Check Your Heart…. Rate

I have actively started training for my century bike ride on June 6th. I am sure it will be here before I know it and I want to be SUPER ready to ride those 100 miles and more importantly climb those hills. I have joined Team in Training not only to raise money and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society but to help be tackle such a large goal. Training for a 100-mile bike ride is something I knew nothing about. I most definitely knew that if I was going to achieve this goal I was going to need a good support system and a coach with a whole lot of knowledge and experience under their belts for such an event. And all those things is precisely what I have found by joining Team in Training. My cycling coach, Dave, has completed I believe 3 triathlons as well as completed the Lake Tahoe Century Ride several times. He has put together a training schedule for everyone on the team that gradually works us out and gets us used to being on the bike for such a long period of time. I even have a fundraising coach, Laura! My fundraising goal for my century ride is to raise $4,800.00 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Quite a lofty goal, I know! That is why I am so thankful Laura is there to work with me and give me additional ideas for fundraising! Speaking of fundraising if you would like to check out my progress, donate or just see what Team in Training is all about, please visit my personal fundraising website here.

Anwho… back to talking about the training. I asked my coach the other day what speed (mph) I should try and be riding at when I train. Coach Dave then indicated that it is not about speed, it is about what percentage of your max heart rate you are riding at. He then went on to explain that you want to be riding at about 75% of your max hear rate when training. Since I currently do not have a heart rate monitor he told me to gauge my heart rate on how well I could talk and ride. He said if I can say about 5-6 words while riding and, not be completely out of breath, that is probably a good goal. If I can talk all day without getting out of breath, I probably need to be pushing myself a bit harder.

After hearing about all this heart rate stuff I wanted to learn more and figure out how to use it to its fullest potential. So that is precisely what I did…. internet research to the rescue!

About Heart Rate Training
Turns out, your heartbeat is a pretty big deal. It’s actually one of the most important indicators of overall wellness, and is one of the most effective elements of any fitness program. Your heart rate not only controls your body but also the efficiency of your exercise. To get the most out of your physical activity–whether it’s walking, dancing or aerobics–you need to make sure you are in your target heart rate zone. To determine your target heart rate, first subtract your age from 220. That’s your maximum heart rate. Your target heart rate is roughly 50 to 75 percent of this maximum heart rate. To see how your fitness level is progressing over time, measure and track your resting heart rate–usually between 60 and 100 beats per minute–on a weekly basis. As you become more fit, your resting heart rate will decrease.

Your target heart rate generally encompasses three zones. Exercising in the Active Zone (50 to 60 percent of maximum heart rate) reduces blood pressure and cholesterol and is ideal for fitness beginners or those on a low-intensity program. Almost all calories burned in this zone are fat calories. Reaching the Training Zone (60 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate) requires more intense aerobic activity and is perfect for fitness enthusiasts working to burn maximum calories and fat. Finally, exercising in the Endurance Zone (70 to 80 percent of maximum heart rate) is generally recommended for athlete in training. The primary benefits of this zone are cardiovascular strengthening and elevated caloric burn.

After learning about how to monitor my heart rate and what the major zones are, I now had to start doing some research on heart rate monitors. After scavenging the internet and reading review after after review I had settled upon purchasing a nice little “Sportline 915 Women’s Solo Heart Rate Watch” from Dicks Sporting Goods.

Won't this bad boy look good on my wrist. (=

My new little toy will hopefully arrive next Tuesday. I will definitely post a review once I play with this little guy and find out if it is worth the pennies.

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