I wonder if someone can offer some advice or put my mind at rest at least! I have been running for about a year (just for enjoyment, fitness etc) and have received a great Polar F11 HRM for Christmas. I performed the 'fitness test' which said I was of an elite standard (suprising but great!) and calculated my heart rate as such. However on my first run I had not reached the first half mile before my heart rate was sky high (180 ish) and the HRM was instructing me to slow down. Is this normal? I didn't feel out of breath or anywhere near a decent pace. Help! I have gone from very motivated to worried and disheartened in one easy step.
0 ·
Comments
Cath is right - you should do a reliable Heart Rate test to determine your Maximum Heart Rate, and calculate your training zones from there!!!!
It always gives me a consistent figure, and a couple of years ago, when I absolutely flogged myself in the final stages of a race, I got within a couple of beats of it for about 30 seconds, which suggests that it's reasonably acccurate.
The fact that it is accurate for you - I couldn't dispute, but the fact that it is not consistently accurate for most people has to cast doubt on it usefulness
..and for it to suggest that someone who has been running for about a year - for enjoyment and fitness - has an 'elite' cardivascular system simply illustrates my point.
And as has been discussed at some length over the Forum, Calculated Max HR formule and kit, are notoriously inaccurate