Five Rules for Heart Rate Monitoring

By

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June 29, 2012

Ed McNeely – Peak Centre for Human Performance

Heart rate is an easily measurable physiological variable that is often used to gauge the intensity of a training session. Under the right conditions heart rates can be a useful tool but there are too many athletes that have developed a dependence on their heart rate monitor with little understanding of how to use it effectively.

The ability to use heart rate to monitor the intensity of a training session developed from the fact that there is a linear relationship between oxygen consumption and heart rate. While this is valuable information, it has also lead to two problem areas. First, the relationship starts to break down at around 85% of VO2 max. Since many types of intervals and most speed work are done at or above this intensity heart rate alone cannot be used to monitor this type of work. Second, even though there is a relationship between exercise intensity and heart rate this relationship is different for different exercises i.e. heart rates for running will not be the same as heart rates for rowing for any given intensity. In fact, in cycling heart rates change with different body position on the bike. Some research indicates that heart rates on the road can be as much as 10 beats higher than riding indoors on a trainer for the same oxygen consumption. This brings us to our first rule of heart rate monitoring. Heart rates are specific to the activity you are doing .

Heart rate is influenced by many variables. Duration of training, emotional stress, clothing, heat, dehydration, overtraining, loss of sleep, decreased blood volume, altitude, and detraining. During long duration steady state training sessions the heat produced by the body can increase heart rate by as much as 20 beats/ minute. If you were to slow down to try to keep your heart rate the same, you would change the training effect for the muscles. This leads us to heart rate rule number two: During steady state training the speed or power output should remain relatively constant throughout the session regardless of increases in heart rate.

Training in a hot environment can increase heart rate by up to 13 beats/min. Emotional stress at work or the stress of exams at schools tends to increase heart rate during training. In addition, these types of stress decrease quality of sleep which further increases heart rate. Rule number three: When training in hot weather or during periods of high stress use feelings of fatigue and comfort as a training guide rather than heart rate.

Heart rate is an individual response as is maximum heart rate, varying as much as 20-30 bpm between people of the same fitness level. Comparing heart rates to other people is unnecessary and often unwise. Training programs should not be based on general heart rate guidelines rather they should be based on individual responses. A training heart rate of 150 bpm may elicit very different adaptations for different people. Rule 4: Don’t compare heart rates to others.

Because heart rate is an individual response, heart rate values need to be determined in relation to other physiological variables. There are three common physiological markers for aerobic training: Aerobic threshold, anaerobic threshold and VO₂ max. Training programs are normally designed to change these physiological points. To prescribe meaningful heart rate ranges these points have to be identified. This can be done through lactate testing or through an oxygen consumption test. If these points are not determined the heart rate prescriptions are purely guess work. Rule 5: Heart rate ranges should be determined from other physiological data.

Heart rate is a tool for training. Like all tools it has limitation and should be used for a specific job at a specific time. Speed, pace or power output are influenced by fewer factors than heart rate and may prove to be better indicators of training intensity. If you are going to use heart rate to monitor your intensity follow the guidelines outlined here and remember that heart rate is just a response to internal and external stimuli it should not be the main controlling factor for your training.

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PEAK Centre staff have the highest certifications available in Canada for Sport Science. With their combined experience and education, PEAK Centre is at the forefront of practical Sport Science application.

Wigwam Ironman Endur Pro

By

TheBuzzonGear

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June 28, 2012

Reviewed By: Gerrard Leach

iRun because I can

Product : Wigwam Ironman Endur Pro

Product category : Socks

Canadian MSRP: varies by retailer

Product Website: http://www.wigwam.com/

Description: Great socks for warm weather. Lightweight, breathable

Pros: Lightweight, breathable, not itchy, wicking, and cool. I like that they aren’t white and therefore don’t show dirt/wear as much.

Cons: Not double layer like some socks, but great for a lightweight breathable sock

Ideal for: A three season runner, or those with warm feet in the winter.

Overall: I used the product on two runs, and a bike ride. They were very comfortable, and felt cool. First day was 18 degrees, second 32 degrees celcius.

