New HRM...do you think this is accurate?

[goldenrun358]

I need your opinion! I just wore my new HRM for the first time on a run yesterday morning. It's one with the chest strap. I ran about 2.5 extremely hilly miles. The HRM said that burned 571 calories. I would love for this to be true, but it seems too high. I've always estimated about 100cal/mile. I ran at a moderate to intense pace and the route is mostly hills, but still...that's a lot of calories. What do you all think? Too high? Or possible?

 

[marnold]

How long?

I need your opinion! I just wore my new HRM for the first time on a run yesterday morning. It's one with the chest strap. I ran about 2.5 extremely hilly miles. The HRM said that burned 571 calories. I would love for this to be true, but it seems too high. I've always estimated about 100cal/mile. I ran at a moderate to intense pace and the route is mostly hills, but still...that's a lot of calories. What do you all think? Too high? Or possible?

I think it could be possible depending on how long it took you and your average pulse. HTH

 

[materialsgirl]

It seems a bit high, even for hilly terrain. Do you know your max heart rate? I mean your TRUE max heart rate? Because if you don't know this number and have it programmed into your HRM, it will surely mess up your calorie calculations. My guess is, and this is my problem as well, that your true max HR is significantly higher than the max HR you calculate with any of the standard formulas (like 220-age). These formulas are horribly inaccurate. If your max HR is indeed higher, then your cardio zones will also be correspondingly higher. If your HRM doesn't know this, though, it will simply think you are working in a higher zone than you actually are, thus calculating a higher calorie burn.

My advice would be to find your true max, which is not really very fun, but you don't have to do it very often. You basically do a good warmup, then inrease your pace gradually until you're at an all-out sprint, hold it for as long as you can, and when you're just about to throw up, check your HRM immediately, as you are probably just about at your max HR. Not pleasant, no, but very accurate. From this number, you can calculate your various zones. And you should be able to program your custom max HR into your HRM, so that it gives you a more accurate calorie burn. HTH!

 

[goldenrun358]

Thanks ladies!

Emily, very helpful and had me laughing! "and when you're just about to throw-up check your HRM"

I've been there and I hate this feeling.

I estimated my max HR using two sub-max tests that were listed with the HRM instruction booklet. I calculated two different ranges, one higher, one lower. The low end was 187 and the high end was 197. These were calculated by doing approximately 30 sit and stands in one minute and then doing basic steps on an 8" step for three minutes, then averaging those two heart rates. I'm not sure how accurate these tests are.

I think I plugged 187 into the HRM as my max and programmed it so that zone 4 (80-90% of the max) was my training zone. During my run, my avg HR was around 163, max 187 which occurred while running up a hill that was fairly steep and 1/4 mile long. I know that I could not have maintained 187 for very long. It hurt and was just shy of wanting to puke.

But, I may play around with this a bit as it's set currently and then find a good day sometime in the near future and try your method. I hate to subject myself to this type of torture though!

Thanks for your help!