Running too intense?

_JayTinkerton said:

Hi all,

I just got back from a massage therapy session, and she was warning me
that if I was running at too high of an intensity I would be burning
muscle. I've certainly heard of this, and maybe it is a concern for
me.

Well, not exactly. The problem is that you're more prone to overtraining
and injury if you do your training runs too quickly.

Quoted message said:

I'm 40 y/o, and 5'8", 155 lbs, and have lost about 20 lbs since I've
started running this last summer. Anyhoo, typically during 50-60
minute treadmill sessions, my heart rate will average as much as 168
bpm. Technically, that's something like 95% of max, which of course is
just theoretical.

In other words, it's 95% of some arbitrary number, not 95% of your real
heart rate. So it's difficult to interpret it. Unless you know what your
real max is, this doesn't mean anything.

But 168bpm is probably a bit high.

Do you have a real max or a race time ?

Quoted message said:

If I back down to 155-160, it feels "too slow" to
me, and I'll barely be breaking 5 mph. :-(

Training at an appropriate pace feels "too slow" for most beginners. What
I don't understand how 5.8mph feels blazingly fast whereas 5.3 is "too slow".

Quoted message said:

My AM resting hr is around 70 bpm. Anyway, is this running average of
168 bpm probably too much,

168bpm is a bit high for most people.

Quoted message said:

or should I stick with "if it feels good, do
it" ?

That philosophy gets a lot of people into trouble when applied to almost
anything. Including running.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Donovan Rebbechi said:

_JayTinkerton said:

Hi all,

....

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If I back down to 155-160, it feels "too slow" to
me, and I'll barely be breaking 5 mph. :-(

this tells me you're not in "good shape". go easier and longer
for a while.

Quoted message said:

Training at an appropriate pace feels "too slow" for most beginners. What
I don't understand how 5.8mph feels blazingly fast whereas 5.3 is "too slow".

so somewhere in between is maybe where you could try.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My AM resting hr is around 70 bpm.

your resting heart rate (if accurate) is grim. this is another
"out-of-shape" indicator. back off and don't be afraid
to take it easy. let the rest of the know-nothings in
the gym do that HIIT stuff. You may be in this for
the long haul. build slowly and avoid injury.
...thehick

Jay, that "if it feels good, do it" attitude of yours, is the reason
your vision is so bad. Those calloused palms and your 20/80 vision,
aren't just a coincidence ya know.

frank-in-toronto said:

your resting heart rate (if accurate) is grim. this is another
"out-of-shape" indicator. back off and don't be afraid

Mine is around 60. On that, I've sub 3 marathon, a sub 1:20 half and
a sub 4:50 mile.

He could probably bring it below 70 with training, but the fact that
it is 70 isn't anything to worry about.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

warning you up?
or
warming you up?

what's the matter, got no real sex life?
you have to come here to get off?

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Hi all,

I just got back from a massage therapy session, and she was warning me
that if I was running at too high of an intensity I would be burning
muscle. I've certainly heard of this, and maybe it is a concern for
me.

she's crazy.

Quoted message said:

I'm 40 y/o, and 5'8", 155 lbs, and have lost about 20 lbs since I've
started running this last summer. Anyhoo, typically during 50-60
minute treadmill sessions, my heart rate will average as much as 168
bpm. Technically, that's something like 95% of max, which of course is
just theoretical. If I back down to 155-160, it feels "too slow" to
me, and I'll barely be breaking 5 mph. :-(

you are in no danger of burning muscle as long as you keep eating.

Quoted message said:

I'm running about 15-20 miles per week, averaging maybe 5.8 mph,
nothing spectacular, but I've never run like this in my entire life, so
it feels great.

good for you!

Quoted message said:

My AM resting hr is around 70 bpm. Anyway, is this running average of
168 bpm probably too much, or should I stick with "if it feels good, do
it" ?

sounds reasonable to me. i think that attitude might be a problem for an
exercise over achiever like an olympic athlete or something but i think
"regular" guys quit well before they're in trouble.

Quoted message said:

Thanks for any thoughts,

_jay

.... how much an hour?

Right at 6 miles in an hour. I know it sounds lame-o to you folks
who've been doing this for eons, but if you are in mid-life and never
done this before it feels amazing.

