Strap Garmin on my wrist, walk down the driveway to the sidewalk, it's already beeping that my HR is too high. WTF? I look down... 255 bpm. Pinch myself, yep, I'm awake, not dreaming and felt the pinch. Thought maybe the display was frozen, but the time, pace and distances seemed to be perfect and changing.
The HR alert annoyed me within 500 meters into my run, so that quickly got turned off, and I just ran what I felt like yesterday. Without being controlled by my HR, it was a faster run, but whatever, I was irritated and it was cold out. Looking at the Motionbased data, seems that at about the 2k mark, it finally dropped and was probably *more* accurate.... although I'm having so many doubts in what to believe and what's accurate. So by the end of my 6k run, avg HR 193 bpm, max 255 bpm!! Ya right.
Sunday's HR data seemed odd too, HR showing 180 bpm at times, when I was walking! If my HR is really that high, how am I not burning a million calories, and stick-thin? (Not that i want to be....just to be clear).
Below is a list of a few things I've been mulling. I've been chatting with someone who has also provided a lot of great info and been very helpful; any other thoughts, please let me know!
- I thought that maybe Sunday's inaccuracy was due to interference because I had my iPhone with me, so yesterday I didn't bring it, and it was worse!
- Sunday, I simply strapped on the chest strap, didn't use water or anything on the inside of the strap. Yesterday, I used a bit of water on the chest strap, again it was worse!
- Garmin fully charged, HRM chest strap's battery replaced 2 weeks ago.
- Polar I think is more known for HRM's. Looking at certain Polar products... they're expensive, but if I'm really wanting to train with my HR, I need something I can trust. Software is supposed to be great too.
- I lack concentration to be able to manually count and watch the time to get an accurate measure... I lose track. Sad, I know, thankfully I'm not a Dr. or a Nurse! LOL
- I love seeing the maps and the data Garmin provides... my son checks out the maps too, and is often surprised seeing how far I've run... it's motivating! Polar has a GPS add-on with certain models, but again, more $$.
- I admit, I'm a numbers junkie. It's what motivates me... I'm not an elite athlete, never will be, so the data shouldn't matter so much, but I'm quite sure that without it, I would have gotten bored with running already. I'm intrigued by my body, how things work together, how I can improve and challenge myself, better myself, and stay motivated.
So last night, while looking at the Running Free site, a local store, I came across Heart Rate Mate which you can see here, supposedly the solution to improve signal problems common in colder weather when you're not sweating as much. Hmmm. Looking at my chart, perhaps at the 2k mark i was finally warmed up and sweating enough to get "a proper connection"...
I think I will try to get this gel until I get my LT test done on monday to test out on a few runs... Once that's done, I'll then decide if I want to check more into Polar's products if the gel doesn't seem to have made a difference, and I'm still getting inconsistent readings.
Love running, but when did it become so complicated? LOL. I know it's self-inflicted... I could just lace up my shoes, put on a sweat-band and head out the door like my dad used to do back in his running days...
31 comments:
yikes that thing is being crazy!! well i hope you get it figured out... i am sure that is really frustrating when you are already trying to be super patient with the whole HR training in general!
The gel makes sense. The monitor stickers we use to hook patients up to telemetry have a gel thingy on them so the signal picks up.
I'm a numbers junkie, too. Love seeing mileage run, calories burned, mile pace, etc.
I think it's great that you're sticking it out and trying out the HR monitoring still. Keep at it, hopefully the #s will make more sense soon!
That really is a funny chart...250 HR sustained for that much time?! You're amazing!
My 405 has been pretty darn reliable so far...and if it isn't your phone, maybe an iPod? The gel seems like a great idea also.
I have no idea about the HR monitors. I am a numbers freak too and adding any more would drive me crazy. Hope all settles down.
I wouldn't worry about it too much. I've been using Polar and Garmin HRMs for years and there will always be days where weird noise ruins the data. (e.g. 83BPM tempos and 255 recoveries) However, most of my bad incidents have been by construction vehicles, hot rods (from poorly shielded ignition systems) and summertime trail runs (high iron content soil seems to reflect radio noise.)
If you're trying to do an easy run when it happens, try not to take out your frustration by speeding up, just go by your previous pace readings. If you're a calorie counter, keep in mind that Garmin doesn't use HR data to calculate calories burned (that's a different rant) or you can just refer to previous calorie counts from better runs.
Having a Garmin has turned me into a numbers freak too - I love seeing all the data on my computer, and it motivates me to run some more so I have more stuff to look at! Glad you are sticking out the HR monitoring - hopefully your equipment will start to cooperate soon!
