Exercise

[Mich the Tester]

I have a Suunto one, it's one of the better gadgets I've bought. I had to buy the PC connecting dongle separately.

All good stuff, but if you're training in the woods or on muddy hills, personally I think it's best to get a cheap, simple heart rate monitor and use a pice of paper for storing the data.

[russell]

Use it every morning for a few minutes while you're still in bed and rested; it'll help you track recovery from training. Find your base resting heart rate by measuring in the morning in bed after you've not trained for a couple of days; a good recovery from training means you're back to within about 5% of that base resting hart rate; if you're 10% or more above it in the morning then you need an extra rest day instead of training. Believe me, training while you're still knackered from the last training will make you less fit.

Ok, I will give that a try. I would like to get to the stage of running every day (or 6 days maybe) if thats wise.

[Mich the Tester]

Ok, I will give that a try. I would like to get to the stage of running every day (or 6 days maybe) if thats wise.

6 days is always better than 7; you need rest to give your body a chance to adapt. You don't get faster, fitter or stronger while training, but while resting afterwards.

[doodab]

All good stuff, but if you're training in the woods or on muddy hills, personally I think it's best to get a cheap, simple heart rate monitor and use a pice of paper for storing the data.

But I am a geek. I need one with features I never use

I find the "heart attack early warning system" quite reassuring as well, as I find it quite easy to over exert myself riding up hills.

[Gonzo]

True enough.

I am amazed by people who think walking is exercise.

I find walking very effective, it is the only exercise that I do.

Every evening, fifteen minutes walk to the off licence and then fifteen minutes back the other way. On the return trip I am weighed down by two bottles of wine and a bottle of vodka.

Works for me.

[russell]

I find walking very effective, it is the only exercise that I do.

Every evening, fifteen minutes walk to the off licence and then fifteen minutes back the other way. On the return trip I am weighed down by two bottles of wine and a bottle of vodka.

Works for me.

I think you need to talk to the AA.....

They will give you a lift if you get tired.

[xoggoth]

But I am a geek. I need one with features I never use

Totally agree. I have an iGotu tracker and it's fantastic to have a PC folder full of routes you've done with marked maps, plots of altitude, total distance, average speed, maximum speed, calories used etc. More fun than the actual running.

PS At wife's insistence I carry my phone in case of stroke heart/attack although even if I can get a signal don't know how they'd ever find me. Bleached bones 5 years later is my probable fate.
PPS Or about a week later. With foxes and badgers around it's incredible how quickly meat disappears in a British woodland. I have come across deer remains that are nothing but bones yet the blood on them is still bright red and there is no smell of decay.

[fckvwls]

Totally agree. I have an iGotu tracker and it's fantastic to have a PC folder full of routes you've done with marked maps, plots of altitude, total distance, average speed, maximum speed, calories used etc. More fun than the actual running.

You surprise me. I had you more down as an ageing hippy with long grey hair, cigar smoker and fond of too much whiskey type as opposed to an athlete

[ControlG]

Swim 3-5 miles a week over 3 or 4 visits to the pool. No resting between lengths either

[Jog On]

I've been going to the gym 4 times a week since the beginning of the year. Combination of weights, VIPR, punchbags, high intensity interval run/sprints and swimming. Do martial arts one night a week now as well.

Totally knocked drinking on the head now so I'm going to the other extreme.