Maximum heart rate

[Bill]

I was reading in a book The Running Room's Book On Running about a test for your Maximum heart rate called the maximal hill run.  It says to use a hill that is a 6-8% GRADE and 400-600m in length does anybody know what type of hill is a 6-8% grade and maybe give me an example.  Also the book so far has been fairly informative but there is not a lot of in depth information.

Bill
(formerly known as sweet bill)
 

[SNOWRUNNER]

Hey Bill, if you can talk while you run your ok, if not back it off, thats fairly close to your zone....i think...lol.., works for me, i will let you know after my stroke happens...David S.

[Sandy]

You could try the Bakers Dozen Hill, it's about 400m but not 6%, if that's not enough for you try the Wal-mart Hill on 2nd Dug Hill road which is longer then 400m but closer to the grade.  You can also try a maximal test on the TM.  The point being is you want to push yourself (HR) as high as you possibly can to get close to your theoretical maximum.

[Bill]

Sandy

So I guess a 6% grade is fairly steep.  Do you do the tread mill test in your store.

[Sandy]

Yes I can do the TM test in the store.  You could also use any of the hills around your place.  You basically want to max out.

[Jane]

Sandy, do you have any idea what the percent would be on the King Street Hill?  It's probably not that much, as I find it quite a bit easier than the Baker's Dozen hill (probably because of the couple of plateaus that help in the recovery) but it goes on forever.  I measured it on that G-maps website and it is almost a km from Division all the way up to 1st Ave.  It is 700 metres from Division up to Catherine (the one the hospital is on).  I remember one time when I was doing hill training and I was too nervous to go out and run the Stockdale Rd hills by myself, instead I ran from home over to King Street and did the King Street, Catherine Street, Dundas and Division two or three times.  That doesn't answer your heart rate question, Bill, but if anyone is looking for a good place in town to run a hill it is a good one (you may have realized this if you and Sue ran it on Tuesday evening).

Mount Pelion isn't far away either.  It can be a challenge as well!  Especially if you run up the steps and then up the look out once you get up there.

[Sandy]

Well Bill, did you do your maximum heart rate test?  BTW what do you plan to do with these numbers when you get them?  Are you following a program that incorporates HR's?  Are you using them to slow down, speed up or both?  The biggest benefit to using a HRM is to keep you in your zone 1 or base zone for 80% of your runs so you can build your aerobic base.  New runners with lots of racing goals typically do too much, go too far and too fast.  I think most runners on this forum can attest to at least one "when I was a new runner" folly.

Anyway, good luck and let us know how you make out.

[Bill]

Sandy

I wanted to know my max so I could train accordingly.  Yes I do believe that I started to fast so I am trying to slow down so I can go longer.  I need to know my max.  I tried today but my hrm failed me so either I went to hard an confused it or it just couldn't keepup.  As Sue said I will join you on Saturday early and I am good for 1-1.5 hrs but my pace is slow.  Just let me know where and when to meet you.

BIll