Today I tried the Digifit apps Advanced Cardio Assessment test. It's a gradual effort type of test over 10 minutes with a HR monitor, Not as good as a lab test but I thought it might give me a ball park number.I'm trying to figure out what my limiting factor is VO2, LT or my peripheral arterial disease (PAD). I'm kind of an anomaly running with PAD so there's not a lot of info to go on.
My results were surprising .
Max Heart Rate:165
Lactate Threshold Heart Rate:140
VO2 Max:42
MaxHR was lower than I expected but about what the age calc is (220-52=168), but I normally run at and exceed it at the end of some of my runs. Some >170. My last 5k I was at 160 at 1.4 miles and hit a max of 178 average pace of 9:35 . A 10k in October was about the same Ihit 150 about 1.5 and 170 at 4.75 to a max of 175 at the finish average pace of 10:37.
What's an average HR at a given pace for an average 50+ year old runner who's been running for 2 years. Is my HR high for my slow pace? Is it compensating for PAD? WTF?
LTHR not sure of, need to do more reading on it. Different from LT.
VO2Max of 42 (if accurate since it's calculated) is 'Very Good' to almost 'Excellent' for my age.
HR Zones it came up with.
1 109-120
2 120-131
3 131-142
4 142-153
5 153-164
So according to that I do most of my running in zone 4-5.
I'm thinking of having the actual lab tests done. A local college does them at a discount but still not cheap. Maybe I can be a lab rat and get them for free.
I don't know too much about the app or the test, and I don't know anything about PAD so I can't help you there, but one thing I would note is that if your heart rate is getting to 175 or 178 at the end of a 5K, then that is probably a more accurate max HR rate for you than 165 is. Therefore you're probably not doing most of your running in zone 4-5. If there's a way to recalculate using a custom max HR (rather than the one they give you) I would recalculate the zones using 178 as the max.
peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
Is that what your username comes from??
Dave
Yea, thought someone else with PAD might notice it sometime.
race obsessed
So many questions and no-one that can really answer them.
i would suspect your max HR is not accurate, which would throw all of your zones out of whack.
Personally I am no-where near the 220-age number, and it serves zero benefit. I have tested out at 192 maxHR for 42yo male it sounds high. *shrug*
I can't recall where you live but if you are close enough to Arlington, we do have free group training. I can nearly guarantee you will get faster if you are interested.
I just reread information about PAD. Im not a doc - given that fact I would think the PAD has a huge affect on your performance, as well as your lower than expected heart rate.
As I understand it, with the narrowed pathways, your muscles especially legs are not getting adequate blood flow. Less blood means less oxygen and less fuel. The muscles just can't push harder because they don't have the fuel. In turn the heart doesn't have to work harder (I suspect shouldnt) because the narrow pathways limit the flow.
This sounds like a long term issue. Less oxygen less repair and muscle growth, less growth less demand, rinse and repeat. Any chance of procedures to open up the pathways?
Let's start with this. You have a max heart rate and you cannot exceed it. Exceeding your maximum heart rate is about like "giving 110%." Whether or not you reached it during any given test is questionable and even more so on an exercise that only lasted 10 minutes.
I'm going to start by assuming your true max is around 180. I'm 51 years old and mine is somewhere between 180 and 190. I've never worn a heart rate monitor to find out for sure. I don't wear a HRM but I frequently check my heart rate at the end of various runs. Assuming relatively cool conditions, my heart rate will typically be close to the following:
Recovery jog - 120-130
Easy run - 140
Marathon pace run - 150
Tempo run - 160
VO2max workouts - 170-180
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
I'm in North Grand Prairie around 360 and North Green Oaks. I'd be interested but I don't want to slow a group down and working a weird schedule right now. Let me know when and where do you work out.
I just reread information about PAD. I'm not a doc - given that fact I would think the PAD has a huge affect on your performance, as well as your lower than expected heart rate. As I understand it, with the narrowed pathways, your muscles especially legs are not getting adequate blood flow. Less blood means less oxygen and less fuel. The muscles just can't push harder because they don't have the fuel. In turn the heart doesn't have to work harder (I suspect shouldnt) because the narrow pathways limit the flow. This sounds like a long term issue. Less oxygen less repair and muscle growth, less growth less demand, rinse and repeat. Any chance of procedures to open up the pathways?
I just reread information about PAD. I'm not a doc - given that fact I would think the PAD has a huge affect on your performance, as well as your lower than expected heart rate.
I was think the opposite. Working harder to force more blood through a smaller tube. I do have stents in the main arteries, before them I couldn't walk more than 100 yards without taking a break, but still have problems with the smaller ones especially the glutes. That's primarily what the medical community is concerned with is just walking. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
Theoretically I could develop collateral circulation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collateral_circulation, which is what I've been trying to do. No telling how long that can take. I do think I'm making progress it's just slow.
Let's start with this. You have a max heart rate and you cannot exceed it. Exceeding your maximum heart rate is about like "giving 110%." Whether or not you reached it during any given test is questionable and even more so on an exercise that only lasted 10 minutes. I'm going to start by assuming your true max is around 180. I'm 51 years old and mine is somewhere between 180 and 190. I've never worn a heart rate monitor to find out for sure. I don't wear a HRM but I frequently check my heart rate at the end of various runs. Assuming relatively cool conditions, my heart rate will typically be close to the following: Recovery jog - 120-130 Easy run - 140 Marathon pace run - 150 Tempo run - 160 VO2max workouts - 170-180
Thanks that seems about what mine are but with much slower paces I'm sure.
You are welcome to come out. We have a mix of runners from slower than 12min to faster than 5min. Group is free and show up to the ones you can make. No worries, you put in what you can.
check texasrunningcenter.com for training schedule. Currently we meet 2x a week, but last summer it was 6x.
You are welcome to come out. We have a mix of runners from slower than 12min to faster than 5min. Group is free and show up to the ones you can make. No worries, you put in what you can. check texasrunningcenter.com for training schedule. Currently we meet 2x a week, but last summer it was 6x.
Thanks, Tuesday at 7 looks doable now. I ran across that site last month after I saw a couple of 'Heart Smart Athletes' t-shirts at my last 5k in Mike Lewis Park.