About the reviewer: Gerrard Leach enjoys many athletic pursuits. Hiking, running, cycling, former soccer player, and loves getting outdoors.

cool,

Crab cakes

By

WhatsCookin

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June 27, 2012

**Have you ever wanted to start a food blog but hesitated because you couldn’t commit full-time? Have I got the solution for you!: A time-shared food blog by iRun readers, for iRun readers! Submit your recipes here or by e-mailing webeditor@irun.ca.**

As I sat down to write this post, I couldn’t figure out whether I had already done a post about crab cakes at some point in the history of this blog. And then I realized that I didn’t care either way because I love crab cakes so very much. Mr. Shuffler is on a quest to find the best recipe out there. This recipe came from Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything”.

Crab Cakes

1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for cartilage (I used the equivalent amount of canned crab)

1 egg

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped scallion

1/4 cup mayonnaise (Mark helpfully includes a page reference for making your own…we used the stuff from Loblaw)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp bread crumbs, preferably fresh, or cracker crumbs, as needed (I ground up some Triscuit black pepper and olive oil crackers in the food processor – perfection!)

About 1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging

Curry powder, optional

2 tbsps peanut, extra virgin olive or vegetable oil

2 tbsps butter or more oil

Lemon wedges and/or Tartar sauce (Note: really good crab cakes don’t need these embellishments)

1. Mix together the crabmeat, egg, bell pepper, scallion, mayonnaise, mustard, and some salt and pepper. Add enough bread crumbs to bind the mixture just enough to form into cakes; start with 2 tbsps and use more if you need it.

2. Refrigerate the mixture until you’re ready to cook (it will be easier to shape if you refrigerate it for 30 minutes or more, but it’s ready to go when you finish mixing).

3. Season the flour with salt and pepper and add some curry powder if you like. Heat a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the oil and butter and heat until the butter foam subsides. Shape the crabmeat mixture into 1-inch-thick cakes, dredge each in the flour, and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary and turning once (very gently), until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Serve with lemon wedges and/or tartar sauce. Serves 4 (or 2 if one person really, really likes crab cakes)

Altitude Training at Home

By

PoweredbyPeak

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June 25, 2012

Even small improvements in performance often take hours of training, hours which for the recreationally competitive athlete are often difficult to find when they have to juggle family life, work and training. One of the most overlooked adjuncts to training that has continually shown performance benefits is intermittent hypoxic training. Intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) makes use of a machine that decreases the amount of oxygen that you breathe, simulating altitude. IHT training has been shown to increase power at both anaerobic threshold and VO2 max by 4-6% in as little as three weeks with daily use of IHT for an hour at a time. This is about the equivalent of six months or more of improvements from actual training for most age group athletes. The real advantage to IHT training is that it is a passive form of training, you sit there attached to the machine and breathe while reading, watching TV or responding to e-mail.

How Does it Work?

Hypoxia, a decrease in the oxygen content of the air you are breathing stimulates the release of erythropoietin, the hormone responsible for producing red blood cell. With repeated exposure you will gradually increase the total number of circulating red cells and the oxygen carrying capacity of your blood.

Many people mistakenly believe that the use of hematocrit, the cell component of blood, levels are a good indicator of whether the IHT is working or not. If you were to take hematocrit measures every day while using IHT you would likely see an increase in hematocrit for a short time and then a gradual decrease back to normal levels as blood volume increases. If you only take a hematocrit reading at the beginning, middle and end of the IHT program you are unlikely to see any changes.

The human body likes to maintain hematocrit within a relatively narrow range, normal variations in hematocrit are typically less than 4% over the course of a year. One of the primary adaptations to aerobic training is an increase in blood volume, resulting in a decrease in hematocrit levels, reducing blood viscosity and resistance to blood flow, and improving cardiac output. There is a strong positive correlation between blood volume and endurance performance but contrary to what many athletes believe there is a negative correlation between hematocrit and performance. In other words high hematocrit levels actually decrease aerobic capacity. A lower hematocrit keeps blood viscosity lower and improves blood flow rate which improves oxygen transportation and transfer of oxygen to the muscles.

Given the amount of time and effort that you put into your training, the investment in IHT training is well worth the possibility of doubling the amount of improvement most people typically see in a year.

References

Thirup, P. (2003). Hematocrit: Within subject and seasonal variation. Sports Medicine. 33(3) pp 231-243.

