I've seen a few VDOT calculators which recommend doing intervals at a certain pace, with a heart rate between 98-100% of max.
However, I can't reach 100% of max HR at that pace, except if I don't rest between intervals (which doesn't make sense).
In practice I don't follow the VDOT calculator and neither the HR, but there is a discrepancy in their own formula.
So I was wondering, why is that?
Bump
HR is a function of exercise intensity and duration.
There is no need to reach 98-100% HRpeak in training.
Hope this helps.
it can be difficult to repeatedly reach your maximum heart rate. for some, it is easier than for others. i have a very difficult time getting near my max heart rate, unless i specifically do a max heart rate test with a chest strap. for me, this has always been so extremely exhausting to test my max heart rate - as it takes some time at high intensity to reach it - that doing so repeatedly would cause me to overtrain.
George Ilie wrote:
I've seen a few VDOT calculators which recommend doing intervals at a certain pace, with a heart rate between 98-100% of max.
However, I can't reach 100% of max HR at that pace, except if I don't rest between intervals (which doesn't make sense).
In practice I don't follow the VDOT calculator and neither the HR, but there is a discrepancy in their own formula.
So I was wondering, why is that?
Because everything has a margin of error.
The problem is not my heart rate.
Is the VDOT calculators. They give you the pace for intervals and say "98-100% HR", which will never be achieved, because max heart rate will occur after a high amount of intervals, eventually when you can't run at the recommended pace.
Nobody is forcing you to try to hit those rates.
Max HR at duration and intensity like the guy says, or some variation of Billat stroke volume workout
Straight up 200's and 400's aren't going to do it.
George Ilie wrote:
The problem is not my heart rate.
Is the VDOT calculators. They give you the pace for intervals and say "98-100% HR", which will never be achieved, because max heart rate will occur after a high amount of intervals, eventually when you can't run at the recommended pace.
Which VDOT calculators?
George Ilie wrote:
The problem is not my heart rate.
Is the VDOT calculators. They give you the pace for intervals and say "98-100% HR", which will never be achieved, because max heart rate will occur after a high amount of intervals, eventually when you can't run at the recommended pace.
How do you not it isn't your heart rate?
How about giving some examples of pace/intervals that it says you should be hitting max HR at and you aren't.
Also, if I'm understanding your last sentence correctly, you're saying it takes a lot of reps for you to get into the range of your max heart rate, but by that point you aren't able to hit the rep's pace anymore? After a certain point, you aren't going to be able to hit your previously tested HR max in a workout.
Off the top of my head, two easy explanations for why HR isn't lining up with the workout, even if the workout is well constructed would be:
If you aren't well rested and recovered for the workout, you probably won't hit your HR max.
If you're basing your workout paces on a PR, or goal pace, rather than your current fitness, paces could be too fast and incurring too much acidity too quickly. Even if you just ran a test to know your VDOT, and it was say a 1/2 Marathon in 1:15, if you aren't also in close to 4:43 Mile shape, those repetition paces are likely too fast and will give you too much blood acidity to hit HR max.
Its really impossible to say without telling us
Its really impossible to say without telling us all the parameters.
Typically, these "calculators" indicate a heart rate you would reach in the second third of a race run at the specified pace. It works pretty well for long intervals at or below anaerobic threshold (15K to HM pace), but you don't have the time to reach the specified heart rate in shorter intervals at 10K pace or faster.
Reaching 98 to 100% of maximum heart rate during training is insane, unless you're peaking for middle distance.
What does the calculator mean by "maximum heart rate"? In the lab they don't measure a true max, they measure "heart rate at VO2max", which is a much lower number. Maybe the calculator means 98-100% of that number, which is do-able.
To clarify, I'll give more details and parameters.
This VDOT calculator:
http://www.runbayou.com/jackd.htm
You can find it on other websites as well.
For interval pace says HR: 98-100%
Is true that for short intervals 98-100% HR is not possible to reach at the recommended pace.
But no matter the parameters, is impossible to reach 98-100% HR.
Let's take the default values of the calculator for 5k, 17:43.
In a 5k race, you can reach 100% HR only in the last km, otherwise you'll probably bonk.
The 1000m intervals together take 17:35 to complete, without rest. Basically just after 4 intervals the heart rate could be 98-100%, but only IF you don't rest.
So no matter the parameters, you can't reach 98-100% of heart rate, if you rest.
The only way to keep a higher heart rate would be to jog between the intervals, or start with a longer interval.
In my case (I do 8km in a single workout), I should start with a 3k and continue with the normal workout. I'll try this, sounds fun.
I agree the calculator doesn't make sense. For 1000m reps you should be trying for 88%, no? It's the really short reps where you try for higher HR ...
This is all taken from Daniels. And this highlights the problem that people often have with Daniels. They take the data and they do not read the source materials.
The 98-100% of max heart rate range is for vo2max intervals - intervals with a duration of 3 to 5 minutes per Daniels, with a recovery period of no greater than a 1:1 ratio, with that recovery period consisting of jogging to keep your heart rate up. The younger and fitter you are, the shorter your rest would tend to be and the more important it is to make your rest active rest since younger and fitter people tend to recover more quickly.
If you read Daniels' book, he will tell you that these intervals are to be done at 3k to 5k race pace. The heart rate measurement is an additional tool to see if you are in the right range. Admittedly, the goal of the workout is to get you into the right heart rate range, but as mentioned by another poster, the whole thing is an inexact science when applied outside of the lab.
He also notes that it often takes as much as 2 minutes into the interval before you will approach the right heart, so for those folks who are doing 800m intervals, and using walking rest, it is very likely that they will never get into the intended range.
But for an athlete doing 3 to 5 x 1 mile repeats at 5:00 pace, with 3:00-4:00 rest consisting of jogging at 7=8 minute pace, they will probably come pretty close to their max heart rate toward the end of each interval (particularly the latter ones in the workout).