Hi all,

I've been getting into the swing of things and just completed my fourth run in the last fortnight of my brand new training regime - all round the same 3 mile loop. I've invested in a Polar RS100 hrm to keep me motivated and track progress.

Using the polarpersonaltrainer.com website I've set myself a 10 week plan in preparation for a 10k race in Sheffield in April - the problem I have is my heart rate! I always considered myself fairly fit, however I am having real trouble keeping the percentage under the limits set by the training plan! These are 78-85% of my max heart rate - 147-160bpm - I'm tending to end up knocking around 90% if I break into anything quicker than a gentle jog, meaning I'm completing the loop in anything from 33 down to 29 minutes.

Is this just because I am less fit than maybe I thought? Does anyone else use a heart rate monitor to train and what sort of levels/times do they tend to work to?

Reading back over the thread this seems a bit of a daft one - can anyone give me their thoughts on training in this way...?

Is the hrm working correctly?

Seems to be - first time I've used one... I've tested it at resting to see how it compares to traditional methods (counting my pulse!) and it seems bang on.

I'm completing the loop in approx 9 minute miles at the moment when keeping it at 85-88% of my max heart rate (160-165bpm) - I kind of think I should be up at that sort of level when pushing it more rather than restraining myself.

Looks like we're in the same boat.

I'm having exactly the same issue with my Garmin Forerunner - its tells me I'm running at 90% of my max, but I'm hardly out of breath and I can easily chat to other folk in the running club at the same time.

I've managed to identify what heart rate I can hold for different types of run and have been sticking to that, i.e. I stick around 170-175 for my midweek run and 160-165 for my long run at the weekend.

This goes against the zones that the watch sets me, however, I have been gradually speeding up over the same courses/distances while sticking to these ranges.

It's reassuring I'm not the only one!

I think I would be fairly comfortable getting round at c.175bpm on my current 3 mile run - I haven't yet built a longer run into my training but will stay on the safe side around 165bpm when I do.

Another point on this one is that in the days after a 3 mile run at the lower level my legs don't ache at all - in the past when I have trained I have felt a bit of an effect - kind of good to know I've pushed myself!

Maybe all this points at upping the level a tad - I guess as I get fitter my heart rate will drop if I keep times consistent. Any thoughts?

I can't remember all of my paces off the top of my head, but I know my long run HR tends to be around the 150bpm mark, I think 10k race pace is around the 172bpm mark, I have to be going at a pretty intense effort (e.g. all out hill repeats) to hit 90-95% of my MAX HR.

Have you ever tested yourself to find your Max HR? Actual Max HR's can vary quite a bit from the old '220 minus your age' approximation.

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www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - Glooston 10k report added

Nope - never tested it. How would I do that?

I hit my highest HR whilst doing the bleep test, though there are supposedly a number of methods of achieving the same result, I'll have a dig through any info I have and post once I get back from work

If you get bored though you could always scour google? (other search engines are available )

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www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - Glooston 10k report added

None of them any good tho'

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Premiership by the end of the 2009 :D

Right - tried the 5k loop this evening at a pace that felt more natural and ignored the hrm to see how they related to each other. Got round in 24.56 with an average hr of 178 and a max of 190 - I'm 31 so that would make it 101% of my max heart rate!

After all the runs I've done with the hrm dictating the pace I've not really felt like I was pushing myself - this evening it felt much more like I'd actually done something.

I'm now wondering whether such shock tactics are the best thing for my body after a relatively short period training... I think I may revert back to the plan at the weekend - that is if I can move!