Hopefully that Heart Rate Mate helps-- I have a simple wrist monitor and I know sometimes for no reason whatsoever it will report I have a HR of 39 or something when I'm really exerting myself, but I've never seen the other way around-- that must have been super-annoying.
Yikes! Good for you for sticking with this whole thing. I would have given up. I'm sure it will be worth it in the end!
255 bpm!!!!!!!!!! WOW!! Thats some heavy breathing. hmmm perhaps the HRM isnt reading incorrectly you just have an inconsistent heart?
Once I get working for a while again I need to get a garmin so I can really indulge my OCD. And I could cut down on my mapmyrun.com time.
LOL the good old days. Yeah what's that? Man sometimes I think Garmin was the worst thing ever for me HAHA
Ha, I had the same issue. It would beep at me because my HR was too high and then tell me to speed up for my minimum speed! I just run and don't rely on the beginning readings.
I agree with you - I love my garmin but I hardly ever use the heart rate monitor because I found it to be distracting. Sometimes just thinking about the heart rate made my heart rate jump up! I do get addicted to the pace and the mileage..
Thats my one hesitation about using my HRM, how innacurate it may be. Thats a good idea baout leavign the Garmin outside before going out, i was in the cold for a couple mins waiting for it to sync up, ugh!
Interference and those weird spikes just happen. Hopefully the gel helps. And with experience, you will learn to get a better feel for your own exertion without relying solely on the HRM.
When I started running last year, I was so surprised at all the stuff that goes into it. Sneakers, running form, race fees, hats, bondi bands, iPods, body glide...I could go on and on. Before I ever ran I just thought you walked out the door and ran around aimlessly.
Yea the chest strap are tricky for some. To my hubby it always gives him crazy reading, luckily I have huge sweaty boobies that make their own moisture.LOL!
I hope that stuff works for you... the nonsense numbers must be frustrating!
Mark swears by Polar for HR. He has the RS800 which has all the bells and whistles - you'd love it. :)
If my HR is really that high, how am I not burning a million calories, and stick-thin?
If your HR was really that high, how are you not dead? Something's wrong and I think you've nailed it that the sensor is not making a good connection. Odd that it would show high rather than low, though.
I'm impressed you're still messing w/ this! I would have given up already. I hate that the running needs to be complex!
Hmm, frustrating. Have you tried taking your HR manually and comparing? It's easiest if you count your pulse for 10 seconds and then multiply by 6 - at least it could give you an idea if it's in the right ballpark. However, 255 definitely sounds off, isn`t that close to a heart attackÉ
Wow. Glad to hear that it's not really your heart! LOL.
Sounds a little insane for walking lol
It is very complicated.......
I don't have a Garmin, but I do have a pink Polar heart monitor and like it quite a bit. It tracks time, calories, HR and keeps it for a week. I don't think the one I have has download options, but some of the fancier versions probably do.
Hope you get it figured out
I feel your frustration with the garmin HRM. I have one and it will pick up my heartrate then half way through a workout....it quits. Sometimes....I can't get it to work at all. I am interested to see if you have better luck with the gel.
I can't get my garmin to pick up my heart rate at all. Guess it's a good thing I don't care that much LOL.
I have a friend who has a the Polar with the GPS addition. She loves it and the watch is definitely a nicer looking watch than even the new Garmin.
i have the same problem with my hrm. some days it jumps really high at the beginning of my run. not quite 255, but what i think is way too high based on how i feel, and considering it's the start of the run. i usually just ignore the "max" cause i know it was probably never that high, but it can screw up your data if you are trying to keep track.
i have a polar one, though i'm not sure what kind. i know it probably wasn't too expensive, and i don't think it came with any software so i must have a bottom-of-the-totem pole one:) most days it works ok. i always wet it before putting it on (which i hate, always cold), and i've heard about using the gel too. worth a shot, i just haven't gotten around to it yet.
This post totally had me cracking up. I seem to always have problems with either my Garmin, my watch, shoes, and the list goes on and on. For me, running seems to be much more complicated than it has to be as well.
At least we both love running and that is the most important thing despite the technological challenges.
Best of luck with your LT.
I use the Polar HR strap and don't have too many problems with it - occasionally the HR gets messed up, but not often.
I think the ole' garmin HR strap is "zapped."
Wow all this tech stuff can get so complicated!!
I have a garmin but i hardly know how to use it the right way!!! I am happy when it just works and i can sync it to my computer!!!! And yeah the maps are way cool!!!!
Good luck!!!
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