HR training frustration in the heat and humidity

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2007-05-22 1:49 PM

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Extreme Veteran
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West Michigan
Subject: HR training frustration in the heat and humidity
I'm not sure if this is a question or a rant but today I went out for my lunchtime 4-miler and it was hot and humid. Within a mile my HR was near Z2 max and on the return leg (out and back course) I would routinely bounce into Z3. I would have to back way off to stay in Z2 which was very frustrating because if I ran just on RPE I would have thought I was middle of Z2.

Anyway, does anyone else get frustrated with having to run so slow in the heat and humidity to remain in the desired zone? I think at best I get somewhat acclimated to the warm weather by mid-summer but unless I run in the morning I tend to have an elevated HR without feeling like I'm working very hard.

2007-05-22 2:03 PM
in reply to: #812129

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Master
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Gold Coast Australia.
Subject: RE: HR training frustration in the heat and humidity
I used to run in Australia in the tropics, sometimes I struggled to last 15 min (I do 10k normally), sometimes it was dangerous to run at all!
Even at 7:00am was bloody hot in summer...
The recovery time was longer, too.
Gradually you get better at it, but in any case - increase your fluid intake!, slow down and do not overdo it.
2007-05-22 2:09 PM
in reply to: #812159

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Master
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Salisbury, North Carolina
Subject: RE: HR training frustration in the heat and humidity
Trimike, happens to me too...... feels almost like I could walk and maintain hr....I just slow down a LOT and if hr still goes over I don't worry about it.
2007-05-22 2:13 PM
in reply to: #812129

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Champion
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Subject: RE: HR training frustration in the heat and humidity

I can be up to a minutes slower per mile if it is hot and/or humid. My body doesn't like that type of weather from when I was little. It annoys the crap out of me.

I do most of my tris in the spring and fall in order to avoid racing in the heat. My first HIM I picked Sept. 23 in CT in order to hopefully avoid racing long in hot/humid weather.

I do get better in time as the summer progresses but my fastest run times in both training and racing are when it is 65 or less really prefer under 50.  

2007-05-22 2:44 PM
in reply to: #812129

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Pro
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Melbourne FL
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Subject: RE: HR training frustration in the heat and humidity

This was a big issue for me here in FL when I first started using the HRM in 05.  I now use the HRM mostly during the "winter" months were I can get a true reading not affected by the heat and use RPE (Rate of Perceived Effort) the rest of the time.  Last year or maybe the year before Mike Ricci mentioned that one needs to correlate RPE with HR training zones. It took me awhile to learn it but now its a no brainer for me. See his website here were he talks about it. 

"I know that for me, a rating of 1-4 on the RPE scale is equivalent to my Zone 1 HR. A 5-6 rating is my Zone 2 HR, and a 7 is definitely a Zone 3. An 8/9 RPE is 4-5a (sub LT to LT) and a 9+ to 10 is equal to a place I don’t need to go, or Zone 5+++. "

Make sure you are properly hydrated, bring some fluids with you and think about using some eletrolytes when training time get long and/or you're sweating a lot.

Oh I wanted to add, the following was something Mike posted a long time ago on either a thread or PM:

"Some days (especially) hot ones, the HR won't mean much and you'll have to rely on RPE."

RPE Zone HR ZoneDescription
0 Complete Rest
1Z1Very Weak: light walking
2 Z1Weak: strong walk, very slow run, easy conversation pace
3 Z1Moderate: easy run, begin to sweat, but can hold conversation throughout
4 Z1 UpperSomewhat Strong: still easy, sweating a bit more
5 Z2Strong, Extensive endurance
6 Z2 UpperStrong, Extensive endurance breathing becoming labored
7 Z3Very Strong: Intensive endurance/muscular endurance, breathing very labored, but can still maintain pace for some minutes without slowing.
8 Z4Hard: Workouts that are ‘hard’ session during the week. 
9 Z5aVery Hard: May not be able hold effort for long, or 5k race pace for MOP to FOP racers
10 Z5+Extremely Hard: Anaerobic endurance / power 



Edited by Donto 2007-05-22 2:48 PM
2007-05-22 5:03 PM
in reply to: #812129

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Coach
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Stairway to Seven
Subject: RE: HR training frustration in the heat and humidity
You have pointed out one of the drawbacks of HR training. In your run today, your HR did not correlate with your level of exertion, rather the heat & humidity elevated your HR for a run that was otherwise the same intensity.

You need to use an RPE chart along with your HR monitor on "regular" training days so that you can calibrate your RPE. ON days like today, when you _know_ that your HR seems way too high, you need to ask yourself why. IF it is because of environmental conditions l ike todya, then it's OK to run at a HR higher than your zones and rely on your RPE.

I prefer teh 6-20 scale, there is an article about it on my website (link below), but some prefer a 1-10 scale. Just use one you like & understand and use it consistently.

2007-05-23 9:07 AM
in reply to: #812129

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Extreme Veteran
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West Michigan
Subject: RE: HR training frustration in the heat and humidity
The one thing I did notice by forcing myself as much as I could to stay in Z2 was that after the run even though I was sweating buckets, I really felt good afterwards.

I'd say yesterday based on the scale of 1-10 my RPE was a 4. However that was while watching my monitor, I would have run harder if I wasn't looking at it or didn't have it on. I think I more naturally want to run at the RPE of 5 to 6.

I just want to say thanks to everyone who posts on this site. I've learned so much from reading the various threads as well as posting them myself and getting great feedback like I got on this one.

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