Heart Rate Training. This plan is based on time and not mileage although both are important. In addition to time another
Training Document:
Heart Rate Training This plan is based on time and not mileage although both are important. In addition to time another emphasis in this plan is the use of heart rate (HR). Although it is not essential to have a heart rate monitor it is a useful tool in providing feedback and fine tuning perceived effort. With the distances involved in a Half Ironman it is essential to control your output to be in an aerobic state and minimizing the time in an anaerobic state. The most basic approach is to stay within 60-80% of your HR Max for the majority of your training. Interval training is not forgotten and is important to keep building on one’s endurance and efficiency. There will be time for speed and high intensity workouts but the main objective is to train at a pace that keeps you in an aerobic state. The training plan specifies HR zones (Z1-Z5) for both the cycling and running workouts, with regards to swimming your effort will be based on perceived effort and pace times. The main focus of efforts will be within Z1-Z3, these are the aerobic zones. Z4-Z5 will be used for various intervals but once again the emphasis is staying aerobic. Below is a table describing these heart rate zones with respect to perceived effort as well as a sample of zones depending on maximum heart rate.
Heart Rate (HR) and HR Zone Values for Aerobic Training Triathlete Race Pace
% Max HR HR Zone / Description of Effort
100 90
5 150 155 160 165 170 Very Very Hard to Exhausting Gasping for air no talking 135 140 144 149 153
175 158
180 162
185 190 167 171
195 176
200
Sprint and Olympic Dist. Races
90 80
4 Very Hard, Short labored breaths very difficult to talk
135 140 144 149 153
158
162
167 171
176
180
120 124 128 132 136
140
144
148 152
156
160
Half Ironman and Ironman Dist. Races
80 70
3 Hard, Labored breathing could talk in broken sentences
120 124 128 132 136
140
144
148 152
156
160
105 109 112 116 119
123
126
130 133
137
140
70 60
2 Somewhat Hard Breathing noticeable could carry on a conversation
105 109 112 116 119
123
126
130 133
137
140
90
93
96
99
102
105
108
111 114
117
120
60 50
1 90 Light Comfortable Breathing could carry on a conversation 75
93
96
99
102
105
108
111 114
117
120
78
80
83
85
88
90
93
98
100
Sample Heart Rate Ranges based off “100%” Max HR
95
180
Notes: Zones 1-3 are aerobic areas and key training areas when racing longer endurance races. Zones 4-5 are anaerobic. Used to help increase and tax the aerobic system while training. For long endurance events this area should be minimized in a race. Zone 3-4 is area where Lactate Threshold would normally fall. This is a key area for Olympic and Sprint Distance races. Triathlons in the Olympic or Sprint format are conducive for racing in Zone 4. Half Ironman and Ironman races are normally performed just below Lactate Threshold and utilize Zones 1-3. Zones 4-5 are used in training.
