One of the things I really like about my training plan is that it breaks down a lot of the training into heart rate zones. It is a better measure than time cutoffs because it allows me to gauge my effort specific to my ability (as opposed to being told to run a 6 minute mile). I had been assuming that I knew what my heart rate was (or that I could guess-timate it) when I was training. Then I realized that my treadmill has a built-in heart rate monitor. I had an old strap for a heart rate monitor and decided to throw it on. Turns out, I have no clue what my heart rate is at any given time.
Enter my new
Polar H7 heart rate monitor. I bit the bullet and shelled out a little for a Bluetooth model. The nice thing about it is that it syncs with my phone. So, it gives me data that I can analyze. I do research for a living, so that does sound fun. Also, it utilizes my GPS and keeps track of my mileage. So, it works well for the bike and the running. It can be used under-water, but you need the separate watch for that.
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| This is a picture of the monitor |
So far I have realized that I do not really have a great grasp on how much effort I am putting in. Previously, I would assume that I was at 80% of my max, when in reality I was at 70%. So, I think I will improve a good deal with a better gauge of my exertion. Also, I realized that my heart takes a while to get above 80%. Which I guess is a good thing (it means I am in shape). All in all, I am pretty happy with the purchase. I would suggest people consider purchasing one if they want to improve their training.
Bill
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