Happy day. Fancy new HR running watch has monitored my resting heart rate and declared me an ATHLETE!

[Suebguineapig]

Seriously, I have written in posts here before about the wider benefits of this programme. Bought new Fitbit Surge after lots of deliberation. Had thought you could not have more than one Fitbit registered at once and like my little Charge for day to day activity level monitoring( note to self, check the date of stuff you read on the net; this was already out of date last year duh). So that was sorted. Anyway seems it has been registering my resting HR at 55. Looked at a chart on the net which ranks by age, gender. Seems for 55-65 woman am in the Athlete category (by one beat, but hey). I know a lot of us still fret about how far and fast we are going, but seriously. This is a true benefit and it is definitely the running that has done it. So, to any newbies out there, I would just say " think wider benefits" and trust the programme!

[McFitty Graduate]

Oh my gosh! 55 - that is pretty amazing. Last time I checked mine, I'm sure it was hovering around 69/70 - but it was on the day I bought it and I hadn't quite figured out what everything meant. Is there a snail category for me on your chart?

[Suebguineapig Graduate in reply to McFitty]

Ha ha, think I have just been at it a bit longer, McFitty. Plus, had been doing a bit of Zumba and Body Combat to warm me up before I started (was finding both taxing, but think it laid a little groundwork). Anyway, those extra benefits are just amazing. All hail, C25K!

[OldPossum]

That sounds really good. My resting heart rate sits at about 60 and I was happy with that. We won't talk about what it reaches when I run 😳 My blood pressure has come down to normal levels now which was one if my purposes for running so yes newbies there are real benefits to the program 😀

[Suebguineapig Graduate]

Think you will find (tho don't know your exact age) that 60 is excellent/ very good for middle aged ladies! Run tomorrow will reveal interesting stuff no doubt!

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Brilliant.... 😎

[Suebguineapig Graduate]

Aww, thanks Ju-ju!

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Resting heart rate is a good guide to fitness level - BUT it is also still very dependent on your personal genetics.

Here is another good guide to our fitness - and which measures our heart rate recovery - the 3 minute test sparkpeople.com/resource/fi...

Step up and down onto a 12 inch step to a specific BPM for 3 minutes and then measure your HR at the end of that and then also at the end of 1 minute resting

Lots of vids regarding this here on Youtube youtube.com/results?search_...

[ench0 Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

True, it can be genetic and I am living example. My hr drops to 49 when resting, and that was the case even before I started training. But my recovery rate is very bad which tells better story about my fitness level.

[Suebguineapig Graduate]

Thanks, Bazza. Will definitely have a look at this. I know it's only part of the story. Just having an in the moment thing there, but you are quite right !

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Woohoo! I like the sound of that.