Detailed metrics for a mitral valve repair weekend very semi athlete

[MitralMan]

OK, hills scare me, so I'm attacking them (it's all relative)

OK, hills scare me, so I'm attacking them (it's all relative)

3 miles outdoors on regular backroads with real hills. My objective was to attack the hills, but not go above 146bpm, per my Polar training schedule.

First 10 minutes, just a brisk walk at about 4 mph
Next 25 minutes or so, stay up near 146, attack hills (which means run, not walk -- max pace up the hills was 7:13), maybe walk after I hit the peak
Last 5 minutes or so, walk.

These results:

mile 1: 14:12 avg HR 111 max HR 147
mile 2: 11:59 avg HR 140 max HR 155
mile 3: 13:24 avg HR 141 max HR 155

Average temp, 80 degrees; sunny

In short, a gorgeous day on which I pushed myself, didn't keel over, and kept my average pace over 3 miles of very gentle hills just under the legal limit for the Vermont relay. I still have work to do.

I kept thinking to myself, "if I were 30 pounds lighter..." I've REAALLY got to work on that...

 

[msiwik]

Good times for the heat/hills

Good times for the heat/hills

3 miles outdoors on regular backroads with real hills. My objective was to attack the hills, but not go above 146bpm, per my Polar training schedule.

First 10 minutes, just a brisk walk at about 4 mph
Next 25 minutes or so, stay up near 146, attack hills (which means run, not walk -- max pace up the hills was 7:13), maybe walk after I hit the peak
Last 5 minutes or so, walk.

These results:

mile 1: 14:12 avg HR 111 max HR 147
mile 2: 11:59 avg HR 140 max HR 155
mile 3: 13:24 avg HR 141 max HR 155

Average temp, 80 degrees; sunny

In short, a gorgeous day on which I pushed myself, didn't keel over, and kept my average pace over 3 miles of very gentle hills just under the legal limit for the Vermont relay. I still have work to do.

I kept thinking to myself, "if I were 30 pounds lighter..." I've REAALLY got to work on that...

Mitralman - good results especially since it was 80 degrees. You lose about 10 seconds off your best pace for every degree over 60 so you need to account for that too. It would be interesting to get some measurements on you on a treadmill under ideal conditions and create a baseline. Much to discuss when we get to Vermont. Mark

 

[MitralMan]

I'm looking forward to those discussions, Mark!

I'm looking forward to those discussions, Mark!

Mitralman - good results especially since it was 80 degrees. You lose about 10 seconds off your best pace for every degree over 60 so you need to account for that too. It would be interesting to get some measurements on you on a treadmill under ideal conditions and create a baseline. Much to discuss when we get to Vermont. Mark

But what I really need is to get this weight off!!

 

[MitralMan]

Tried something new

Tried something new

HR-based intervals (Polar S625x has this). I set the interval to achieve a certain HR -- once achieved, it goes into recovery (which can be set, like the interval, for time, distance or HR). Once the lower HR is achieved, it goes to the next interval.

Maybe because it was late or I'd eaten too recently, but I never felt comfortable getting my HR above 151, even when I hit a 6:00 pace (for all of 30 seconds). On the other hand, it took 2 - 4 minutes to get my pulse back down to 109. Average HR was only 116, though, for the entire 44:39.

Net effect is that this approach resulted in the equivalent of 3 walking speed / 15 minute miles. Still, i went MUCH faster than I've gone in years (this was all flat treadmill, 75 degrees). My routine consists now of intervals (like yesterday, and which I will continue to explore); outdoor hilly runs; and longer easier jogs.

FUN!

BUT: once again, when I was done, I was done. No headache. No palpitations. No nothing (other than being drenched in sweat!). Next morning, and I'm not even sore, which REALLY blows my mind.

 

[tommy]

On the other hand, it took 2 - 4 minutes to get my pulse back down to 109.

I believe that recovery time is a good indicator of how your heart is responding. While 2-4 seems long to me, but heat plays a large role. Here's to continued improvement. Congratulations!

 

[MitralMan]

Thanks, Tommy.

Thanks, Tommy.

Today I went back out on regular tarmac, avg temp 80, for 2.5 mile hilly run (OK, walking too). BUT: hills are relative (translation: I just found out how to use the altimeter function that's built into the monitor)

300' ascent over the 2.5 miles.

