narrow pulse rate range as one ages

[Gonkisback]

Hi just read about a high resting rate. My maximum pulse is 165 and it doesn't get much below 60 at rest. I am 51 years old and in in a return to competition I am at the maximum right from the word go (when I was 18-20y.old the max pulse rate was over 200) so I get dropped in my age group pretty quick.

I want to know if that is a real risk and can one build up the ability to remain in the redzone. Is the Heart still ok but just won't beat faster? or is that high stress and if so what are the general rules? I mean, If I am climbing for more than 1 km and its 10 % or over, i am pretty much at my max pulse limit anyway. Because the pulse range is narrow, there isn't much room before I am at max. I have been riding since I was 16 and have raced on and off for a total of 8 years I was an asthmatic though, and have often felt under 'stress'
What can be done?. regards, Mark

 

[Alpechraxler]

To be on the real safe side you could go to a cardiologist to hear his opinion. I think with you age given there could be done a stress ecg and/or a cardic echo to rule out pathologies. I guess that would help you also mentally.

Probably you should do some more base miles, spend also some time in the gym in the winter working on your leg and torso strengh that helps with the climbing too.

I'm 24 so i'm not going to throw in my hr numbers..

 

[Polyarmour]

Hi just read about a high resting rate. My maximum pulse is 165 and it doesn't get much below 60 at rest. I am 51 years old and in in a return to competition I am at the maximum right from the word go (when I was 18-20y.old the max pulse rate was over 200) so I get dropped in my age group pretty quick.

I want to know if that is a real risk and can one build up the ability to remain in the redzone. Is the Heart still ok but just won't beat faster? or is that high stress and if so what are the general rules? I mean, If I am climbing for more than 1 km and its 10 % or over, i am pretty much at my max pulse limit anyway. Because the pulse range is narrow, there isn't much room before I am at max. I have been riding since I was 16 and have raced on and off for a total of 8 years I was an asthmatic though, and have often felt under 'stress'
What can be done?. regards, Mark

I'm 50yo and a relative newcomer to cycling. When I started my max HR was about 165 but it's now 175, my resting HR was 62 and it's now 48. So I think provided there is nothing else wrong we're all capable of improving our figures. I remember in my early races if my HR went over 160 it was a matter of seconds before I blew up. These days I can sit in the low 160's for at least 20 minutes. I race open B Grade and in a typical race my average HR will be around 135-140 so I feel I usually have spare capacity to work with when the pressure is on. I think keep at it, get fitter and things will improve.

 

[Weeman]

I'm interested in this subject as well. I'm 48 and turning out the fastest times since I started racing at 16.
Now I know that my HR won't be anything like what it was however when I compare it to others of my age I'm lower than them.
I race between 148 and 152,it might go up to 155 but I can't hold that for any time yet my times are good.
Resting pulse is around 46.
Maybe I shouldn't worry and just concentrate on getting the times down.

 

[Indurain]

I'm 50yo and a relative newcomer to cycling. When I started my max HR was about 165 but it's now 175, my resting HR was 62 and it's now 48. So I think provided there is nothing else wrong we're all capable of improving our figures. I remember in my early races if my HR went over 160 it was a matter of seconds before I blew up. These days I can sit in the low 160's for at least 20 minutes. I race open B Grade and in a typical race my average HR will be around 135-140 so I feel I usually have spare capacity to work with when the pressure is on. I think keep at it, get fitter and things will improve.

My racing team mate Polyarmour (above) and I had a discussion similar to this not so long ago. I'm nearly 41. My max is 185 and I have recently had a resting HR of 39 at its best.

Despite the better range than Polyarmour at either end, it makes no difference whatsoever. Our ability is fairly equal. My avg HR in the same race where we finish similar positions is higher than his as is my max. My HR just speeds up faster and probably drops faster too. HR is only a small part of what your body utilises to ride fast. I wouldn't worry about it. Besides most people your age are in the same boat as you. Train correctly and consistently and you will race like you are 25.

 

[Tapeworm]

By and large HR is irrelevant. Your resting HR and max HR are determined by a range of factors and do not, by themselves, indicate or limit performance. It is where things like power are a far better metric to judge improvements in fitness.

It most definitely can be used to train by just don't read too much into HR in isolation.

 

[Boeing]

I am no expert but I do ride and have for years and I am 48. In addition I have recovered from pathology in the past

agree with tape in the fact that my HR at recovery on and off the bike is a bigger indication. there are so many factors like sleep and hydration that change my numbers.

I base my improvement on my ability to recover under duress or load on the bike in specific zones.

how soon I can get back to a recovery rate and stay there after intervals is a measure. time in and out of zones. the same is said on a big effort day race etc. one might be able to tip the scale on both ends on those days.

My only non expert opinion based on me alone is to spend more time in warm down or cool down at the end of a ride. I am best if I can get a minimum of 20 minutes at 120 beats or less spinning it out. in a perfect world I spend that time warming up as well. at that point I am riding alone because few people see the benefit of assume I suck and just keep pushing

(interesting observation is that I ride with friends now and again who hammer start to finish. Some I know I have twice the miles and time but I look at my HR monitor and I am up the scale and they must be pinning it early in the game. Not sure how that works for them but it does I guess. anything over 50 miles they are toast but still.....whatever just let them ride away

this is a great topic of which there might be very few true experts (Cardiologists included) Finding a doctor who has experience dealing with a big enough sample survey of endurance athletes in your age group under the same stress is difficult. the pool thins out in both directions. fewer riders at the age and more and more people is poor health with Dr's focused on problem diagnosis not study

if you add to the mix a pathology in an endurance athlete our age(s) then you are and the doc are throwing darts.

for the record i could care less what my VO2 is.