Training & Nutrition - Observed heartrate - not a steady increase

Okay
I've been a bit puzzled by what I consider an anomaly in me.
regarding heartrate
I will generally see a fairly steady climb in heartrate as I increase exertion, from below 100 until I hit about 130. Once there my heartrate seems to jump to the high 140s (145 and above) without any 'climbing' thru the 130s and low 140s. If I ease, I again skip that range and quickly drop to 130 or below.
I've actually tried to ride a pace that would have me in that 'bermuda tirangle' of heartrate and rarely do I ever see a number in there. There were a couple of really forced sections where I'd ease and increase just to keep 133-134 steady - can't remember if I've ever seen a steady 138 or 140 - don't think so. I honestly don't remember if that was the case back in the 90's, but definite since my re-entry in Spr'05.
Anyone else have that kind of thing happening?
Any thoughts on whether thats unusual? Alien Lifeform?
just olde phart-age happening?

You aren't a machine. There is also a delay of about 30 seconds for the increased exertion to register as a higher heart rate. The change also isn't linear. Most biological processes are not linear but rather a log curve or semilog curves.

http://www.cirquedigital.com/howto/images/howto/curve_log_crop.jpg

yep - what slowandsteady said.

my heart rate does the same thing. it seems to even out a bit more as i get further into a ride.

yep - what slowandsteady said.

my heart rate does the same thing. it seems to even out a bit more as i get further into a ride.

yeah, but mine doesn't... even out enough so I can see a some steady reading (like a range of 5 bpm say 135-140) in that range. I appreciate that there is 'delay' and we are not 'linear'. But if you were to plot me on a curve there would be a vertical component between 130 and 145.
At 1st I attributed to consumer lectronics, but after using 4 different brands of HRMs, and all doing the same, it doesn't seem to be that.
Anyway, I guess I should have an O-fish-L stress test done with pro lab equipment, just to see if it happens during that.

yeah, but mine doesn't... even out enough so I can see a some steady reading (like a range of 5 bpm say 135-140) in that range. I appreciate that there is 'delay' and we are not 'linear'. But if you were to plot me on a curve there would be a vertical component between 130 and 145.
At 1st I attributed to consumer lectronics, but after using 4 different brands of HRMs, and all doing the same, it doesn't seem to be that.
Anyway, I guess I should have an O-fish-L stress test done with pro lab equipment, just to see if it happens during that.


What is your resting HR and your max HR?

You aren't a machine. There is also a delay of about 30 seconds for the increased exertion to register as a higher heart rate. The change also isn't linear. Most biological processes are not linear but rather a log curve or semilog curves.

http://www.cirquedigital.com/howto/images/howto/curve_log_crop.jpg

Yep but what does that mean? What are we going through where it's steep?

Yep but what does that mean? What are we going through where it's steep?

A myriad of factors control this response

Blood flow redistribution - vasodialation/constriction and the engaging of the spleenatic shunt (diversion of blood away from digestive organs).

Insufficient or excessive venous return to the heart – the heart has “pressure sensors” that tell it how much blood is returning. It won’t try to beat if not enough blood is coming in just as it will increase its rate if large amounts are trying to get in (grossly oversimplified).

Breathing rate and type- your heart rate increases and decreases slightly according to your breathing.

These are just a few possibilities many other things will play into this as well (neurological factors etc)

A myriad of factors control this response

Blood flow redistribution - vasodialation/constriction and the engaging of the spleenatic shunt (diversion of blood away from digestive organs).

Insufficient or excessive venous return to the heart – the heart has “pressure sensors” that tell it how much blood is returning. It won’t try to beat if not enough blood is coming in just as it will increase its rate if large amounts are trying to get in (grossly oversimplified).

Breathing rate and type- your heart rate increases and decreases slightly according to your breathing.

