- Image by vincentgallegos via Flickr
A heart rate monitor watch is an essential part of any athlete’s wardrobe. You can’t leave home without it. Or you shouldn’t, anyway. It’s a runner’s best friend.
A heart rate monitor watch does so much more than check your heart rate. When I started using one, it transformed my training. I am a runner, and before using a heart rate monitor watch, I had read many training manuals. I had a definite training schedule… short hard run on Monday, medium easy run on Tuesday, intervals on Wednesday, medium easy run on Thursday, cross train on Friday, long easy run on Saturday.
Some days my workouts were a breeze, other days I struggled just to complete them. And although I was seeing some improvement of my race times, I didn’t feel my training was really tailored to my ability or current fitness level.
Then I got a heart rate monitor watch, and everything changed. Now I had a concrete way to measure my workouts. I knew if I had over trained the day before or if I needed 2 days recovery after my long run. I knew if my hard days were too easy. And I knew exactly where my fitness level was based on my resting heart rate.
Now I knew exactly how hard to push myself on my interval days. And how slowly to run on my recovery days. And the heart rate monitor watch made my workouts less boring. I had something to focus on while running. I had different targets I was trying to reach… or stay below. I had a concrete, measurable plan.
And my fitness and race times improved, fast. I beat my friend on a “bridge run” that we had run for 3 years. I cut 2 minutes off my personal best in the 5k, 3 minutes off my 10k, and lengthened my long run to 13 miles without injury. And this was in the first 10 months.
I continued to improve for several years. But what I like best about using a heart rate monitor watch is the reduction of injuries. That and having a concrete, measurable plan to train with.
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