Question on HRM and timers

[Mike]

My wife wants a heart rate monitor for Christmas... I have been watching the HRM threads here and
they have been helpful. I still have a question on "timer" features - specifically are there any
that support the "run for a while / walk for a while" style of running. I would think that something
you could program one countdown timer value for running and a different one for walking where the
two would run concurrently would be of use. Of course I don't really know much about running <grin>
so I thought I'd see what the "experts" have to say! Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays!

Mike Raleigh, NC

[Dot]

Mike wrote:
> My wife wants a heart rate monitor for Christmas... I have been watching the HRM threads here and
> they have been helpful. I still have a question on "timer" features - specifically are there any
> that support the "run for a while / walk for a while" style of running. I would think that
> something you could program one countdown timer value for running and a different one for walking
> where the two would run concurrently would be of use. Of course I don't really know much about
> running <grin> so I thought I'd see what the "experts" have to say! Thanks in advance and Happy
> Holidays!

Mike, Any hrm that can do intervals should be able to do that, I think. Although it wasn't clear to
me if you were looking for something to signal when to switch from walking to running and vice versa
(run 8 min, walk 2 min, or something like that) or whether you were looking for just running totals
of amt of time spent running vs walking. The first is definitely available (interval function), but
I'm not sure about the 2nd unless you added the individual intervals - but that might be in software
(not sure). Another option might be a watch (or hrm) with two timers.

You might try to get more info from your wife as to what she wants to do with a hrm - or maybe she's
already provided some hints. For instance, does she really want a total time running vs walking or
is it time in each training zone. The latter is quite easy to get from many hrms.

FWIW, I have a Polar S410 that is downloadable via sonic link. I've had enough trouble downloading
interval data for long workouts (1-2 hours), that I now just hit lap button when I switch and do
whatever I want with the lap data. Their tech support suggested it was my speech-recognition
microphone that was causing the problem, but I wasn't willing to have to swap microphones all the
time (rat's nest on back of computer). I don't use the exercise (intervals) programs at all, because
of the problems I've had downloading the data and beeper signalling switching isn't loud enough to
hear. With the selection of hrms out there now, I wouldn't buy this one (others weren't available
then). In that series, I'd look at least at the 610, but that series may not be the most appropriate
for what you're looking for. I just haven't looked elsewhere recently. I believe I read somewhere
that the IR interface using USB port (not sure if particular hardware or OS) was having problems,
but when they exchanged USB for serial, it worked ok, so you might want to be aware of that.

The software that came with my 410, while powerful in some things, was somewhat limited, in
particular it had proprietary formatted output, which meant I couldn't export that data to another
database. They use different software now, but I'm not sure how well it works in terms of
downloading all information and being in some standard format, like text.

If considering a downloadable one, the frequency of recording may be of interest - depending upon
how your wife intends to use it - as in, how long are the run / walk intervals.

Just some thoughts.

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd Heinrich in Racing the Antelope

[Mike]

Dot <dot.h@#att.net> wrote in
news:e_TCb.193091$Ec1.7119274@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:
> Any hrm that can do intervals should be able to do that, I think. Although it wasn't clear to me
> if you were looking for something to signal when to switch from walking to running and vice versa
> (run 8 min, walk 2 min, or something like that) or whether you were looking for just running
> totals of amt of time spent running vs walking. The first is definitely available (interval
> function), but I'm not sure about the 2nd unless you added the individual intervals - but that
> might be in software (not sure). Another option might be a watch (or hrm) with two timers.
>

Thanks Dot! I think the former (switching from run to walk) is what she wants... so if I read you
right you could program two intervals (one say for 8 min and one for 2 min) and then they would
continuously cycle? So it would beep after 8 mins then beep again 2 mins later then beep again 8
mins later... etc?

I don't think that being able to download the data is of any importance to her at this point - just
being able to monitor the heart rate (possibly with below zone / in zone / above zone indication)
and the two interval timers would be good.

I appreciate your help!

Mike Raleigh, NC

[Dot]

Mike wrote:

> Dot <dot.h@#att.net> wrote in news:e_TCb.193091$Ec1.7119274@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:
>
>>Any hrm that can do intervals should be able to do that, I think. Although it wasn't clear to me
>>if you were looking for something to signal when to switch from walking to running and vice versa
>>(run 8 min, walk 2 min, or something like that) or whether you were looking for just running
>>totals of amt of time spent running vs walking. The first is definitely available (interval
>>function), but I'm not sure about the 2nd unless you added the individual intervals - but that
>>might be in software (not sure). Another option might be a watch (or hrm) with two timers.
>>
>
>
> Thanks Dot! I think the former (switching from run to walk) is what she wants... so if I read you
> right you could program two intervals (one say for 8 min and one for 2 min) and then they would
> continuously cycle? So it would beep after 8 mins then beep again 2 mins later then beep again 8
> mins later... etc?

Correct. Intervals are a standard training workout where runner altenates between working (running)
and recovering (walking, in your wife's case). Be sure that the two times can be set independently
(that is 8 and 2 as opposed to 5 for both), and they should be on a decent hrm. I'm under the
impression that some other brands beep louder than Polar, but I don't know which. Volume on my
Polar (almost 3 yr old so newer ones may be better) is inadequate for me to use it outside on a
reliable basis (usually buried under long sleeves while I'm crunching on snow). Other people have
no problems.

>
> I don't think that being able to download the data is of any importance to her at this point -
> just being able to monitor the heart rate (possibly with below zone / in zone / above zone
> indication) and the two interval timers would be good.

In looking, probably focus on the interval capability, since that may be (not sure) the less common
of the features, but seems like it's most important for your wife. The beeps for different zones are
on most hrm. Keep in mind that this might be two different beeps - 1 for intervals, 1 for zones -
and I'm not sure which hrm models handle both. The beeps are coded, iirc from mine, but could be
wrong. Some will also accumulate the time in zones that you can retrieve at the end of workout
(function is independent of beeps). And some may accumulate the time-in-zone without beeping, I'm
guessing. I think there may be models out there that do both without downloading, but it wouldn't
surprise me if the hrm's that have these features are downloadable also. I just haven't looked at
non-downloadable ones to know.

Sounds like your wife's in for a treat :)

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd Heinrich in Racing the Antelope