[John S]

I am currently towards the end of the Base Period of the 24 week Mountaineering Plan – first time using this plan though I have done a few cycles of self written plans over the past few years.
I have done a few of the “Steep Uphill Hike Zone 3” workouts and have noticed that my HR is considerably lower than I would expect for the perceived effort – mainly in the 140s, with an occaisional spike to 155 or so.  It feels like a Zone 3 effort for sure but I have estimated my AeT at 158 from nose breathing test.  I have done a few AeT tests over the last couple of years, with slight improvements, and confident the number is about right, and a long run with a HR in the 140s feels pretty cruisey in comparison to this.

I realise that it may just be due to errors in the HR monitor, but it has happened on a couple of workouts. I use a chest strap and I have checked my HR manually a number of times during the workout and the numbers correlate well enough.

I am doing these workouts in boots, with just a hydration pack, on the best I have access to at the moment which is laps on a nearby hill.  The route is a mix of steep fall-line and flatter sections of trail, 220 metres of vert in about 1.1km and taking about 15 minutes up.  My HR drops to under 100 on the quick hike back down for the next lap.

Is it likely to just be a HRM issue? Or is this variation somewhat normal?  And due to the relatively less efficient form of locomotion?  Or am I missing something / erred in my training along the way?

I did look through the forum archive, so I apologise if I missed a previous discussion on this.
Thanks for any insight.

Topic

[Shashi]

Shashi on May 27, 2020 at 10:46 am #42102

John,

Just curious – have you done Heart Rate Drift test to estimate your AeT?

[John S]

John S on May 27, 2020 at 11:23 am #42105

No I haven’t done the drift test as I don’t have TP Premium (although I see that someone on here has recently developed an analysis tool). But, I was thinking about it today on a run and I don’t think my legs are strong enough to get my HR high enough on flat terrain – which makes the lap aspect of the test a bit harder. And COVID means I can’t access a treadmill for a while yet.
It is something I will be looking at doing though. And I’m hoping my AeT wont turn out to be massively different to previous estimations!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on May 27, 2020 at 1:57 pm #42121

John:
Have you read the article linked to below and watched the video of me doing an ME uphill weighted workout? If not your question is answered there. What you are seeing is what I would expect. HR us not a good indicator of training load for ME workouts. Forget HR and pace your self so that you can go as hard as you can (that the local leg fatigue will allow) for the full duration.

Scott

[John S]

John S on May 27, 2020 at 2:20 pm #42123

Hi Scott, yes I am familiar with those resources but it was a while ago so thank you for the reminder. I guess I narrowed in on the heavy breathing / low HR confusion that that I didn’t consider that I had drifted into an ME workout – that’s supposed to be next week!

Thanks (again) for the help, much appreciated!