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Recommended average heart rate during a race


Wil6

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I used a formula I found on google by Miller et al and it is determine MHR = 217 - (0.85 x Age) and I also own a polar CS600 that does it for me.

 

Not very accurate for me - 21 beats too slow!!!!

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Not very accurate for me - 21 beats too slow!!!!

Like I said,fairly new to the sport of cycling and heart rate training,so just trying to get some advise

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  • 2 weeks later...

I would advise that if you take heart rate serious then get to a sports science lab and find out more about yourself personally.

I have heard of guys bragging about what low heart rates they have when they wake up, 22 bpm, 38 bpm, 42 bpm and then it goes on and on and on.

In the end of the day this means squat.

It's about your max and how quick you can recover from threshold.

They will also test your lactate threshold and if done proper check your levels over two hours with a finger prick and a blood test.

Let them do a VO2 Max, you will soon realise what your limit is, most people find this out during the start of a race, then they BRAG..."I was there with the leaders and then I had nothing left", they totally ran over their limit and there is no coming back from there.

 

We are all different and we all get blessed with less or more talent and better or worse genes than the next oke.

 

What this boils down to is find out your limit and race and train within those limits, that way you will enjoy the sport for many years to come.

 

I have seen too many people suffer the dreaded "burn out"

 

Just as an example when I was tested, waking heart rate was 55 bpm. and I was in a lab and this was taken as I woke up.

On the VO2 max test we found my max to be 213 bpm. and recovery from this was quick.

We also discovered that I could perform at high heart rate levels for long periods without building up lactate.

 

My high waking heart rate had me devastated, it's been high my entire sporting life, but finding out why and what I was capable of, made all the difference I needed.

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I would advise that if you take heart rate serious then get to a sports science lab and find out more about yourself personally.

I have heard of guys bragging about what low heart rates they have when they wake up, 22 bpm, 38 bpm, 42 bpm and then it goes on and on and on.

In the end of the day this means squat.

It's about your max and how quick you can recover from threshold.

They will also test your lactate threshold and if done proper check your levels over two hours with a finger prick and a blood test.

Let them do a VO2 Max, you will soon realise what your limit is, most people find this out during the start of a race, then they BRAG..."I was there with the leaders and then I had nothing left", they totally ran over their limit and there is no coming back from there.

 

We are all different and we all get blessed with less or more talent and better or worse genes than the next oke.

 

What this boils down to is find out your limit and race and train within those limits, that way you will enjoy the sport for many years to come.

 

I have seen too many people suffer the dreaded "burn out"

 

Just as an example when I was tested, waking heart rate was 55 bpm. and I was in a lab and this was taken as I woke up.

On the VO2 max test we found my max to be 213 bpm. and recovery from this was quick.

We also discovered that I could perform at high heart rate levels for long periods without building up lactate.

 

My high waking heart rate had me devastated, it's been high my entire sporting life, but finding out why and what I was capable of, made all the difference I needed.

Well said Dangle,good advise you are giving here, also love the whole science behind sport, without doping, lol

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  • 1 month later...

I know there's been so much said on the topic, but i'm still going to give or try to take my 5 cents.

I did the 25/29km mountainbike race saturday and my heart rate was averaged at 194. This would at my age be 98% of max.

I know like dangle says your supposed to get a stress test and see what your body can handle, but as a rough yes/no:

Is this healthy for your heart?

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I know there's been so much said on the topic, but i'm still going to give or try to take my 5 cents.

I did the 25/29km mountainbike race saturday and my heart rate was averaged at 194. This would at my age be 98% of max.

I know like dangle says your supposed to get a stress test and see what your body can handle, but as a rough yes/no:

Is this healthy for your heart?

 

Nothing wrong with it depending on your max HR and just how much you suffered. You are about 22 years of age right? The equation you used is a very, very basic and very inaccurate one for a lot of people.

 

My laboratory tested MHR on 2 seperate occasion is 206. It is really hard to get it there on the road. With equation it should be 188. My thinking is your MHR is probably between 205-210. For a short race like that - about 50-70min you could probably ride at about 90% of your heart rate without much cause for concern (more VO2max) if your mind was right. That should put you at about 188 or so which is not far off.

 

Personally I have held an average of 190 for 1h30 minutes during a solo breakaway during our Provincials a few years back so you figure of 194 is not extreme. It hurt like hell though. :)

 

However, if this heart rate is way off of your normal figures I would suggest getting it checked out with a doctor.

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Best advice is to not worry about the HR during a race

If you do, you will shackle yourself and not ride according to your potential - ie as hard as possible.

Worry about the HR afterwards and be ready for a surprise ito how hard you can actually push yourself.

 

Rather use it during training

 

100% agreed, to this day I refuse to buy a heart rate monitor, I average 28km/h during training and then up it by 4km/h during races, clearly my adrenalin must be on turbo during races.

 

In short I listen to the body on race days, but match the pace setter on training days

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Guest agteros

Hey Hubbers.

 

I got into cycling only a few months ago and is still a rookie when it comes to cycling.So can someone please help me with this question.

 

What is the recommended average heart rate during a race(percentage wise) that I can follow so that i don't push myself too hard but still do the optimal I can during a race?And what is the maximum percentage of your heart rate that you can push yourself to during a race?

 

Will appreciate any advise!

 

Thanks

 

Rather go to a cardiologist, and get get REAL advise as well as all the tests. I'm sure that training/racing will mean something different for you than for any Tom, Dick & Harry on here. You will not want to stress/overstress your heart. Very hard racing DOES damage your heart (from the bit I've read on it) - but it does recover, whereby light exercise does not. Rather just ride your bike, and be healthy than to life & ride fast & die young.

 

Go to the professionals, and be safe. Please, for your family's sake.

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Nothing wrong with it depending on your max HR and just how much you suffered. You are about 22 years of age right? The equation you used is a very, very basic and very inaccurate one for a lot of people.

 

My laboratory tested MHR on 2 seperate occasion is 206. It is really hard to get it there on the road. With equation it should be 188. My thinking is your MHR is probably between 205-210. For a short race like that - about 50-70min you could probably ride at about 90% of your heart rate without much cause for concern (more VO2max) if your mind was right. That should put you at about 188 or so which is not far off.

 

Personally I have held an average of 190 for 1h30 minutes during a solo breakaway during our Provincials a few years back so you figure of 194 is not extreme. It hurt like hell though. :)

 

However, if this heart rate is way off of your normal figures I would suggest getting it checked out with a doctor.

 

Thanks :-) I appreciate the reply. I'd love to get tested myself, mostly out of sheer curiosity.

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Thanks :-) I appreciate the reply. I'd love to get tested myself, mostly out of sheer curiosity.

 

Most universities can do this test in their sports departments or physiology departments for around R500 which will include VO2max, threshold power, etc, etc. It is only really useful if you use a power meter or are serious about using your heart rate monitor for training (even though it is limited in its use for a single test). it is however interesting experience as they can tell you just how well you compare to others they have tested and most of them are pro athletes or close.

 

Stellies has a great lab if you are in the area. I can hook you up if you interested.

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The only way to find out is to experiment. With time you will learn your body. Just keep on monitoring.

Personally I can do 90% for a race up to 1h30, 85% up to 3h30 and 75% all day long.

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