El syaed, M., Ali, N., and El sayed -Ali, Z. (2005). Haemorohlogy in exercise and training. Sports Medicine. 35(8) pp 649-670.

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PEAK Centre staff have the highest certifications available in Canada for Sport Science. With their combined experience and education, PEAK Centre is at the forefront of practical Sport Science application.

Speed is not a constant, but labels can be

By

Karen Karnis

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June 21, 2012

While reading my rant from yesterday, an alert relative picked up on my mention of a fall marathon. Yes it’s true, I am back to marathon training. Some of you may recall that I did marathons for several seasons, back-to-back, resulting in being in some stage of marathon training for three straight years. While I loved it, I was feeling the need to switch it up. I decided to take a year off from marathon training (resulting in roughly 18 months between races) and do something different.

To be more specific, I thought I would spend some time focussing on speed. While training for marathons, I found the endurance training took away from my ability to do focussed speed work. Some of that may have been my base and level of experience, but whatever the reason, I wasn’t getting any faster.

My plan to actually focus on speed was a dismal failure. I didn’t set up a schedule or adhere to a regimen; I did hills when I felt like it, intervals maybe half a dozen times, and some fartleks because they’re fun. The only things I did anything near consistently were tempo runs, and probably because you don’t really have to think. Concentrate, yes; work, for sure. But think? Not so much. Anyway, all this to say: I really enjoyed just playing for a year.

An interesting side effect has been that, despite my lack of actual structured speed work, I have gotten faster. Not fast, by any means, but definitely faster. In the past year I have maintained my fitness roughly around half-marathon level – that is, I could run a half marathon, even if I wasn’t ready to race it, at a moment’s notice – by doing nearly-weekly long runs ranging from 16-24 km, with my weekly mileage sitting around 45-50 km. I ran a lot of races over that time period – more races than in any other 12-month period in my life. And, I watched my PBs fall, one after another, throughout that time.

I have speculated on why that would be, and here’s what I have come up with:

– Not spending as much time recovering from my long runs has meant that my everyday casual pace has just gotten faster because it didn’t feel as taxing on rested legs

– Generally having a higher level of fitness from all of that marathon training than I had when I last attempted many of the other distances at which I have shown improvement

– I surprised myself at the first race where I wasn’t watching my time; that little taste gave me more confidence

– More races = more race experience with less at stake – that is, I was more willing to take risks when it wasn’t “the only race” I was doing that season, so it wouldn’t be that big of a deal if I blew up, which gave me…

– A better idea of where my redline is – pushing harder, tolerating more discomfort than before, and not dying fed back into the cycle of confidence

All of this together combines into what might be one of the most – I won’t say THE most important, because without the base, the recovery, the race experience, etc., this alone wouldn’t be enough – but one of the most important points is: I have came to the startling conclusion that maybe, just maybe, I am not “a slow runner.”

Not to say that I am “a fast runner,” however, the application of “slow” as a label – an identity even – rather than a speed on any particular day, was allowing me to stay in my comfort zone. My lack of confidence, my need to be self-deprecating, my irritating habit of comparing myself to others despite constantly preaching how useless and inappropriate it is to do so, had all been holding me back more than I could fathom. It was permission to stay at the back, to let up when the going got tough, to believe that my genetics or whatever factors beyond my control were limiting me, when really, it was my own brain the whole time.

The kicker was that, deep down somewhere, I kind of knew that the whole time, but had to prove it before I would even look at it on a conscious level.

So now, even though I always knew it, I have a deep and intimate understanding, a verstehen if you will, of how one’s level of fitness and ability is not an end-state, but a process, and one that is not necessarily linear. That is, if I do the work, push the boundaries, and accept the challenges, I can get faster, while if I back off, change priorities, or drop it entirely, I can slow down. The labels are fleeting, so one can choose not allow oneself to be limited by them.

With all that said, I am ready to take my newfound-easy pace into marathon training, hopefully maintaining it while I work on building my endurance back up. It’s too early to set a time-goal for my fall marathon, however, suffice it to say that I hope it will be one more PB that falls by a significant margin.

