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HR and LT

This has definitely been asked before but in the absence of a search function here we go again...

I want to work out my max heart rate so I can work out zones for training. Is it just the highest number you can push your HR to, even if it's at that for only a couple of seconds, or should you be able to maintain it at that level for a particular length of time?

Do I just go out, find a hill and run up it as fast as I can until I either throw up or just can't do any more? Then just do the same on the bike?

Also, how do you work out Lactate Threshold? Is that through feeling, ie when your legs start to feel heavy. Do you arrive at LT through speed work like Max HR or through endurance ie run at normal pace until your legs feel heavy? And is LT defined through HR eg I hit my LT at 150bpm or through HR plus time eg LT is reached after 150bpm for 20 mins?

So many questions!

PS. I have a Garmin Forerunner 50.

Cheers all.

Comments

  • For max HR do a 10min warm up then run uphill as fast as you can maintain for 4mins (or is it 6? can't remember!). Take the HR reading from HRM immediately or your Garmin may store it as max HR for the session.

    Use that to set your zone upper and lower limits.

    There is an interesting discussion thread about Lactate Threshold started by Conehead on the BCTTT forum I think. Was in the last 2-3 weeks I'm sure so try a few pages back.

    In fact here's the answer http://bcttt.com/forum/general-discussion/lactate-threshold-wtf/
  • SwizzlenapSwizzlenap Posts: 160
    Thanks guys. Think I'll work out the HR zones and leave the LT for a bit. I'll keep that for when it all gets a bit more serious!
  • PC_67PC_67 Posts: 196
    The original post asked can your threshold (albeit too general a term I understand) can be recognised by feel.

    I like to think I run enough to recognise exactly what I can maintain for any given time.

    If you ask me to push myself as hard as I can for 5 minutes I think I can instinctively do that pace.

    Likewise 1 minute or 15 minutes.

    I typically think of (and feel) my theshold pace as being what I could maintain for about 25 minutes. I also understand LT pace is a bit below 10k pace.

    Right interpretation of threshold or not?

    Also, regardless of whether it's technically correct to define that pace as Threshold Pace, is running at what's called Threshold Pace a useful & beneficial exercise or not? Is running a bit faster counter productive and running a bit slower a pointless exercise?
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    PC67, have a look at This article from Runners World about tempo running.
  • PC_67PC_67 Posts: 196
    Thanks, great article.
  • PC_67PC_67 Posts: 196
    Actually, I don't know what I was on last night when I posted: LT pace is, according to the JD book, the pace you can maintain for about 60 minutes. I knew that
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