First 10:00, 4.0mph, HR between 91 and 109

Next 1.5 miles, jogging, HR between 109 and 129 (MOST of the time -- I got it up to 171 going up a hill). This was a 1 iteration interval, taking 18:49 -- which means I maintained a 12:36 pace during this time.

Last 5 minutes, recovery at a walk

Once again, when I was done, that was it. No pain, no pounding heart, nothing. I think I'm getting stronger.

I believe that recovery time is a good indicator of how your heart is responding. While 2-4 seems long to me, but heat plays a large role. Here's to continued improvement. Congratulations!

 

[MitralMan]

I'm eating like it's going out of style!

I'm eating like it's going out of style!



But I'm still training.

3.1 miles out on the road tonight, average 12:58 pace including hills:

mile 1: 13:26 avg HR 128 max HR 152
mile 2: 12:46 avg HR 138 max HR 154
mile 3: 12:20 avg HR 145 max HR 157

So: average pace 12:58, max pace for a short burst, 7:52

It got cooler as I continued to run/jog/walk/mutter, and the first half of my run is more up hill.

But I was also breathing hard at 152 bpm at the beginning, though I attribute this to allergies and not heart problems.

But I've just recommitted to the proper eating habits. My usual trick of announcing to the world my intention (in this instance, to take off lots of weight) and shaming myself into following through didn't work. OK, I'll try again: I was 204.5 this morning.

 

[tommy]

Keep after it Mitral Man! Seems like I need varying enducements. Annoucements and shame works for a while.

 

[MitralMan]

Getting faster because I'm pushing harder...

Getting faster because I'm pushing harder...

3 miles outdoors, regular tarmac, small hills (my usual outdoor run)

mile 1 12:25 129 148
mile 2 11:44 147 157
mile 3 12:40 155 162

average pace 1248
max pace 9:53
200 ft ascent, avg alt 280 ft

avg temp 78, but I think it was cooler

 

[MitralMan]

Running two days in a row!

Running two days in a row!

Today, 12:48 pace over 3 miles. Would have gone faster the first mile, except my daughter refused to run with me -- made me walk part way! 12:52 second mile, 12:06 third. The only injury was a spasmed right back muscle -- ouch!

Still, I'm feeling pretty good!

 

[MitralMan]

Average pace 12:09 over 3 miles, my usual hill run. New personal best.

Average pace 12:09 over 3 miles, my usual hill run. New personal best.

avg HR 136 (~75% of new max)
max HR 154 (~85% of new max)

mile 1: 12:22 avg HR 125 max HR 142
mile 2: 11:38 avg HR 141 max HR 148
mile 3: 12:14 avg HR 144 max HR 154

140' ascent (not sure why it's reading differently than other times)
avg temp 81

Tipping the scales at 199. I think I'd rather run than eat to lose weight. This Fro-Zone stuff is pretty icky.

 

[tommy]

Congrats on the PB.
Your pace and heart rate are both moving in the right directions. Woo Hoo!
I'm curious what your heart rate is 3 minutes after running.
To me, that's another great indicator of heart fitness.

140' ascent

I don't have any of those. The most I can find around me is about 65'

 

[Mark Wagner]

Not that I mind, because I find this interesting information ... but why do I get this thread on my E. mail, when I have not replied? I know I will get it now, but I have never had that happen.

 

[Mark Wagner]

Sorry, I just realized there are three pages. I probably did. I never claimed to have the brains in the family!!

 

[MitralMan]

Tommy, I will begin to keep that stat -- recovery HR, right?

Tommy, I will begin to keep that stat -- recovery HR, right?

I think I can program that in...

I DID stop and restart at the 3 mile mark, and I just reviewed the samples. It tells me that in 00:02:40 my HR went from 146 (so let's call that the beginning of my cool down) to 117. Based on the following 5 second sampling rate below, probably reasonable to say three minute recovery yielded 30BPM drop. I'll use this number as my baseline going forward (on the other hand, this starting point was NOT my max HR nor my max HR for this particular run, and this may skew the conclusions one can draw at this point. I think what I'll do next time is try to kick my HR up higher just before the end).

Here's what happened at 5 second intervals going backwards from the end point:

2:35 117
2:30 118
2:25 119
2:20 120
2:15 122
2:10 123
2:05 124
2:00 123
1:55 123
1:50 123
1:45 123
1:40 124
1:35 124
1:30 125
1:25 126
1:20 126
1:15 127
1:10 128
1:05 129
1:00 130
0:55 131
0:50 133
0:45 135
0:40 137
0:35 138
0:30 140
0:25 143
0:20 145
0:15 146
0:10 146
0:05 146

There is a web site called real age (see below)

http://www.realage.com/racafe/heartratecalc.aspx

They use 2 minutes as the recovery period. According to their calculation (I have no idea if it's right or not) my recovery of 23 BPM puts my heart age equal to my actual age (49).