Blueberry banana smoothie

By

WhatsCookin

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June 21, 2012

Hi everyone! Apologies for the silence emanating from this corner of the Internet. I went back and forth to Southern Ontario twice in three weeks, which meant that I never really knew what was in my fridge or how long it had been there. Anyway, I’m hoping to get back to the regularly-scheduled programming of this blog.

Today, I bring you a blueberry banana smoothie inspired by the Fresh restaurant cookbook. I say “inspired” because I know they would definitely not approve of any beverage involving something as horrible as Splenda.

Ingredients

1 frozen banana

8 oz bottled mango juice

8 oz unsweetened, unflavoured soy milk (I used cow’s skim milk)

2 tbsp fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tbsp vanilla-flavoured protein powder (I used two of the unflavoured stuff)

1 tsp agave nectar (I used one package of Splenda)

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender. (I recommend putting the protein powder on the bottom so it mixes better) Blend, starting on a low setting and then switching to a highre setting, for about 1 minute. serve in a tall glass. Serves 2.

**Want to see your name on the iRun front page? It’s easy! Just send in your favourite recipe to webeditor@irun.ca or upload it here and hey presto! Next thing you know, Hollywood will be calling.**

Getting it over with early – my annual hot-weather rant, that is

By

Karen Karnis

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June 20, 2012

Where I live, the weather has been unseasonably hot and humid this week – and it’s only the first day of summer. I know this is not the case right across the country, and some of you think I shouldn’t complain. While I try not to hate on weather too much, given it is the one circumstance everyone deals with and no one can change, believe me, I am complaining. Heat is the one condition I truly hate to run in. Actually, that’s not entirely accurate – it’s heat with high humidity that I truly hate. I know that “hate” is a strong word, but it is entirely accurate. I will also add “loathe,” “despise,” and “detest” to my list.

Take today, for example. It is currently 30C, and “feels like” 36 – it will apparently feel like 44 before the day is done. Much like extreme cold, there comes a point when it’s so hot that it no longer needs a number because it just does not add to the description – but unlike extreme cold, I can’t run in it. No really, “can’t” isn’t an exaggeration – I am a fainter.

Anyway, with the extremely forgiving winter we had this year, people are going on that it is going to be a hot hot summer. Up until now I just took that at face value and said “yuck.” But with the way this week has been, I decided to look it up for myself.

According to The Weather Network’s Summer 2012 Outlook, I apparently have less to worry about than I thought. While parts of the country are supposed to have above average temperatures, many of us will have “near normal” conditions. In fact, my area is even supposed to have above average amounts of precipitation, which I will take – I love running in the rain.

While even some of the “normal” temperatures and humidity levels are too much for me, I have to say that comes as a bit of a relief. I just found myself picturing a whole summer of todays which would be…how shall I put it…less than ideal for fall marathon training. Sure, I would acclimatize – a little…sort of. And sure, there are ways to keep cool(er). But personally, I would just really rather not have to worry so much about it.

But, as mentioned above, there’s not a darn thing we can do about the weather. We can do our best to work with what we have, and look at the bright side (I’m trying!) whenever possible. So my goal, now that I have that off my chest, is to try not to complain too much. No promises though – I have a lot of other goals for the summer, many of which just may be higher priority.

2012 Canada Army Run 85% sold out

By

UpToSpeed

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June 19, 2012

More than 15,500 have already signed up for the September 23, 2012 Canada Army Run. With the half marathon at 92% capacity and the 5K at 80%, the event is on track to sell out in record time, despite the addition of 2,000 more spots this year.

No doubt this is partially because it is the 5^th anniversary of the event, meaning there are special edition shirts and redesigned medals. Other new initiatives include Cheering Stations (complete with cash prizes for the non-profit organizations with the best set up), a category for Visually Impaired runners in the Disabled Athletes division for both the 5K and half marathon, and a Hand Cycle category in the Disabled Athletes division of the half marathon.

If you’re thinking of running the Canada Army Run, tell us why, and you could find yourself running with a Canadian soldier this fall! Read last year’s winning story, and visit the Contests and Call-Outs page for all the details!

