Matt Plummer

My only advice is to not base your training on numbers given to you
over a chat discussion. So many different factors go into how your
heart reacts to different efforts. If you have really only seen your
HR at 178 during the cross race and thats it, then I can assure you
your threshold is below that.

You need to do whatever is necessary to find out what your threshold
is. This is the most important number any athlete can have. This is
the number that workouts are based on with the hope of raising it to a
higher HR. So the idea would be spending some time just above LT to
accumulate lactic acid levels, then come down below your LT to train
your bodies systems to deal with such high levels of lactic acid in
your blood. With this format you do a certain number of intervals,
spending various amounts of time above and below threshold. These
variables are decided on what time of year you are doing them based on
what you're trying to peak for.

There are a variety of equations using your age to estimate your max
HR, your LT, and thus creating your training zones. Obviously these
are only estimates that can be calculated, but everyone has been right
in saying to not become a slave to your monitor. This seems to be an
increasing occurrence when athletes are training based off power but
less of a concern with those training off HR.

Thats what I have to say about it.

--
Matt Plummer

www.centraloregonracing.com