I have to admit when I got the Garmin in the mail I was a little intimidated. I read the manual and learned the basic functions and started using it for my runs. Early on I found that I really enjoyed the fact that I did not have to sit down and map out a run on the computer before heading out. I know all kinds of different routes around my area of varying lengths. With the Garmin unit I could just go out for a run and change my route and be able to know if I am hitting my distance goal for the run. It made getting out the door so much easier for me.
Two years of using this little gizmo has been interesting. I still don’t use all of the functions. I know that I can program it to tell me if I am falling below a goal pace. It can also set up interval training sessions that will set up exercise and rest intervals. It has a time/distance alert which triggers an alarm when you reach your goal. I am still using the simple basic function of distance, time and heart rate to assess my runs. There are probably a few readers out there who are more tech savvy than I and will tell me I am wasting a good piece of equipment on basic functions. But, it works for me. Maybe someday I will get up the courage to start playing with the other functions.
What I have found is that the Garmin unit is very helpful in allowing me to establish a safe, effective running pace for each of my training runs. I also find that it is very useful in helping me gauge how hard my training effort was and if I was scheduled for a recovery run whether or not the run was truly a recovery run. By having this device, I was forced to brush up on my heart rate training zones and also what heart rate level constitutes recovery from a hard work out. I did my studying some time ago and thought what I found out might be something that would interest other runners.
First, let’s talk about how you know you are sufficiently recovered after a hard work out or an interval during a run. Most adults have a resting heart rate of 72 beats per minute (bpm). A highly trained elite runner may be as low as 40 bpm. My resting heart rate tends to be around 66 bpm which my doctor thinks is very good. When I am done with a run or particular work out, I track my pulse every few minutes until it gets back down below 72 bpm. At this point in time, I feel sufficiently cooled down and can hit the showers. However, when I am doing intervals or repeats, I don’t start the next interval or repetition until my heart rate monitor shows that my heart rate has dropped to or below 120 bpm. This is how I do my Yasso 800s and my mile repeats when I am training for a marathon.
What we all need to know is that our maximal heart rate (MHR) declines with age from about 220 beats per minute in childhood to about 160 beats per minute at age 60. Your maximal heart rate is the is the highest pulse rate you can attain during an all-out effort, so by definition, it is impossible to exceed this limit. My advice and any web site you go to that tells you about heart rate zone training is to first calculate your maximal heart rate. It is a very simple formula -- 220 - Your Age. My maximal heart rate is 171. There have been studies that say that women should not use this formula as it is male based. They instead recommend women use the formula 0.88 x your age. If you really want to know your accurate maximal heart rate, you should undergo a stress-test administered by your doctor rather than by using the age-related formula.
There are four distinct heart rate training zones. They are all calculated by taking into consideration your MHR and your Resting Heart Rate (RHR). Each of these training zones affect your overall fitness in different ways. In my case, I use the zones make sure I am completing my work out at the level of effort that is necessary to achieve the results I am looking for that day. If I am doing repeats or tempo runs, I want to be in the aerobic or anaerobic zone. If I am doing just a normal run I stay within the aerobic zone or if it is for recovery I stay in the recovery zone. Let me describe each zone and what it does for you.
First let's look at the Recovery Zone. Recovery zone is typically where you are running with a heart rate between 60% to 70% of your MHR. This is typically known as Heart Rate Zone 2. It is the zone where your heart starts to feel the benefits of your work out. It is also the zone where you are developing your basic endurance and aerobic capacity. For those of you who are using your running to lose weight, in this zone your body uses stored body fat as the primary source of energy thus allowing you to maintain and/or lose weight. I typically do all of my easy or recovery runs at or below 70% of my MHR.
The second zone is known as the Aerobic Zone and it is where you are running with a heart rate of 70% to 80% of your MHR. This is the zone where you are training and developing your body's cardiovascular system. To truly improve your running, you need to be able to efficiently transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles. Training in this zone allows you to develop and improve your cardio-respitory capacity. It is also the zone most commonly known as your "target heart rate zone" and Heart Rate Zone 3. I try to do all of my hard workouts like mile repeats, tempo runs or intervals at this level. When I do this consistently, I find that I become fitter and stronger in my running. Studies say that as you increase your cardio-respitory capacity, your body burns less glucose and more stored fat as fuel thereby working more efficiently.
