New Toy

I finished what I'm going to read of Be Iron Fit at this point so if anyone wants it let me know. It's good, and I'll probably use one of his training plans rather than the one previously mentioned from the web. I'll need it back down the line, but I got what I needed from it for now. It emphasized one point which I had read previously, the importance of training by heart rate and time rather than by feel and miles. Luckily, my brand new heart rate monitor came in today. It's a timex ironman something something something. About $60 from amazon.

Works great, if you can read an instruction manual printed on something the size of a matchbook and you have an advanced degree in, well, something I don't have a degree in. How they can cram so much crap in a watch with only five buttons I don't know. But with Patrick's help I got through set up, and having this new toy, I had to give it a try.

So with the kids safely in bed, dog and I went out for our evening walk. Nothing noteworthy about the walk, cold and windy but tolerable. I learned that walking isn't enough to get my heart rate into the "aerobic zone" or whatever it's called. First half of the walk I averaged 107 bpm, second half 112 (resting I'm around 50). From everything I've read, I need to be doing most of my IM training in the 120 - 150 range to get the most benefit. I was tempted to run a bit to see what my heart would do, but I really wasn't up to it. Very curious to see where I'm at on the bike. Hopefully friday.