:

 

Nothing to do but smile and wish I was wearing my helmet too. My former roommate describes this as me "reaching my lactating threshold."

Oh, and the whole point for wearing this is so I could get some info on my power tap.  I never did get the HRM seated correctly and it reported my HR at around 54 when I was hammering.  Useless data.  But fun, still. 



Edited by tzmitch 2007-03-16 11:30 AM
2007-03-16 12:48 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
I have a Garmin. Don't swim in the watch obviously, but I wear the strap in the water. Then I just pop the watch on in T1. Very important for long distances, good data points for sprints.

2007-03-16 3:59 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
I didn't think you can get the garmin 301 wet... besides that I wear my polar during races. I need to keep my HR in the right zone for long distance races. For shorter races I don't bother with it.
2007-03-16 4:05 PM
in reply to: #725518

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
tzmitch - 2007-03-16 11:28 AM

grit_nugget - 2007-03-15 10:20 PM Two of my first 3 tris will be in pools ... so not sure I can wear the HRM or the strap in the pool!

I always wear a HRM in races, even ones with pool starts. I have a tight tri top that keeps the HRM in place. I hate that top. So last race I raced with my other top that's a little looser. This is fine when wearing a wetsuit, but without a suit it's like having no top on at all; I have to really cinch the HRM strap down to keep it in place. That's the part I neglected in my last race. About the second or third turn, I pushed off and the belt slipped a little. And then a little more. And then some more. It was like a belt by the end and I'm fortunate it didn't come off in the 17' deep end. So once I got out of the pool, I was trying to get the strap back where it was suppose to live around my chest. And that's when I ran by the camera taking pictures for the event:

 

Nothing to do but smile and wish I was wearing my helmet too. My former roommate describes this as me "reaching my lactating threshold."

Oh, and the whole point for wearing this is so I could get some info on my power tap.  I never did get the HRM seated correctly and it reported my HR at around 54 when I was hammering.  Useless data.  But fun, still. 



THAT is some FUNNY shiz right there! I saw the picture first and was like, what does this guy milking himself have to do with HRM wear!?!?!
2007-03-16 4:13 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
I just want to make the comment on how awesome you avatar is...
2007-03-16 4:14 PM
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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
Speaking of grit_nugget
2007-03-16 6:17 PM
in reply to: #724794

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Subject: RE: Wearing HRM during race day?
My first triathlon is not until May, but I will be wearing mine. Mainly to pace myself. I wear it on all my running races just for the data and to see where my HR is.

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