Heart rate?

[Brandi]

you know though the hrt has made me push myself more. I do believe that leaving it at home sometimes does make sence. But since I have started using it I am not so lazy when I ride. And I think improving. I just don't want to give myself a heart attack!

[Grog]

I just don't want to give myself a heart attack!

I was the girl in aerobics class that stopped counting after 20 beats when taking my pulse on a 6-second basis because I didn't want people to know that my HR went over 200. (Even if I was pretty fit.) I always worried a little bit about this...

When I got my heart rate monitor I first tried it during a tough winter hike. I was with a cardiologist-friend of mine and he was not at all moved when I hit 194 on a hill. So don't worry too much about this... If you don't feel like you are going to faint you're probably not going to die from this. Of course, I am assuming that you have no counter-indication for hard exercise.

The measure of your improvement is how fast your heart rate goes down after an effort...

(I was really scared the thing would start beeping really loud if/when I hit 200... it didn't. I have been to 225 so far and nothing special happened.)

Take it easy, but not too easy.

[Brandi]

I like that you were afraid it would beep at you, that's funny! Tell me more about recovery?

[Grog]

I like that you were afraid it would beep at you, that's funny! Tell me more about recovery?

Well basically you want to get to a point where your heart rate goes down fast. Ex: You work hard up a hill, bring your HR to 180, and about one minute after you've started riding the flat you're down to 150-160, and if you stop altogether your HR will quickly (within minutes) drop down to 100ish values.

Besides, you improve as you recover, so you don't want to spend too much time in the higher values, but you want to go there many times. While doing intervals, for example... (you push very hard for some time and relax for some time, one or two sessions of this a week - if you search "intervals" on this site you'll find a lot of info).

Enjoy the recovery time...

[Brandi]

I follow pretty much what you just said. I try to work a little harder on those hills every time. As a matter of fact my last ride has made me pooped tonight. And a little sore! Just took a therapy soak! AHHHHH warm smelly water to relax in always makes me feel better. My heart rate really comes down pretty fast. I am going to pay more attention to what it does maybe keep a log and see where I am at or going lol. Thanks for all your info. I need to eat some kind of recovery food after the harder rides. I don't do that enough which is why I think I am pooped too.