VO2max Estimation by Garmin device

Garmin fenix 3 HR

which has VO2max estimation feature

VO2max

VO2max is one of performance factor for athletes.  Traditional way to estimate the number without special lab equipment is "Cooper Testing".   It is so called "12 minutes running".  Based on distance people can run in 12 minutes, VO2max can be estimated.
This number is also used for estimated marathon time.

Garmin Device can estimate VO2max

As I introduce a couple times in my blog before, the recent Garmin Running devices have a feature to estimate this VO2max number based on activities.   I think this is very good factor to see the progress of your training.

Actually, I have never measure my VO2max in lab before.  Therefore, I do not know the estimation by Garmin device is accurate or not.  But it seems that the number is close to the cooper test result based on my past data.  At least the absolute value of VO2max is probably not very important for most of people.   I think just having a relative comparison would be very useful.  As long as people using that way, the feature is really useful.  Even if we have some gap between the estimated value and the real value.

Benefit of the estimation by a device

For Cooper testing, people need to run really push to their limit, basically it should be "all-out".  This really high intensity training is probably really tough for many people except some serious athlete.   A good thing estimate by Garmin device does not requires really high intensity activity to get the number.  It requires to see the maximum heart rate and some accumulated activity data to get a reasonable numbers.  However after accumulating some activity data including some high intensity activities, even if an easy activities, we still can get some estimated number and it seems to be a reasonable.   I think this is a good benefit to get the number for each activities and understand the fitness situation.

This is one of features I really like in Garmin fenix 3 HR.

Heart Rate base pacing ~ Update

Switch back in early summer

in Mt. Whitney trail

This year, I did not go hiking to Mt. Whitney.  I do not have much update.  However, I found out some additional thoughts based on recent date for my running activities.   Today, I just share what I found recently.

A good heart rate number for hiking?

As I mentioned before hear rate zone around zone 2 and zone 3 would be a good range for hiking based on my past hiking records.  Depending on how we define the heart rate zone, a good range would be 60 ~ 80% of the heart range, which is really wide range  In a reality below middle of zone 3 which is around 75% of the range would be a reasonable.  In my case, the maximum heart rate is about 180 bpm and my resting heart rate is around 60 bpm.  With those data, 75% of the range is is around 150 bpm.   Based on the past experience, this is really reasonable value for me.

Recent Running training
Here is my recent update for my training, due to a large wild fire around Napa / Santa Rosa area, the air condition is getting really  bad last a few weeks.   Schools started no PE outside and I also did not run outside last a few weeks.   I only did station bike indoor to maintain my fitness level.

Due to my age, which is over 50 years old, I realized the fitness level is easily getting worse if I do not do training a several days.   This is obvious my past training records this year with stopping training due to injury and vacation.

This time I have not run outside for 2 weeks and then my estimated VO2max and lactate threshold by Germin running device was getting worst a little even if I was doing station bike a few times a week.
Muscle for running is different from station bike and load to my body for station bike is much lower than running.  I found out that my heart rate is really easy to get high within a short period.  The estimated lactate threshold is around 165 bpm by a Garmin device.  However, I probably need to keep it below 155 bpm if I need to run more than 1 hour.  In my case, there is no problem since I set my running pace based on the lactate threshold and 155 bpm is in zone 2 with lactate threshold heart rate.  (155 bpm is zone 3 with reserved heart rate zone and zone 4 with a ration of maximum heart rate.

This weekend, the scheduled menu was 3 times of 55 minutes running with 5 minutes resting (walking) .  I could not have enough time for 3 times and I just did 2.5 times with total time 2 hours 20 minutes.  I maintained my heart rate between 140 and 155 bpm.  The average speed was 8:45/km and the average heart rate was 149 bpm.  This is very slow but this is what I can do now.  This value including 5 minutes working in the activities.  Therefore actual running speed and heart rate could be a little better.  (I did not have a separate lap data this time)

A generic target

In my case, I already have a good target heart rate based on my past data.  I have no problem to manage my pace with that number.  On the other hand, it might be heard to define a generic guide line for other people since 150~155 bpm in my case is could be zone 2 ~ zone 4 depending how I define the heart rate zone.
The key point is where the lactate threshold heart late is in.  If you have high end running device which can estimate a lactate threshold, then the number would be a good reference for the target.  People just need to know how much lower they can set as a target.  If people has less training, then it could be better to set 6~10% lower than the lactate threshold.  If people are in a good shape, then it could be enough to set a few percent lower than the lactate threshold based on my past data.

