Training & Nutrition - RHR down, getting fitter! ;)

My RHR this week averaged 48! Down from average of 60 two months ago! Following Danno's advice, I've been hammering it up hills for the short times that I can ride though it seems like my legs give out before I reach MHR on these hills.

Example week:

Mon. 15 mile bike sprint around the lake
Tues. 5 mile slow run
Wed. 4 mile fast run, 500M swim technique only workout
Thurs. rest
Fri. 6.5 mile LSD run, 500M swim
Sat. 25-30 mile bike hammer up hills
Sun. 4 mile real slow run

5' 6" 167-156-aiming for 150 now!

Kuan - congratulations! That's great news. Resting heart rate is something I am very aware of and I'm hoping to decrease.
Inspiring to hear how you did it and within 2 monhts - that's amazing. With your training schedule, it sounds like you have a sprint triathlon in your future.

Sandy

Congrats, strangely getting into the 40s is one of my main goals. The best I've seem is 51. :beer:

cchandler - that's one of my goals also. Mine hovers in the 60's right now.

kuan - how do you keep track of your resting heart rate? Did you sleep with your heart rate monitor on or wear it for an extended time? I'm still figuring this one out.

Sandy

My RHR this week averaged 48! Down from average of 60 two months ago! Following Danno's advice, I've been hammering it up hills for the short times that I can ride though it seems like my legs give out before I reach MHR on these hills.

Example week:

Mon. 15 mile bike sprint around the lake
Tues. 5 mile slow run
Wed. 4 mile fast run, 500M swim technique only workout
Thurs. rest
Fri. 6.5 mile LSD run, 500M swim
Sat. 25-30 mile bike hammer up hills
Sun. 4 mile real slow run

5' 6" 167-156-aiming for 150 now!

Do you attribute this to your running and swimming, or overall intensity.
Congratulations, by the way.

Congrats! I remember my RHR being very high (mid 60's to low 70's) before i started training again earlier in the year.

Last night i slept with my monitor on and checked it this morning. 37. I couldnt believe it. And i wasnt laying down. I was taking care of the morning ritual and i just sat still watching it go down to a bottom of 37 bpm. I havent seen 37 bpm since my last racing season in 2000 when i was 37.

So my hypochondriac question is this: When should you worry about your MRH? Mine has dropped over the past year as I got more fit and when I reach the 30's I was happy. Over the past week I have been monitoring my rate and now its at 34-35, so when to worry if at all?

My RHR this week averaged 48! Down from average of 60 two months ago! Following Danno's advice, I've been hammering it up hills for the short times that I can ride though it seems like my legs give out before I reach MHR on these hills.

Hey congratulations! I suspect there's an inverse-relationship between RHR and LT/VO2-max. As RHR goes down, LT & VO2-max goes up. At the new 48bpm RHR now, you're pumping just as much blood and processing as much O2 as before at 60bpm; your cardiovascular system is more efficient. So let's say your LT was 85% max-HR before, at that same HR now, you should be able to deliver more blood & O2 and you can go faster. I just don't have enough data to plot charts and graphs on the correlation. I'll see if I can find some JAMA or NEJM journals on this.

It appears your muscle development is a little behind your cardio if your legs give out before your heart does on the hill-intervals. Try adding 1-2 more sprints on your sprint-day and try a lower gear on the hill-intervals. Have fun! :)

I'm so excited! I reached my goal. I've seen 49 for several days, then 45 this morning after taking a day off. :) Not bad for a guy 54.

Wow I had totally forgotten all about this thread. Gratz cchandler, that's awesome. I haven't taken mine in a week but these last two weeks have felt a little like rest weeks. Gonna do another buildup if I can starting next week.

I think I'm just lazy when I pound up the hills, lazy or scared to get my HR higher. Don't wanna puke on my shiny paintjob. :D