The third zone known as the Anaerobic Zone is where you are running with a heart rate of 80% to 90% of your MHR. It is also referred to as Heart Rate Zone 4. As you know when you run, you build up lactic acid in your muscles. This lactic acid is the byproduct of your body breaking down glycogen for use as fuel for your muscles. When you are running in this zone, you are developing your lactic acid system and it is where you will want to train if you want to improve your performance. There is a point where your body simply cannot remove lactic acid from your muscles fast enough. This makes training in this zone hard. When I run in this zone, my legs feel tired and I find that my breathing is heavy. According to what I have read, the key benefit of training in this zone is that you are training your body to tolerate lactic acid for a longer period of time. This is especially good for distance runners like marathoners. I find that the only time I am up in this zone is during speed work session or when I am really pushing it in a race.
The final zone (Heart Rate Zone 5) is the Red Line Zone which is where you are running with a heart rate of 90% to 100% of MHR. I don't know of any runners who can train in this zone for more than a few minutes at a time. I have never actually had my heart rate rise to this level during any of my work outs. I think this zone is more for sprinters and shorter distance runners as it is the zone where you will develop your fast twitch muscle fibers and helps to develop your speed. I don't recommend training at this level unless you are very fit. When you run in this zone, your lactic acid develops very quickly and you fatigue much sooner. If you want to try it, you should do it during an interval session or when you are doing some sprinting work at the track.
There is so much information about heart rate zones and how to train using them. I am by no means an expert on the subject. But, you should know that heart rates vary based on the given intensity you are working at and reductions in heart rate for a given intensity is usually due to improvements in your fitness. However, it could also be caused by other factors. When running in the heat of the summer being dehydrated can increase your heart rate by up to 7.5%. The temperature and relative humidity level can increase your heart rate by 10 beats/minute. If you are running at altitude you may find that your heart rate can increase by 10 to 20%, even if you have taken the time to acclimatize. And finally, simple biological variation can mean the heart rate varies from day to day by 2 to 4 beats/minute. Take this into consideration before embarking on any of your runs.
I have been dabbling in the heart rate zone training for the past two years. It has definitely improved my fitness level and my speed out there on the roads. This is great. But, I have realized that I actually can feel the zone I am in on most runs. What is nice about this is that when I am racing, I know whether or not I am going to be able to maintain the pace I have set or if I will have to ratchet it back to allow me to finish the race. By recognizing the clues from my body, I am confident when I head out the door that I am ready for any run whether it is a simple recovery run or 6 x 1 mile repeat session. You may find using one of these gadget will allow you to become more in tune with your body as well.
July 11 – 10.20 miles (1:33:40, 9:11 pace)
July 12 – 6.20 miles (57:03, 9:12 pace)
July 13 – 3.50 miles (29:55, 8:33 pace) – Speed work, Mile repeats
July 15 – 6.10 miles (48:40, 7:59 pace) – Tempo Run
July 16 – 6.20 miles (54:38, 8:57 pace)
July 17 – 10.10 miles (1:38:51, 9:47 pace)
Total Miles: 42.30 miles
2010 YTD Miles: 926.80 miles
What we all need to know is that our maximal heart rate (MHR) declines with age from about 220 beats per minute in childhood to about 160 beats per minute at age 60. Your maximal heart rate is the is the highest pulse rate you can attain during an all-out effort, so by definition, it is impossible to exceed this limit. My advice and any web site you go to that tells you about heart rate zone training is to first calculate your maximal heart rate. It is a very simple formula -- 220 - Your Age. My maximal heart rate is 171. There have been studies that say that women should not use this formula as it is male based. They instead recommend women use the formula 0.88 x your age. If you really want to know your accurate maximal heart rate, you should undergo a stress-test administered by your doctor rather than by using the age-related formula.
There are four distinct heart rate training zones. They are all calculated by taking into consideration your MHR and your Resting Heart Rate (RHR). Each of these training zones affect your overall fitness in different ways. In my case, I use the zones make sure I am completing my work out at the level of effort that is necessary to achieve the results I am looking for that day. If I am doing repeats or tempo runs, I want to be in the aerobic or anaerobic zone. If I am doing just a normal run I stay within the aerobic zone or if it is for recovery I stay in the recovery zone. Let me describe each zone and what it does for you.