If you do not have any idea where the lactate threshold is, this could apply based on the training activities.   A rough guide line could be using zone 2 if people do not have much training  and using zone 3 if people has a regular base aerobic training (at least more than 1 hour once a week).
Anyway, zone 2 could be a good range for "easy hiking" in general in my opinion.   The definition of heart rate zone could be good using a ratio of the maximum heart rate (220 - age) I think.  In any cases, important things is to collect more data during your training / hiking to understand your heart rate reaction during activities.

I published a Japanese version of book about the heart rate based pacing method for hiking.  I am still working on an English edition.  It will take some time to translate to English and it is not easy job for me....... 

Resting heart rate - Usage of Garmin fenix 3 HR

Heart rate trend on Sep 26

   Today's topic is a resting heart rate.  Previously, before I got a Garmin device which can monitor my heart rate 24/7, I used to check my heart rate right after I wake up.  Recently my Garmin device can monitor my heart rate 24/7 and it is easy to tell my resting heart rate.

   Based on the data, my resting heart rate is roughly 50~60 bpm.  This is also depending on a training progress.  If I stopped the training for a while, the number was going up.  On the other hand, when my training progress was getting good, then the number was going down.  The training I am talking here is an aerobic training.

   The other thing I found out recently is the number after a hard training or when I felt tired, then the resting heart rate is relatively higher.  The data I showed in the beginning is a heart rate trend on September 26 this year.   The resting heart rate right before waking up is about 52 bpm.   I also did an interval training after work.  That is why the heart rate in the evening is getting higher.

Heart rate trend on Sep 27

   The next day, the resting heart rate before waking up is 58 bpm.  The difference is small, but I can see a similar trend in the past.  The resting heart rate is usually higher if I have a hard training a day before.  Probably it is due to my age, I usually feel tired if I do a hard training a day before.  I guess the data for younger people might be different from what I see myself.   However, for my age, I guess it is probably better to take a reasonable resting to recover after a hard training.

   I expected to get a similar data on high altitude during a hiking like 14,000 feet elevation.  However, as I posted I could not go hiking this year and collecting / analyzing the data will be after next year.....   This would be an interesting data to understand my body reaction in high altitude!

Mt. Whitney Hiking 2017 (12) ~ Decided not to go this year ....

Mt. Whitney Trail ~ Fall in 2012

Based on my original plan, I had planned to hike Mt. Whitney last weekend.  However there were many activities for our kids during the weekend and I could not make it happen.  Therefore, I won’t go hiking to Mt. Whitney this year.

It is getting cold, but there might be still good condition in October.   However, there might be a chance to get snowing anytime, actually it was snowing already…   So people who still want to be there need to prepare well for snowing and cold weather.

Regarding my training for this hiking, I am doing a training plan for “full marathon”.  Due to some minor injury I stopped training a several weeks in early summer.   However, the last several weeks, I am getting recovered and it would be a good shape for this hiking.   I was planning to be there till last minutes.

As you can see my last a few posting about VO2max / Lactate Threshold from Garmin Running device, the value shows my improvement last a few weeks.   I think it is a good idea to use a full marathon plan for this long hiking.   It is probably better to run some hill route at least once or twice a week to train muscles for ascending.   Just running on a flat route might not be enough for this hiking in my opinion.

Lactate Threshold for Running last 6 mounths

VO2 max last 6 months

VO2max is recovered to 40 [ml/kg/min] (This year’s max was ‘43’).  Lactate Threshold is 166bpm/around 6 minutes / km.   As I mentioned in the previous posting, the early part of this training plan is a little easy for me and value was drop a little in the beginning.   However, it is getting enough intensity last a few weeks and my number is getting improved.   This data shows probably 3 ~ 4 times a week with one intensive training and one long distance (time) running would be a good plan for hiking.

I will continue this type of training to maintain my fitness level for hiking next year.