Heart Rate

[JJDT]

What would happen if your average heart rate is close to maximum during a race?

 

During this past weekend's USN MTB race on the 30km my average heart rate was 90% of my maximum. Normally my heart rate is about 80% - 85% average. I'm somewhat concerned of the spike. I was feeling OK during the race and afterwards also was feeling OK although a bit tired as always but nothing strange that I could recall that was odd during and after the race.

 

Should I be concerned?

[V12man]

What would happen if your average heart rate is close to maximum during a race?

 

During this past weekend's USN MTB race on the 30km my average heart rate was 90% of my maximum. Normally my heart rate is about 80% - 85% average. I'm somewhat concerned of the spike. I was feeling OK during the race and afterwards also was feeling OK although a bit tired as always but nothing strange that I could recall that was odd during and after the race.

 

Should I be concerned?

 

Probably not - if you don't recover well, or if your resting heart rate is still elevated, then you might want to get it worked up by a cardiologist - but as long as you don't feel 'unwell' then there is probably no reason for concern.

 

Quite possibly your maximum HR is just incorrect - using a formula for it is not good enough - you have to test it properly on the bike - at best an unpleasant experience.

 

Also - sometimes a failing battery in your belt might give odd results sometimes - as does a badly seated/placed belt.

[Sephton]

Don't worry, I did a race two weeks ago and my average HR (over 3 hours!) was 173 which is 94% of my max HR of 184. Two days later my resting HR was back to normal and I didn't feel unwell at all.

[SCHWINN LOVER]

Probably just a bit of a chest infection?

[Eugene]

Don't worry, most heart rate monitors only estimate your max. I once did a race where my average was 107% during the entire race.

 

I just took that reading and manually set that to be my maximum on my monitor.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Anybody keen to share the correct way of calculating your max heart rate?

I know there are many varying opinions but what is the most commonly used method.

[V12man]

Anybody keen to share the correct way of calculating your max heart rate?

I know there are many varying opinions but what is the most commonly used method.

 

There is no correct way to calculate it - the ONLY way to do it is to TEST....

 

The generally accepted formula is 220 - your age in years - but it is especially inaccurate in endurance trained individual's - especially lifetime athletes.

 

I used that formula as an example - I would have a max of 171 - and that's quite possible to maintain for over 1 hour at a time....

[Jakkals.]

There is no correct way to calculate it - the ONLY way to do it is to TEST....

 

The generally accepted formula is 220 - your age in years - but it is especially inaccurate in endurance trained individual's - especially lifetime athletes.

 

I used that formula as an example - I would have a max of 171 - and that's quite possible to maintain for over 1 hour at a time....

 

what he said. go full gas till you start seeing black spots.

[kjind]

Find a long hill, warm up properly and then attack the hill as hard as you can. Go all out and push youself to the limit. Then use the max Hr reached as your max.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Thanks guys, sounds like a painful experiment!!!

[Dubber]

Find a long hill, warm up properly and then attack the hill as hard as you can. Go all out and push youself to the limit.Then Push a little harder! Then use the max Hr reached as your max.

 

There, I fixed it for you ;-)

[Dubber]

Thanks guys, sounds like a painful experiment!!!

 

As V12 said, not pleasant.

A word of warning though: if you do this out in public (and you do it properly), you are going to feel like keeling over at the end of the test. Make sure the road isn't busy and /or have a place where you can easily pull off and fall over.

[Spoke101]

My thoughts on HR:

 

My last race was 90% for 2h45 and I backed off the last 25km's, I would call anything up to 95% normal.

 

You only need to worry when (eg. Didn't feel great that morning, decided to race, going up the first climb battling to hang with my normal competitors, could here my heart thumping in my ears and everything was starting to go blurry, look down and HR is 222) that when I decided to kick the clutch in and cost to the finish.

 

As for testing your Max HR, 15min warm up, find a hill, go at 110% till you throw up. This should only take a few min's. Your legs should feel like

1. you have acid in your veins

2. you have set them on fire

3. they about to explode.

 

Edit: spelling

[G-Unit]

There, I fixed it for you ;-)

 

Actually, the way I heard it goes - ride until you fall over, check what HR you got, and then add 5 bpm to get your max. It is highly unlikely that one would hit one's max, merely by pushing to your perceived limit during a trianing session.

 

When racing, the adrenaline gives one the ability to push that little bit harder than in training.

[BarHugger]

Been following this thread and others likewise. Just out of curiosity, how many HUBBERS (Pretoria-Johannesburg area) would like to be tested to determine their functional (maximum) capacity. I have access to a sport science lab where the following tests can be performed:

1. Full body composition and anthropometry (using skinfold calipers, etc)

2. Lung function and capacities

3. Isokinetic muscle power evaluation of quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups.

4. Graded exercise test to max using a metabolic cart to measure expiration gases and determining VO2max.

5. Blood lactate and heart rate profiles with power output on bicycle.

6. Anaerobic capacity test.

 

Just indicate if you will be interested. Might consider doing it to support one of the Hub causes (iow a donation to a specific cause will qualify you for such a test protocol with results feedback and recommendations).

[eeeek]

Thanks guys, sounds like a painful experiment!!!

Actually, the way I heard it goes - ride until you fall over, check what HR you got, and then add 5 bpm to get your max. It is highly unlikely that one would hit one's max, merely by pushing to your perceived limit during a trianing session.

 

When racing, the adrenaline gives one the ability to push that little bit harder than in training.

 

Max HR test is the one work out I routinely 'miss', my running max is 207 and my cycling max is 190... squeezing the last 5bpm out can be like drawing blood from a stone - a harrowing experience for sure!

Get someone you are pretty evenly matched with to do the test with you, the motivation/accountability aspect goes a loooooong way towards making sure you don't quit before your HR levels off near max!