Heart rate and training (lack of)

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Perry Templeton
Because of just [censored] circumstances, I haven't been able to
train as much as I would like to. (sick, elderly father in
nursing home, and taking care of his properties and being
self employed) I am leaving for a week long tour in 2
weeks.(not self supported) Been riding every day now for the
past two weeks. I am going to a tour where it's goodnhilly.
Here where I live it's goodnflat. Today I rode two bridges
over the intracoastal canal. (and back, so that's 4 "hills"😉
They're really tall, downhill descents of 30+ without
trying. My heart rate on one ascent got up to 171. I've seen
it higher than that, but I was younger. On the descent, the
heart rate dropped quickly back to my normal riding range. I
am almost 50. My blood pressure is always good. My resting
heart rate is low. Mostly in the 60's, and when I'm in
shape, it'll get down into the 50's. I was surprised to find
that the high rate winded me so much....But also delighted
that it recovered so quickly. Any input? Perry

Hi Perry
At 171 BPM, you were right at your theoretical max.(220 minus your age).
I am 50 as well, and I have bumped against the max from time to time, but according to what I have read in fitness magazines, etc, if it drops quickly, it is alright to push it once in a while. I still do it, and I haven't blown a gasket yet.

"Perry Templeton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Because of just [censored] circumstances, I haven't been able
to train as much as I would like to. (sick, elderly father
in nursing home, and taking

care

Quoted message said:

of his properties and being self employed) I am leaving
for a week long tour in 2 weeks.(not self supported) Been
riding every day now for the

past

Quoted message said:

two weeks. I am going to a tour where it's goodnhilly.
Here where I live it's goodnflat. Today I rode two bridges
over the intracoastal canal.

(and

Quoted message said:

back, so that's 4 "hills"😉 They're really tall, downhill
descents of 30+ without trying. My heart rate on one
ascent got up to 171. I've seen it higher than that, but I
was younger. On the descent, the heart rate dropped
quickly back to my normal riding range. I am almost 50. My
blood pressure is always good. My resting heart rate

is

Quoted message said:

low. Mostly in the 60's, and when I'm in shape, it'll get
down into the 50's. I was surprised to find that the high
rate winded me so much....But also delighted that it
recovered so quickly. Any input? Perry

Sounds good to me. If it's ok with your physician then keep
doing those bridges until you learn to love them.

skip

Of course the best advice is "what does your doctor think?" My family
physician died of brain cancer, and the doctor that took his place doesn't
appreciate my history of cycling as much as the other guy. I'm afraid the
doctor would say something nasty like "moderation" or equally vile advice.
Of course, if the heart would not have recovered as quickly as it did, I
would certainly be making an appointment. This is the first year in over 15
years, that I haven't arrived at the summer season with at least a thousand
miles already under my belt. What a wake up call.
Perry
"skip" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Perry Templeton" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Because of just [censored] circumstances, I haven't been
able to train as

much

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

as I would like to. (sick, elderly father in nursing
home, and taking

care

Quoted message said:

of his properties and being self employed) I am leaving
for a week long tour in 2 weeks.(not self supported)
Been riding every day now for the

past

Quoted message said:

two weeks. I am going to a tour where it's goodnhilly.
Here where I

live

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it's goodnflat. Today I rode two bridges over the
intracoastal canal.

(and

Quoted message said:

back, so that's 4 "hills"😉 They're really tall, downhill
descents of

30+

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

without trying. My heart rate on one ascent got up to
171. I've seen it higher than

that,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but I was younger. On the descent, the heart rate
dropped quickly back

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

my normal riding range. I am almost 50. My blood
pressure is always good. My resting heart

rate

Quoted message said:

is

Quoted message said:

low. Mostly in the 60's, and when I'm in shape, it'll
get down into the 50's. I was surprised to find that the
high rate winded me so much....But also delighted that
it recovered so quickly. Any input? Perry

Sounds good to me. If it's ok with your physician then
keep doing those bridges until you learn to love them.

skip

"Perry Templeton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Of course the best advice is "what does your doctor
think?" My family physician died of brain cancer, and the
doctor that took his place doesn't appreciate my history
of cycling as much as the other guy. I'm afraid the doctor
would say something nasty like "moderation" or equally
vile advice. Of course, if the heart would not have
recovered as quickly as it did, I would certainly be
making an appointment. This is the first year in over

15

Quoted message said:

years, that I haven't arrived at the summer season with
at least a

thousand

Quoted message said:

miles already under my belt. What a wake up call. Perry

From your history of cycling you should be just fine. I went
through your exact situation with my mother. As my riding
buddies told me - if you don't have time to train before the
trip then train on the trip (not exactly the best advice
I've ever been given).

Do as many bridges as you can in the next two weeks along
with some rides approaching the daily mileage you expect to
do on the tour.. If you're riding a recumbent be sure to
relax, rest, and recover on the down side of those hills.

Have fun.

If you're running a HRM, you need Sally Edwards' and Sally
Reed's "The Heart Rate Monitor Book For Cyclists." Very
informative, packed with workout suggestions, and comes with
a cool piece of software for your PC (us Mac users have
absolutely no HRM software, none). They offer a much more
intersting max projection that includes some of the stuff
that the "220 less age" conveniently leaves out fo the
equation: 210 minus one half of your age, minus 5% of your
body weight (pounds), plus 4 for men or 0 for women.

For me, 50 years old at 175-178 pounds: 210 - 25 = 185 175
pounds x 0.05 = about 9 185 - 9 = 176 176 + 4 = 180 bpm max

This turned out to be within 5% of the max projection I got
from taking a treadmill test with a cardiologist. It's
significantly different form 220 - 50 which gives only 170
as my max bpm.

The thing about running a HRM is that you learn to use it
instead of your speedometer to indicate how you're doing,
how you're feeling, how you're improving (or failing), and
how far you think you can go till the next rest stop. It
will also give you absolutely objective performance data far
more reliable than your perceived effort. HR too high? Take
it down a notch, shift gears, check your breathing, look
around instead of looking at the odometer. HR down in the
temperate zone for too long? Shift a gear, take it up a
notch, find your zone.

You can get an entry level HRM for less than $30 these days
if you shop online carefully.

david boise ID