On the other hand, Sally Edwards, who literally wrote the book on HR training for Polar, says 20-30 BPM recovery in the first 60 seconds is normal.

And then again, in a 1999 radio interview of Dr. Michael Lauer of the Cleveland Clinic said that people who averaged only a 12BPM decrease in the first minute had a higher mortality risk (see below)

"...We took the difference between the heart rate at peak exercise and the heart rate one minute later, and we measured the heart rate recovery. We followed 2,400 patients for about six years, during which time 213 of them died. And what we found was that this change in heart rate during the first minute after exercise was an extremely powerful predictor of mortality, in fact it was the most powerful predictor of mortality that we've looked at; it was a more powerful predictor of mortality than nuclear tests, which look at blood flow abnormality to the heart, and it was a much more powerful predictor of mortality than the electrocardiogram we physically looked at during exercise..."

At the one minute mark, my BPM was down by 16. On the other hand, I know that my HR comes down much faster than that when it's higher to start. Will let you know!

Congrats on the PB.
Your pace and heart rate are both moving in the right directions. Woo Hoo!
I'm curious what your heart rate is 3 minutes after running.
To me, that's another great indicator of heart fitness.

I don't have any of those. The most I can find around me is about 65'

 

[tommy]

Thanks. You've got more detail than I ever had. I've been dropping about 30 BPM in 3 minutes. The Real Age site is interesting. I may check the 2 minute heart rate as well.

I don't think that it's necessary to measure the recovery rate from any peak, although that might be an interesting measurement as well.

Sounds like you are doing great!

 

[MitralMan]

Tommy, I think WE are doing great!

Tommy, I think WE are doing great!

Thanks. You've got more detail than I ever had. I've been dropping about 30 BPM in 3 minutes. The Real Age site is interesting. I may check the 2 minute heart rate as well.

I don't think that it's necessary to measure the recovery rate from any peak, although that might be an interesting measurement as well.

Sounds like you are doing great!

So many really wonderful and inspiring people on this site who are willing to share their stories...it's just tremendous.

Keep me/us posted on your HR recovery findings. I figure the more details more of us provide, the more useful the body of knowledge we have for others to exploit!!

H

 

[MitralMan]

Feels like I took two weeks off. Not sure why. New max HR - 190!

Feels like I took two weeks off. Not sure why. New max HR - 190!

Something weird happens when I do really well -- I slack off.

So I put on more weight, and didn't run until today.

It was beautiful outside - 69 and dry.

Ran two miles, walked the rest. Legs felt heavy, weight on my feet felt heavy, muscles felt waay tight.

avg HR 144
max HR 190
ascent 140 feet
avg pace 11:59
HR recovery (03:00): 32 bpm

mile 1 11:52 avg HR 140 max HR 190
mile 2 12:06 avg HR 149 max HR 158
mile 3 20:44 (walked)

 

[tommy]

Mitralman, I know what you mean. I sometimes get real satisfied and lose some of the passion to push on. That may be a sign that you're due for a break. I've seen a concept of "macro cycles" where every 3 or 4 weeks you take a slow week to recover.

 

[MitralMan]

Well, Tommy, today I felt like lead.

Well, Tommy, today I felt like lead.

3 miles, my usual hilly run, relatively cool out. Beautiful day. But I've been feeling like I'm carrying extra weight -- hey, I AM!!

The worst part of the hilly section (and this is NOT major hills -- total ascent is about 200 feet) is about half a mile in. Maybe it's because I ran earlier today than I usually do, but I was huffing and puffing at 135 - 140bpm at this point. Still, I got through it and then there's a nice down hill section before another shorter climb.

I took a page out of Mark's handbook, and tried to run the way my body told me to, without regard to the monitor.

So:

3.0 miles

avg HR 133
max HR 165
avg pace 12:33
after 8 minutes, recovery was approx 50 bpm (I forgot to check at 3:00)

mile 1 12:17 avg HR 126 max HR 165
mile 2 12:26 avg HR 136 max HR 153
mile 3 12:56 avg HR 138 max HR 154

I did take two weeks off, and that's probably what this is about.