10.02.2008

HR Never Lies

I'm happy to report that my ankle is fine and my knee is scratched and bruise, but otherwise OK. I was really looking forward to tonight's run - cool weather on the trails is always enjoyable.

We started off a little on the slow side. There were 4 guys and 1 other girl beside me. Within the first 1/2 mile (which is mostly downhill) I noticed my HR said 188. WTH?? I figured it was interference or something. But we kept on and the uphills were killing me. My legs were bricks and I was panting; I felt like the fat kid during the first day of track practice. I was drenched in sweat and my hair was dripping.

We kept on at a modest pace, much slower than some of our runs out there, and I could barely keep up. By the end, I had completely fallen off the back of the wagon and was just trying to get back to the car. My head, neck, and chest were cold but my HR was in the 180s. There is something wrong here.

I think I've decided I'm fighting off a cold. I've had the sniffles and been sneezing a lot lately, and coupled with my awful run, I think it's safe to say I'm not 100%. For the run, my ave HR was 171 and max HR was 190. 190!! I don't think I've ever gotten it that high before. And it's not like I'm out of shape. I've been doing this same run every Thursday for the last few months and I'm training for a 1/2 marathon. So I have decided tomorrow is a rest day. I should take my vitamins, avoid alcohol, and get lots of sleep. I don't actually want to get sick.

But I got to thinking: How cool is it that I already KNOW that I'm not 100% and I'm not quite sick. HR monitor training (and training in general) really makes you become more aware of your body and what's it's doing. It's pretty amazing, really.

And now it's time for some much-needed rest. I have a race to train for!

2 comments:

Sam said...

190 thats nothing.......my max is like 227 and my resting is 44. HUGE reserve in between and besides..apparently I'm a freak of nature. Always had a high Max HR. My comfortable working zone is 150-160. If I'm pushing it but not max...like 180-190.
So obviously normal training zone guides for HR don't really apply to me very well. OOPSSS. :PP
Sam ='s freak of nature ='s circus act when she retires from triathlon training. Hardy har har

Ben, aka BadBen said...

Sam,
I used to use a HR monitor all of the time; it's a useful tool. My HR on our "moderately paced" Thursday night run never climbed above 120. (But I'm an old fart, so it should be lower).

Whenever my heart rate does something like what yours did, it usually means that either I'm sick (or getting sick), or that I was dehydrated at the start of the run to begin with. Don't rule out the dehydration issue...I've seen it spike my heart rate up to 40 BPMs before, (for the same amount of effort). That's why I usually wear a HR monitor for long runs on hot days. And a combination of caffeine and dehydration will not only spike my HR, but also my blood pressure up to 130/80. I've seen that before, too.

Just some thoughts.
BTW, I like having you two out there on Thursdays. We have a good mix of runners on that night.

Happy trails,
Ben