Advice on running to Heart rate

Just getting in to heart rate training but need advice as to how I monitor it in practice. I have a gramin with everything set up.

If I want to run in a, say, 70-80% MRH zone, what happens if the route is hilly? Clearly my HR is going to rise, and probably above the 80%. So, so I ensure I slow RIGHT down on the hills to prevent this, or do I ignore this and just makesure the flat bit are in the right zone. I'm thinking even walking briskly up a hill might elevate my HR past 80%.

Some experts will come along later, I hope (because I'm interested)... but from my reading, I think that technically you should indeed slow RIGHT down.. possibly walking to stay within your target limit.  But many  people say don't be quite so rigid if you want to keep running... run slowly and minimise the amount of time (and by how much) you're over the target limit.

A bit of one and a bit of the other, IMO, i.e. when you get to a hill, slow down by shortening your stride but let your HR climb a little for the sake of being able to keep running.  You're not going to negate the overall purpose of the run by going a few beats over for a short time.  On the other hand if the hill is really steep and you get knackered trying to keep running by all means break into a walk.  Same thing applies for going downhill - don't do your knees in desperately trying to keep above a minimum heart rate, just use the hill to keep a sensible pace going whilst getting your breath back from the uphill.  HR might drop by 15-20bpm but will soon level out when you get on the flat.

It's average heart rate you are looking for so some changes in elevation don't make a huge difference, unless they are really long ups or downs. If you are going to be really strict on the rates I think you need to be on fairly flat surfaces.  The more you do it though you will develop a feel for heart rate and and how it equates to your various running paces.  I would think the HADD thread will have some real experts on it, worth a read. 

Thanks guys. That was my gut feeling -not to obsess too much about it on short hills, and just keep an eye on the aveage.

The big issue for the aerobically challenged is that once your HR spikes up (e.g. by keeping to pace uphill), it takes ages to calm down again - so you could spend large sections of your week at too high a HR / wrong zone / not improving your aerobic base.

The normal advice from Hadd followers is to avoid the hills until your base is good enough that HR spikes are lower and are short lived.  Failing that, run at the lower end (70% to 75%) and allow yourself hill spikes up to 80% (set the alarm, and slow down to avoid going higher).

avoiding hills is not always easy........i wish i could

seren...move to Essex.  I call anything with a 50m ascent "hilly"....shu'aarp...

I've read that 70 -80% is the idea aerobic zone and 80-90% the ideal anerobic zone, but is that a % of MHR or WRH?

For me (we are all individuals...) 70-75%max is ideal aerobic for easy / long runs

80-83%max is top end aerobic (sub lactate threshold), or "MP".  With training this could be a % or two higher.

Anything above that, your anaerobic system has kicked in and you're burning large amounts of glycogen.

Different coaches quote varying zones, but I tend to do nearly everything below 75%max; one 10 miler at 83%max aiming at zero drift (MP); any speed work is above 90%max...but I tend to CBA on that stuff.

I understand the zones, but are the % based on MHR or WRH. If you use the wrong one you could be working in the wrong zone. For examaple, 77% WHR is the eqivivelant of about 82% MHR.

Thanks Andrew -understood.

Ive recently started using a heart rate monitor, and have used the book by John L Parker jr.  It clearly states that the ranges are to be stayed within so you must slow down on a hill otherwise you are doing a differnet type of run than you planned ie an aerobic base run.

To calculate your values you need to know your resting pulse - in the morning is best, and your Max heart rate   .....a short hard interval session on a hill does the trick .

So for aerobic base - the bottom end of the toothpaste tube! - you should stay under 70% of the difference.  Example rest pulse 55, Max 183 therefore difference is 128.  70% of 128 is 90.  Add back on your resting pulse gives me a 145bpm recovery or base run.  The theory is to improve the oxygen delivery efficiency or the ability of your muscles to absorb/uptake oxygen [anerobic improves oxygen intake via your CV system]

I use my HRM range beeper for the recovery/base runs my runkeeper app does the rest for me.

PS - running at 70% MHR starts painfully slowly with lots of walking and abject frustration!!  Im led to belive this is temporary and after 4 or so weeks Ill be jogging along at reasonable pace    .....Ill let you know!!

If the aerobic zone is generally considered to be 70 -80% MHR, and you run nearer the 70% range for 4 weeks I expect your pace to increase for the same BMP -but then what, do you start running at 80% (still aerobic) for a few more weeks before doing some lactate threshold runs?