London Photos April 2012

By

dmclaren

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June 18, 2012

Hello iRunners:
As I was not running the 2012 Virgin London Marathon, part of my press credentials was an option of access to the early finish bridge. Awesome.
Here I am at waiting for the elites to finish.
My camera is an Olympus and all the other photographers have massive zoom lenses.
Anyway I got there early and as we were waiting for the elite women and men to finish there was a Prince Harry sighting which caused a bit of commotion. We did not know he was there to present the winners with their trophies.
We saw the wheelchair athletes finish (Josh Cox, the Canadian athlete had just won Boston on the Monday, ended up 9th, while the Brit, David Weir, came in first to the roar of the crowds.
Diane Roy of Canada was third in the women’s wheelchair event (Shelly Woods, the other Brit, won the women’s wheelchair event.)
I was able to take my own personal picture of Mary Keitany winning the race (2:18:37). I was also able to photograh Wilson Kipsang ( 2:04:44)cross the finish line too.
Then the “press” was rushed to the awards ceremony to photograph the award ceremony with Prince Harry. Fortunately I was able to be in the second row so I held my iPad over the front row to get these pictures.

Uphill Running Tips

By

Ben Kaplan

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June 18, 2012

By: Magi Scallion

Mercifully, there are not many real hills in the urban marathons and 10 kms that most of us participate in. Even many of the introductory trail races are on undulating terrain, so we don’t have many opportunities to experience real hills. That said, you should be well prepared to run hills – so you can enjoy them in training and slay them in the occasional race where it counts!

Here are some tips to help you summit hills successfully:

Lean slightly forward, from the hips, and keep your chest open. Leaning forward will help maintain your momentum while keeping our chest open will let you breathe easily. Try not to hunch over and impede your ability to breathe.
Take small steps and land on the balls of your feet. It’s like keeping your bicycle in an easy gear – you want to be “spinning” – saving as much energy as you can. This will be easier with a forward body lean.
Regulate your breathing – try to stay relaxed. This is a good way to monitor your effort and to make sure you’re not expending too much. You will certainly be working harder on uphills – but you should not be working too hard at the bottom of the hill!
Start slow – don’t accelerate into a hill – try to maintain your pace. Then, as you get closer to the top, and over it, accelerate. If you start too hard at the bottom of the hill you might not have enough energy to accelerate at the top, where it counts.
Accelerate over the top of the hill. This is where you can really make a difference in a race. Don’t think about the flat or descent after the hill as a place to “rest”, think of it as a place to accelerate. When I’m training I try not to stop at the crest of a hill for a break, rather at the bottom or somewhere on a flat stretch: that means I rarely stop to rest as I’m not usually tired at those places! Similarly, if I’m doing uphill repeats, I make the end of the hill be 20-40 m past the top or on the downhill thereafter.
Choose your path. If you’re on a trail, try to make the hill as easy as possible by choose firm ground. Look for solid footing with no loose gravel (etc) and stay away from boggy or soggy, soft ground. These things will suck your energy and make the hill just that much more difficult.
Smile… how many times have we heard this advice in yoga when our abs are screaming and we’re trying not to collapse out of boat pose! Well, there is some truth to it. If you smile it will help your body relax and keep your minds off the pain or discomfort you’re experiencing. Not to mention it will psych out your competitors!

If you’re still “busting a gut” and just can’t run another step – walk! There is no shame in walking. On some hills, very steep ones, walking is actually faster than running because it actually uses less energy and on a steep incline you’re able to cover ground at the same rate. If you choose to walk, use quick, long strides and swing your arms strongly at your sides. This will lower your rate of breathing while maintaining your heart rate. It is more difficult to get back into a running rhythm after a walk break so use this trick sparingly and only on the steepest hills.

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Born in Nova Scotia and emigrating to British Columbia via Ontario and Alberta, Magi has been running the entire way. Primarily defined as a cross country ski racer, Magi has competed nationally and internationally in that sport. The highlight of her career was competing in the World University Games and the World Cup races in Canada in 2007. Cross country skiers rely heavily on running for cross training and Magi has become an accomplished trail and mountain runner, representing Canada at the World Mountain Running Championships in 2005 and the winning numerous national championships medals.

Today Magi runs for fun… and it’s a lot of fun! Epic mountain runs, city cruises with friends, and more keep her happy and occupied outside of work and school.