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Right at 6 miles in an hour. I know it sounds lame-o to you folks
who've been doing this for eons, but if you are in mid-life and never
done this before it feels amazing.

doesnt sound lame to me. just dont get all caught up in it. then it just
gets goofy 🙂

Quoted message said:

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all,

I just got back from a massage therapy session, and she was warning me
that if I was running at too high of an intensity I would be burning
muscle. I've certainly heard of this, and maybe it is a concern for
me.

I'm 40 y/o, and 5'8", 155 lbs, and have lost about 20 lbs since I've
started running this last summer. Anyhoo, typically during 50-60
minute treadmill sessions, my heart rate will average as much as 168
bpm. Technically, that's something like 95% of max, which of course is
just theoretical. If I back down to 155-160, it feels "too slow" to
me, and I'll barely be breaking 5 mph. :-(

I'm running about 15-20 miles per week, averaging maybe 5.8 mph,
nothing spectacular, but I've never run like this in my entire life, so
it feels great.

My AM resting hr is around 70 bpm. Anyway, is this running average of
168 bpm probably too much, or should I stick with "if it feels good, do
it" ?

Thanks for any thoughts,

_jay

Mate, that is shocking, join a running club or seek pro' advice before you
knacker yourself, seriously.

Which part is shocking, the average bpm of 168?

Not lame to me. I have actually hit 6mph a few times but not often & not
for long! But I can poke along at 5mph for well over an hour. I tend to be
mid-pack in my age group at any large race.

Seriously, though, if you are at all concerned, then see your doctor & maybe
even have an exercise stress test with a cardiologist. That's what I did
when I ramped up my exercise vigor (which to some here is barely a warmup).
bj

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Right at 6 miles in an hour. I know it sounds lame-o to you folks
who've been doing this for eons, but if you are in mid-life and never
done this before it feels amazing.

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Which part is shocking, the average bpm of 168?

that is pretty high...are you sure you're measuring it correctly?

Quoted message said:

Yep. Polar chest belt. I ran 5 miles today, though and held it back
down to about 152 bpm average. Took about 1/2 mile off of my hour run,
though.

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Yep. Polar chest belt. I ran 5 miles today, though and held it back
down to about 152 bpm average. Took about 1/2 mile off of my hour run,
though.

maybe you have a blockage or something...there's a doctor that comes around
every now and then in this newsgroup...maybe he'll chime in.

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Which part is shocking, the average bpm of 168?

being 40....
No, your resting pulse for one thing. i hate to break it to you, but you are
quite unfit, but obviously able enough. Look at getting yourself a decent
program to work to, use a heart rate monitor, a cheap basic one is far more
useful when your out running and knackered.
Go for some long lasting results, take your time.
You're 40 not 140....

Nah, now I beg to differ here. "Qutie unfit?" A year ago, I couldn't
run a mile, now I can run 5-6 in an hour. Resting pulse rate a year
ago was in the 90's, tacychardia. It had been that way most of my
life, as I was never athletic. Now it is 70 or lower in the AM. I
know that the average male resting h/r is 72.

I'm using a Polar chest belt.

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Nah, now I beg to differ here. "Qutie unfit?" A year ago, I couldn't
run a mile, now I can run 5-6 in an hour. Resting pulse rate a year
ago was in the 90's, tacychardia. It had been that way most of my
life, as I was never athletic. Now it is 70 or lower in the AM. I
know that the average male resting h/r is 72.

I'm using a Polar chest belt.

Hmm, my own experience may have skewed my understanding here: my resting
pulse used to be 39. If you're average then you've no need to worry. It
sounds like you're hammering the workouts though, long slow distance, that's
what we need around 40.

"_JayTinkerton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Nah, now I beg to differ here. "Qutie unfit?" A year ago, I couldn't
run a mile, now I can run 5-6 in an hour. Resting pulse rate a year
ago was in the 90's, tacychardia. It had been that way most of my
life, as I was never athletic. Now it is 70 or lower in the AM. I
know that the average male resting h/r is 72.

don't beg it's quite embarrassing...

it's all relative you know...so a year ago you were a disaster and today you
are "quite unfit". that's progress. you still have a way to go. it must be
satisfying to have so much improvement but don't let it go to your head and
dont imagine that you're done. if you're satisfied with being right at the
average let me remind you that the guy sitting in mcdonald's for 3 meals a
day before he heads home to watch Survivor is also figured into that
average.

Quoted message said:

\
I'm using a Polar chest belt.