W6R1 done!

[davidhwynn]

Yipee, but harder than I expected. I'm a numbers man, so have noted that my heart rate got nearly to my theoretical maximum and I spent longer in my heart rate peak zone than at any time so far in the programme.... but as Kathy Archibald said elsewhere "It's not going to be easy, it's going to be worth it". Roll on W6R2: I'm coming to get you!!

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

If by "theoretical maximum" you mean 220 minus your age or some other generic calculation - ignore it! If you were within 5bpm of your actual maximum heart rate (MHR) for more than a couple of minutes you, like all of us, would be in a ditch with your feet in the air

There is no substitute for testing your actual MHR and it will be a few more weeks before you are in the sort of shape to be able to do that safely.

Well done on getting W6R1 out of the way, it can be a really tricky one after the 'high' of W5R3. Nice and slow next time.

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to Dunder2004]

I understand that these numbers are generic and depend very much on how fit someone is, their resting heart rate and all sorts of factors. Over some years I've become a well-informed amateur on these things! What is interesting to me, though, is that my HR monitor shows that I worked harder in W6R1 than in W5R3, which I wouldn't have expected. It will be hard for me to measure my "real" maximum heart rate as that normally needs a proper measurement of resting heart rate which I can't get with my gismo installed. Maybe I'll ask my cardioligists next time I see them, because it can apparently be accurately measured with recovery periods and associated heart rate decline after exercise etc. even without that resting heart rate figure (by the way, so that no-one worries about me, my cardioligists are signed up to me doing this stuff and very enthusiastic about it). Don't worry about me going slow, don't have much choice in the matter!!!

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to davidhwynn]

I love a bit of heart rate analysis and was fascinated by this article and the calculation of 'working heart rate' - have a read:

runnersworld.co.uk/general/...

Oh, and I'm 48 - so my theoretical max is around 172 ... but I've seen my HR go as high as 201/202 before now ... go figure!

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thank you, very interesting. My problem (other than doing the tests suggested in the article that sound very scary & more like post-graduate stuff to me!!) is that I can't properly measure my resting heart rate, since my ICD partially paces my heart and will not allow a rate below 51 bpm. At the other end of the scale it won't cut in and zap me until my heart rate is way over what I'd ever force it to be through exercise (cardioligist says if I ever get that high he'll recalibrate the unit and give me a medal!). Apparently it's still possible to measure my real maximum heart rate by recovery rates after exercise without that resting heart rate but it's too complicated for me. I think I'm just going to settle for comparative results for C25K sessions: anyway my personal trainer reckons that if I've got enough breath and energy left to incessantly grumble and argue with him whilst running and loudly protesting that I've GOT TO STOP also whilst carrying on running that there's not too much to worry about ..... I do hope he's right. W6R2 here I come! (Sunday all being well)

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to davidhwynn]

Why not just use one of the many heart rate phone apps ? They've measured my heart rate as low as 46 bpm previously.

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to John_W]

I was given a Fitbit Blaze as a present and love it, including its HR measurement. My pre-ICD resting heart rate was pretty low but as that that sort of low pulse rate recently came to cause me more problems, the ICD was set so that it will not allow anything below 51 bpm any more, even when I'm in bed asleep. Absolutely no concern whatsoever, except when I'm being so totally over-the-top analytical. Never mind I'll just "amuse" myself with what the numbers are in W6R2

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Well done David..sounds like you worked hard. .good stamina building.

W6 r1 in the bank..ready for the next one.😊

Great drawing...did you do it?😄xxx

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

No wish I had the drawing skill ... I'd find it tricky drawing a stick man! (no, probably copyright theft!!)

[ANewMe2022 Graduate]

Yes davidhwynn you're smashing it! Dread to think what my heart rate is when I'm running, but each week I recover quicker and quicker,and that for me is so amazing. My seasonal asthma is still being kept at bay, and we are doing this!! Totes amazeballs isn't it...xx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Go you!

Forget the heart rate...long as it is still beating you are doing just fine.. My theory and I am sticking to it!

Very well done.. and what a positive last sentence!!!! I am loving that..

"Positive thinking, positive outcome "

Slow and steady does it, as ever...Run 2, here he comes

[Elissy]

Well done!

Love the picture - that looks like me when I did W6R1 a month ago 😆

Due to a setback that'll be me doing the same run again tomorrow 😲 - not sure I'm actually looking forwards to it, but good to get it over with 😉

[jokearney]

I did it yesterday and found it tougher than expected too. So glad I can trust the programme, rather than beat myself up. I am planning to take Laura with me to do my first parkrun tomorrow morning: Wk 6 run 2 hear we come!

[MotwCoop Graduate]

So I'm looking at w6 r1 on Sunday- having finally beaten the barking walrus into submission and managed w5 r3 fairly comfortably today... I looked at the stop/start of w6 and grumpily thought it looked easier. I presume I'm fooling myself? Why is it harder than 20 minutes nonstop?

[jokearney in reply to MotwCoop]

It's not harder at all, but psychologically it's harder than it should be, given that we have done 20 mins non stop. Rather than being a complete let down, it's just what we need. Enjoy.

[Dunder2004 Graduate in reply to MotwCoop]

Most people find W6R1 and W6R2 hard precisely because of the stop/start. You are now at the stage where you can run with a rhythm. Being knocked out of that rhythm both bio-mechanically and aerobically and trying to get back into it can be a challenge.

[MotwCoop Graduate in reply to Dunder2004]

Seems a bit mean then! But forewarned is forearmed or something?

I'm finally enjoying myself, I don't want to be put off!!

[Dunder2004 Graduate in reply to MotwCoop]

I am sure you will be just fine.

[melly4012 Graduate in reply to MotwCoop]

Completely agree with everyone. I think it's a psychological thing, perhaps a bit of complacency after feeling so great about W5R3. Luckily I had a forum pal in 90ldFinch who completed the run a couple of days ahead of me and from his posts I understood it was tough which helped me get through it. I much preferred the programme from W7 onwards when I could leave the intervals behind. As long as you know to approach it like every other run, you'll be absolutely fine.

[melly4012 Graduate]

That's a tough run out of the way, well done!