Maximum Heart Rate

I picked up another book at the library yesterday. Pulsträna by Jonas Gustrin. Finally I'm starting to really understand some important features of the cardiovascular system and muscular metabolism. I would recommend this book for everyone who wants to get more value out of a heart rate monitor. Sorry, it's in Swedish.

I made a maximum heart rate test on one of my runs. After a a shortish run I ascended a couple of hills at half speed. Then ran on a track inclining slightly upwards, slowly accelerating (for around 5-8 minutes) until I was going at full throttle for the last 200 meters or so. As suspected my mhr was higher than what an age based formula would indicate. Nine beats higher. That makes a real difference in setting heart reate target zones. Improved quality of training this means.

Someone might have noticed that I haven't been following my training schedule. I'm not its slave. I'm its master. I'm trying to get it to understand, and obey. It will succumb to my will! No, seriously, I've simply been paying attention to my body trying not to get hurt and trying not to let the running dictate the rest of my life. I didn't plan to go 16 km, it just felt so damn good to do while I was at it.

The training calendar pictures are so small anyway it's almost impossible to read the planned distance digits. In case somebody, some day, will try to copy this schedule - which I don't recommend and take no responsibilty for - I'll add the the training actually done to the calendar pictures in a bigger and brighter font. It will make it easier to get an idea of what it takes to make it, or maybe what it takes to fail on day five.

There are no guarantees for success. Advice from wiser lurkers has been sparse. Yoda told me I need to change my mind rather than my body - go figure. The more I've studied the subject of running the more impossible it seems to pull off this challenge. Give up? Never. It's too much fun - and I think I've lost some weight already. Might be wishfull thinking. I don't own a scale.

Well, at least I know my real heart rate zones - higher quality training.