Heart Rate Zones and VO2 Max.

[ScottJB]

Looking for some advice on anyone that is used to tracking time in heart rate zones when running and VO2 max rates.

I’ve just competed Week 7 and recently treat myself to a Garmin watch, mainly because I want to keep an eye on how I’m doing without messing with my phone and as an incentive to carry on with running at the end of the program.

Due to a few struggles in week 4-5 I was advised on here to slow down my runs, which I’ve done and my body is telling me I’m doing well, as I’m not struggling for breath and feeling good at the end of runs.

But my Garmin is telling me I’m over stretching (spending too much time in maximum HR zone) and my VO2 max is only fair.

I know consensus will likely be to slow down even more, but what are people’s experiences with accuracy of these stats and how seriously do you take them? I want to take caution, but my body is telling me I’m doing better than the stats. Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks

Scott

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Don’t worry about it. VO2 max that it estimates is probably accurate at fair... you’re on week 7, and you almost certainly started below fair... I see fair as good progress. Heart rate zones, unless you’ve been through testing and have entered your true max HR into the Garmin is based on two things, your estimated max HR (which can be far removed from reality) and your resting heart rate, which is probably higher than it will be in a year or more of running. The difference between those rates is divided up into the zones. So they’re an estimate.

I was listening to a BBC podcast “at home with” earlier and it was the Paula Radcliffe episode... her mate Steve Cram still runs with a watch and looks at the stats... she just runs and knows how she feels.

If you’re feeling good, not struggling for breath and not collapsing at the end with a heart beat you can feel without looking for a pulse, I’d say that’s more accurate than the watch!

[ScottJB Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks for the assurance. I’m using the default max HR, which I think is 220-age, so I get that’s not going to be accurate for everyone, but was a little worried with the stats. I’ll see how it improves over the next few weeks, and going to try a slower run tomorrow to see the difference.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to ScottJB]

I wear a Garmin... some days I can go faster and exceed what it thinks my maximum HR is (so obviously it’s wrong) and then there’s the other days... yesterday I ran 10k on a 5/2 minute run walk, taking it nice and gently as I’m coming back from a groin strain... and when I looked at the weekly active minutes I have 0 intense minutes... I was very happy with that even though I know it was an estimate... even better I scored 300/150!

Running slower is wonderful... there’s no need for speed until you’re on a plan where the odd run is called speed/tempo... or the scary one “race” day! Slower running is also the best way to develop endurance, and that’s where most speed will come from.

[RunRunRun13 Graduate]

I look at stats as a rough guideline but don’t count on it....

My VO2 max is fair (36) and has been for a while and resting heart beat 47 on the Garmin app with a high heart rate throughout some of my run.....I wear my watch all day so think it can also makes a difference if you just wear for activity.

As long as you feel your improving and getting out there that’s the main thing.

Saying that it can get slightly addictive looking at all the numbers !!

[ScottJB Graduate in reply to RunRunRun13]

I’m wearing it all day too, just to get used to it but it’s become a bit of an obsession checking the numbers. So I might try wearing it less. I’m also going to try a slower run tomorrow and set a pace range to see what difference that makes.