handcycle2005

Your listed training rate comes out to 66-76% of max. HR which is fine. 150 is 84% which is right at lactate threshold.

From your description, it sounds like the projected max HR is correct.

Be aware that the various formulas that try to predict max HR are not always accurate. For those who are just starting to exercise, they generally come close but there are those who have unusually high or low maximums.

For those who have always stayed fit, the predictions will be far off as max HR does not fall off with age.
As an example, I will be soon be 52 and my predicted max. ( 220-(current age)is 168 yet I can still hit 189.

dear_abby

Thank you for doing this HC! And Vito, you've been quite a positive influence around here - glad to have you on my team!

almeeker

I have an HR question too. When I first started working out again, I noticed that my resting HR was 90-100ish, but when I worked out it occasionally got crazy high, more than 220. But I've been working out regularly for the past 10 years or so and now my resting HR is 60ish and even when I'm completely dripping sweat and pushing the workout I never seem to get above 135-140. Normally this is only an issue on the machines at the gym that have workout programs where there is a target HR, so they just keep speeding up and speeding up, and my HR isn't there yet. Should I lie about my age? I'm female, age 43, roughly 165lbs. And thank you for sharing your story, your positivity is a force to be reckoned with. I used a hand-cycle stationary bike during PT on my shoulder, it helped a lot.

handcycle2005

Gym machines are often inaccurate with heart rate measurements and taking by hand is too slow as heart rate can drop very quickly once you stop.

Get a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and watch.
The machines with an automatic program based on heart rate don't know your range, they only go by a preprogrammed set of values that are don't fit everyone.

As I mentioned in my previous post, my max HR is 21 beats higher than predicted and that in normal for long terms athletes.

The 220-(current age) formula was intended to be used for the sedentary who are starting for the first time.

Also, sweat rate is not a good indicator of effort, too much individual variation and environmental factors can alter the perceived sweat rate.

VitoVino

OK Coach, this is a tough one for ya. I've already done a thorough search of the internet and the results are sparse at best.

I've been suffering from sneezing attacks and an extreme runny nose AFTER a hard running workout. One time it lasted for 7 hours. And when I say 'runny' I mean like a dripping faucet, clear liquid, for hours, along with uncontrollable sneezing. Then the symptoms subside and go away by the next day. It appears NOBODY has a definitive answer for this, and many suffer the same effects from what I've read in different forums.

As best as anyone can guess, it has something to do with the cold, and an allergic reaction to intense cardio. You see, I've been running/working out just as hard since July and it's only with the temperature below 55 that these post workout attacks occur.

I'm blessed to have no known allergies, and as far as I know I've not developed any to outside sources. I spend HOURS outside, gardening, mowing, hiking, even bike riding. It's only after running, where I'm really pushing myself, that these attacks occur.

So I'm POSITIVE it's 1) related to the cold weather; 2) related to the intensity of running. For some reason, the histamine levels ramp up for people under these conditions.

I've read some suggestions about natural therapies to build up immunity, such as Vitamin C and Echinacea. Since I've been taking them daily (actually I get enough C from my foods but do supplement with Rose Hips now) and have been wearing a Thinsulate hat along with my Asics workout suit, the symptoms have been less severe, almost nill, yet they still persist. Maybe they'll just go away after a few more weeks.

I don't want to take an anti-histamine which is what some people do, and they've reported it works, but this is just masking the problem, not fixing it. With natural remedies such as those I've described, I hope to fix the problem. There are others that I'm going to try as well.

Anyway, this is not so much a question as to "what should I do?" but more of a question like "Have you ever heard of this phenomenon before, and if you have, do you know anything else that I can do to help alleviate this suffering?"

handcycle2005

Vito, lI usually had a runny nose during cold weather but I think in my case it was just cold air irritating the nasal tissues.

I've never heard of a case as bad as yours but it looks like it's Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis.
Also see Vasomotor rhinitis.

You might first try reducing the effort level and see if that helps. A non drowsy antihistamine like Zyrtec or Claritin might be in order.

The use of unproven herbal supplements is not a good idea. Not only do you not know if it works but you have no idea if you're getting the dosage promised on the bottle or even if it's in there at all.
Allergies are not the result of a weak immune system rather a hypersensitive one.

Edited to add: Taking an antihistamine is not masking the problem, it's correcting it.

VitoVino

Thanks HC.

Well, the good news is, yesterday I went running and didn't even have a runny nose afterwards. But the temperature was 57. It seems like around 50 or below is when the problem starts.

I'll keep you posted and let you know if anything new is discovered in diagnosing/treating this perplexing problem.

01gt4.6

My HR also gets crazy high during exercising. I've check it on various machines as well as "manually" from my pulse in my neck. They all seem to b pretty accurate. I can easily get mine well over 200bpm and have recorded it as high as 236bpm when I was 38. My resting HR is good. I went to a cardiologist and had a battery of tests, stress test, echocardiogram and something else. It was confirmed that my HR skyrockets at a rapid pace. The Dr had to shut down the stress test prematurely. He said my heart was fine but something was triggering it to run fast. He said it was something to do with my endocrine system.

Blood work was ordered and my cardiologist thought that my iron level was low and my thyroid levels were high. He sent me to an endocrinologist who read my results from my blood work. He said that my thyroid levels were on the higher end of normal and that my iron wasn't an issue. He said that none of that would effect my HR. More blood work was done and the results were even better that time.

I take ZERO stimulants (other than Adderall). My primary doctor said to get off the Adderall for 72 hrs and it would be out my system. I got off of it for months and still had the same results.

So now I have one doctor that sent me to the other, that sent me back to the original. A couple thousand dollars in bills and I now realize why they say that doctors "practice" medicine.

handcycle2005

gt, you seem to be one of the rare ones with an unusually high max. However, if tested, you'd probably find your stroke volume is lower than average.

Jim Ryun(first high schooler under 4:00 in the mile) had a resting heart rate of 72 when the norm for a world class runner would be 35-45 bpm.
His max was said to be around 240.

01gt4.6

So I guess that's a good thing then?