W3R3

[Fatdad71]

A wee experimental go slow, keeping heart rate down at 180bpm - age. When you're as old and unfit as me it doesn't take long or much for the heart rate to creep up, but by slowing my brisk walk and run speed I maintained the appropriate level. I know this am exercise in patience as much as anything else but my next question is when do I know it's working? It certainly feels like I've knocked my pan in.

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[Bazza1234 Graduate]

You may find that you need to bump your resultant HR up by around 10 BPM for that low HR training to be effective. The reason for this is that the man who came up with that formula was a trainer of younger athletes and never meant it to guide older people. . The problem with that formula is much the same as the well known formula for maximum HR 220-age -- this is that these two formula do not take into account gender (womens hearts are generally smaller than mens and beat at a generally higher rate) and non-linearity of HR with advancing age ( it is now well established that max HR's do not decrease linearly with advancing age and only do so for maybe up to 40 years) . They also do not take into account individual genetic differences and differences in body build. Generally it is a GOOD thing to do lots of low intensity training at relatively low heart rates - you will find plenty of advice on the Internet referring to 70% of max HR - or even 70% of HRR ( Heart rate reserve) So for me as a 71YO, your formula for me to run conversationally would be at below 109 BPM, 70% of max HR would be even lower and the formula 70% of HRR (which takes into account resting HRR and TRUE measured max HR) is 127. I find this latter one to suit me the most and running below 127 is completely conversational. I do believe that the use of "conversational" running is the key to low intensity HR training and not trying to use a "one size fits all" kind of formula.

[Fatdad71 Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Thanks Bazza for the detailed response. Great read. I'll give it a go!

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Fatdad71]

And good on you for starting C25K at your time of life!! - there aren't many of us !! I participated in a 10K race this past weekend - there were about 500 entrants and I got second place award in my age group 70-75. There were only two of us and the man who got 1st place was a far superior runner than me . BUT - the very fact that there were only two of us amongst 500 and I finished 20th from last place ( in 1hour 13 minutes) with all the others behind me a couple of decades younger than me, makes me happy!!

[Fatdad71 Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Excellent time! I've only managed to run 6k so far. I graduated in July and hurt my knee so have been recovering hence restarting the programme. But thank you for the positive encouragement. As with you I believe in competing against my previous self and have never been one for bothering about others. I'm just glad I've actually got this running bug in my life now as it really helps to make positive changes in life no matter your starting point. Maybe one day I'll get to 10k. Slow n steady!

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Fatdad71]

Do you go to parkrun? I did my first parkrun when doing W1D3 of C25k - and then did a C25K day at every parkrun for the next 8 parkruns. You don't have to wait until you can run 5K . I have now done 140 parkruns - love it!!!

[Fatdad71 Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Not yet, I'm saving it up. I've been running on a treadmill and buggered my knee when transitioning to running outside. I'm clearly delicate 😋. I also run mon wed Friday at the moment as that's what fits with life but do plan to pR once I've regraduated and consolidated at 5k for a few weeks so I don't go breaking anything again!