These are just a few possibilities many other things will play into this as well (neurological factors etc)

ah, some good ideas to ponder...

breathing rate ...
O2 content in the blood? is there some 'chemistry' thing that might adjsut for that?...
one significant thing that is 'recent' for me was the consequence of a mishap in Dec 04, 5 broken ribs that speared my left lung and aside from the punctures, also scarred the lung tissue enough that the Doc estimates about a 30-35% loss of lung capacity on that side. He thinks that repair can/will happen, but it would be over quite some time - in years - and as with most things, not 100% return.
could that injury result, as the 'load' from increasing effort and some lag on gettin O2 into the blood, be causing a predictable 'spike' in the HR at that range?
any heart eggspurts out there?...

Not sure what Resting and Max might provide but:
Resting HR: 42-45
MAX (on bike estimated): 192-94 ish
age - 58

Always happens? A-fib? Some nerve pathway in the heart has gone funny? EKG on the exercise bike. Also, doctor can fit you with a Halter device which tapes your EKG for 24 hours. They examine the tape and look for anomalies. I always have a completely smooth HR vs. effort curve.

Always happens? A-fib? Some nerve pathway in the heart has gone funny? EKG on the exercise bike. Also, doctor can fit you with a Halter device which tapes your EKG for 24 hours. They examine the tape and look for anomalies. I always have a completely smooth HR vs. effort curve.

yes, A-Fib crowd...

194ish I go straight thru the roof - last time was this past weekend on what I call the 'hill of pain', a very short not steep hill (8%ish) that the group sprints up at around 25mph then we blast down the other side at 40+ ish - iffn I want to be near the front when we go over, I always 'sky' the HR into A-Fib... last week - 232 as recorded.

24 monitoring - ummm - interesting idea

I'm planning on a full checkup after I get back from my June stay in NJ... maybe I find out if I can have that also.
thanks

what I call the 'hill of pain', a very short not steep hill (8%ish) that the group sprints up at around 25mph then we blast down the other side at 40+ ish - iffn I want to be near the front when we go over, I always 'sky' the HR into A-Fib... last week - 232 as recorded.

That was on the valley ride? Which hill was it?

That was on the valley ride? Which hill was it?
no,
its that 2nd blip on Cathedral Oaks, just past San Antonio rd, on the Sat. Echelon ride, you know...

no,
its that 2nd blip on Cathedral Oaks, just past San Antonio rd, on the Sat. Echelon ride, you know...

Ah yes, that hill. I would think the ones through hope ranch would be worse though. That part up Villa Tranquilla is 13% and if you take the shorter/shallower Estrella route that's a good 10% (although not a slong I guesss...)

You can view the ride data on MotionBased here (http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2649770). He was on the same ride in the middle but I did my own thing before and after. If you look at the evelvation profile (http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/chart/get.mb?xy.domain=totalDistance&xy.ranges=elevation&xy.histogram=false&xy.legendVisible=false&xy.primaryRangeAxisVisible=true&xy.secondaryRangeAxisVisible=true&xy.rangeTitlesVisible=true&xy.domainAxisVisible=true&xy.plotForegroundOpacity=0.75&episodePk.pkValue=2649770&xy.plotForegroundOpacity=0.75&xy.autoFit=true&xy.width=1000&xy.height=450), the hill he is talking about is the last spike before the 25 mile mark.

figured I'd report back, especially since the craziest thing happened on yesterday evening's ride...
I actually hit and STAYED in the high 130's for large chunks of ride. Even deliberately took it up over 160 in small sections and then rode so it would drop back down and steady in the 130s.
Completely was able TO DO THAT! where for 2 years now that HR range (135-145) has been a 'bermuda triangle' for me.
Been trying to seriously moderate almost all my rides recently cause the knees have just been screaming at me for the past 4-5 weeks; and its not because of any position change - just prolly goin at it too hard. So only doing one 'hard' ride a week at the moment, and no racing.
SO contrary to everything thats happened over the last 2 years, things have suddenly changed - I'm totally stumped, puzzled and befuddled as to why, now, as of yesterday, I can keep a steady HR in the 130's and low 140's ???? how weird is that?

Hey, you're getting in shape and not overdoing it for once! Good for you. I think that's what it's supposed to look like. At the start of the hard group ride season, I'll have average HRs as high as the high 140's. Later in the season, I'll be going as hard, achieving as high a HR on the climbs, but my average will drop down into the low 130's.