funny this thread should come up just now!-- i went to the Dr. a few days ago for a basic check-up, but i was really worried about my HR at the time.
I had been out on a ride with a couple of the guys, and was really pushing it (for me). my HR popped 201 on my monitor, and the guys started to get worried (as worried as "the guys" get ) i ended up turning back early, but one of them called me later to make sure i had made it back okay. apparently they thought my HR was really freakishly high... i guess it was! that's the highest it's been since grade-school gym class (212 then...) i guess it makes since... 220-your age to estimate Max?
i thought that maybe i was anemic (mom being anemic and my not eating a lot of meat), but it turns out i just have a really high exercising HR (iron's at 13- woo hoo!). my resting is between 70-80, normal activity hovers at about 90, but on rides it's easily between 160-180. climbs it generally peaks at 190. i try to keep it under 180, because i've noticed a correlation between asthma and my HR. ew