First let's look at the Recovery Zone. Recovery zone is typically where you are running with a heart rate between 60% to 70% of your MHR. This is typically known as Heart Rate Zone 2. It is the zone where your heart starts to feel the benefits of your work out. It is also the zone where you are developing your basic endurance and aerobic capacity. For those of you who are using your running to lose weight, in this zone your body uses stored body fat as the primary source of energy thus allowing you to maintain and/or lose weight. I typically do all of my easy or recovery runs at or below 70% of my MHR.
The second zone is known as the Aerobic Zone and it is where you are running with a heart rate of 70% to 80% of your MHR. This is the zone where you are training and developing your body's cardiovascular system. To truly improve your running, you need to be able to efficiently transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles. Training in this zone allows you to develop and improve your cardio-respitory capacity. It is also the zone most commonly known as your "target heart rate zone" and Heart Rate Zone 3. I try to do all of my hard workouts like mile repeats, tempo runs or intervals at this level. When I do this consistently, I find that I become fitter and stronger in my running. Studies say that as you increase your cardio-respitory capacity, your body burns less glucose and more stored fat as fuel thereby working more efficiently.
The third zone known as the Anaerobic Zone is where you are running with a heart rate of 80% to 90% of your MHR. It is also referred to as Heart Rate Zone 4. As you know when you run, you build up lactic acid in your muscles. This lactic acid is the byproduct of your body breaking down glycogen for use as fuel for your muscles. When you are running in this zone, you are developing your lactic acid system and it is where you will want to train if you want to improve your performance. There is a point where your body simply cannot remove lactic acid from your muscles fast enough. This makes training in this zone hard. When I run in this zone, my legs feel tired and I find that my breathing is heavy. According to what I have read, the key benefit of training in this zone is that you are training your body to tolerate lactic acid for a longer period of time. This is especially good for distance runners like marathoners. I find that the only time I am up in this zone is during speed work session or when I am really pushing it in a race.
The final zone (Heart Rate Zone 5) is the Red Line Zone which is where you are running with a heart rate of 90% to 100% of MHR. I don't know of any runners who can train in this zone for more than a few minutes at a time. I have never actually had my heart rate rise to this level during any of my work outs. I think this zone is more for sprinters and shorter distance runners as it is the zone where you will develop your fast twitch muscle fibers and helps to develop your speed. I don't recommend training at this level unless you are very fit. When you run in this zone, your lactic acid develops very quickly and you fatigue much sooner. If you want to try it, you should do it during an interval session or when you are doing some sprinting work at the track.
There is so much information about heart rate zones and how to train using them. I am by no means an expert on the subject. But, you should know that heart rates vary based on the given intensity you are working at and reductions in heart rate for a given intensity is usually due to improvements in your fitness. However, it could also be caused by other factors. When running in the heat of the summer being dehydrated can increase your heart rate by up to 7.5%. The temperature and relative humidity level can increase your heart rate by 10 beats/minute. If you are running at altitude you may find that your heart rate can increase by 10 to 20%, even if you have taken the time to acclimatize. And finally, simple biological variation can mean the heart rate varies from day to day by 2 to 4 beats/minute. Take this into consideration before embarking on any of your runs.
I have been dabbling in the heart rate zone training for the past two years. It has definitely improved my fitness level and my speed out there on the roads. This is great. But, I have realized that I actually can feel the zone I am in on most runs. What is nice about this is that when I am racing, I know whether or not I am going to be able to maintain the pace I have set or if I will have to ratchet it back to allow me to finish the race. By recognizing the clues from my body, I am confident when I head out the door that I am ready for any run whether it is a simple recovery run or 6 x 1 mile repeat session. You may find using one of these gadget will allow you to become more in tune with your body as well.
July 11 – 10.20 miles (1:33:40, 9:11 pace)
July 12 – 6.20 miles (57:03, 9:12 pace)
July 13 – 3.50 miles (29:55, 8:33 pace) – Speed work, Mile repeats
July 15 – 6.10 miles (48:40, 7:59 pace) – Tempo Run
July 16 – 6.20 miles (54:38, 8:57 pace)
July 17 – 10.10 miles (1:38:51, 9:47 pace)
Total Miles: 42.30 miles
2010 YTD Miles: 926.80 miles
2 comments:
I can't imagine running without my Garmin to be honest. I've used it much the same way that you have although I did try using the interval function for the first time this week. And it worked a treat so I'm going to start looking at some of the other functions over the next few weeks.
Let me know what other functions you think I should look at using. Thanks for the comments.
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