I splurged and got the new Polar CS500 computer/HRM and like it alot. It is truely a very nice unit that I think was well worth the cash. I am still on a learning curve because of all the features but know most of the operation after just a couple days of use.

At 59 and a newbe cyclist, I thought I better know what level my heart was doing on the rides I am taking.

It turns out, to reach the workout intensity that I feel is correct for me, my heart rate is easily going to 140 - 145 (occassionally even 150) while the guideline calculation says it should be 133 max for my age. (220-59) x 0.80 I enter my age into the Polar and it will not let me set the max heart rate above 133 for it to monitor the time that I am in my proper heart rate zone. I know I am not as fit as I want to be but my resting rate is 60 so I am not that bad off and my weight is down to a good level as well (158 at 5'11").

I have approached this thinking the heart rate zone calculation is just a guidline and that it is OK for me to run higher than the recommened zone. What level heart rates are you running to during training? Am I looking at this the wrong way?

Greg