Mel & Meg, what do you think?

I'm on w2 of c25k, which is the 90 second runs. Joints and muscles are fine, but breathing is crazy. My hr was 185 at the end of last week too, but I guess keeping it there for 1 minute was bearable but 90 seconds just too much. I recover down to 145 during the walking segments. My running tops are so tight to hold me down that it feels difficult to expand my chest enough to breathe. Maybe this would happen regardless of the type of top and it's just my lungs screaming for air. The hr concerns me, as it's above the max for even a 20 year old. I know those are just estimates and not the most your heart can beat, but I don't want to find my max is 195 while I'm crashing off the treadmill either, kwim?

So my question is (because I think I know the answer), is when I should try again? I can do fast walking @ 3.8 and 4.0 on the treadmill til the cows come home, and probably get my heartrate to my max healthy rate with no problem. And it doesn't hurt to breathe. yes, I could run at a slower rate, which is how I started the run program, but I feel like I'm plodding at a slower rate (I'm running on 5.5; 5.0 felt too slow) and it's awkward. I think my fast walk is a good way to go. But what will make me more cardio efficient - is is a matter of time of doing more walking cardio, or more driven by dropping another 20 lbs to lessen the workload on my heart? Or a combination of both?

I'm on the treadmill running the whole time thinking, prehistoric women weren't runners. The women stayed back in the village while the men were the runners/hunters. The women may have been nomadic WALKERS but they weren't running the paths with their bazookas slinging all over their chests!!! lol Sometimes just going back to nature and the way things were meant to be makes sense. Double D women aren't meant to run, me thinks!

I know women who've run full marathons and didn't average 5.0 (12 minute miles). If you want to run, SLOW DOWN until you can run faster.

Between the bit about prehistoric women and the bit about breast size, it sounds like either you've decided that you can't run, or you're looking for confirmation that you shouldn't. FWIW I don't think either one is necessarily true. OTOH if you're happier just walking, that's fine too.

I'm not attempting to answer your question but just letting you know that a slow run is nothing to be ashamed of! I ran a half marathon last weekend at a pace of 12 minute miles. It took me 2 and a half hours but who cares! slow down, slow and steady wins the race.

Well done finn! My half mara time was the same too SNAILS UNITE!

Thanks Frus! Not wanting to sidetrack the thread here but just wanted to say how weird I'm finding it that as goal becomes closer I'm finding myself focusing less and less on the scale. Its as if...I don't care that the scale says no loss for the past 3 weeks, I know that I feel great and can run for hours. Next race April 15th. I love it.

My input (from a novice runner and lots of reserach) is that if you really want to run, keep it slow to start. 5.0 is definitely not plodding along, in my opinion. I can't speak about the heart rate questions, I'll leave that for someone else but if you have a distance goal and you're just beginning on the C25K plan then I would go with the slow jog for now.

If your heart rate is so high during the "run" sections, then I think it's definitely too fast of a pace and finally speaking from a fellow double D friend, the right bra is all you need. I have no problems at all while running.

I'd stick with it for now, slow down, wear a good bra and give it a bit longer. If you continue to not enjoy it, then maybe it's not for you.

I would say that you should pay more attention to your body than to your heart rate, per se. When we take our heart rates in aerobics class, mine is ALWAYS 190 or above (I'm 30), and I know I get higher when running than I do in aerobics. It's just the way I am made. (I also have a DD chest - that too is the way I am made!)

I kind of just go by how exerted I feel - like I could hold a conversation? Like I couldn't talk, but am still comfortable? Like I'm really pushing it? Like I'm going to die? I try to hold it between the second & third - if I get to the 4th, I've probably gone too far!

Hi Fran: You asked a great question that I have had too but just haven't asked yet. DH gave me a HR monitor for Christmas and I took it out for a workout about three weeks ago. I found that my HR during most of my cardio session on the elliptical runs about 160 to 165. During a sprint it shot up to over 200. Needless to say I don't stay at that rate very long just about 45 seconds to a minute and then I bring it back down again. I've been doing this since last summer so I guess if i were to drop over from such a rate it would have already happened. But, I don't want to irresponsible about it either.

Oh, for the record, I run at about 5.0 to 5.2 too. slow and easy.

Another snail here - usually what I do for run/walk intervals is to start the run sequences about 4.7/4.8 and each one move up a tenth or two. 5.2 is aobut my upper limit, and not for too long! (I'm 5'4", but 62 ) I've gotten my heart rate up that high on the elliptical, but I'm always leary of machine readings. Fran, is yours on the machine or a HR monitor?

And I'm also a 40DD, sigh. Elisa is right - the right bra for you will prevent problems. I've given up trying to eliminate all the "bounce" as I prefer to breathe!

Hi Hrbabe, this has nothing to do with HRs, but...

Here's a hint from a 36 DDD -- two bras. Helps immeasurably.

I wear one normal (as normal as you can get! it's still huge-- I call it "the pup tent") minimizer softcup, and a large Adidas sportsbra over that. I played rugby and tackle football for years and always found this combo to work for, um, "stability" and comfort!

(I cannot wait to be done with breastfeeding-- at least then I'll shrink back to underwire size!)

Steph

Fran- From what I've read, the most important factor about HR is how quickly it slows back down when you decrease the exertion. Heart rate recovery rate is more important than the actual number. How long is the interval during which it drops from 190 to 145? 145 isn't very low for a recovery number. Do you know your resting heart rate?

I'd do an experiment: take your HR up to 190 for a minute, then walk and note where it drops at 10 second intervals over the walking minute. This should be a recovery walk, NOT a powerwalk pace. Do you have a paper a pencil handy? Post back and let me know.

Mel

Mel

Lots of busty ladies here I see. I also do the double bra thing, works wonders for jogging. I wear a jogbra under a regular spandex sportsbra.