every few minutes as you're running, to get a general idea of your rate throughout the session. You will probably find that, even if you maintain the same pace throughout, your heart rate will rise by 5-10 beats over a period of 30 minutes

Q Following your advice, I did a treadmill test using a heart rate monitor to work out my maximum heart rate. The result was 177bpm. However, during 40-minute steady runs my pulse easily reaches 165bpm, about 94 per cent of max! Am I training too

to sit too low (the straps aren’t adjustable) so the signal can take a while to settle down. Contact www.polar-uk.com; 01926 816 177; www.triumph-international.co.uk, 01793 720 232 Timex Ironman Ladies 30 Lap HRM – £80This is not really a women’s heart-rate

The smartest HRM on test in both senses (for an extra £15 you can have a metal strap), the USP of the T3 is the 'real-time‚' Training Effect, which shows how hard you are working during a run. In addition to the heart-rate zone, there are three zones for post

to these zones! Be alert for unusual readings. If you’re ill, tired, stressed or not fully recovered from a race, then your resting heart rate may be higher than normal. If it’s 5-10 beats above normal, make your day’s run an easy one. Any higher than

-marathon race pace. Sample session: 1.5 miles at 60%, then 15-20 mins at exactly 85%, then 1.5 miles at 60%.85-90% Approx 5K-10K pace. Sample sessions: 6 x 800m peaking at 90% in each rep; 5 x 2000m peaking at 85% in each rep. 95% Peak heart rate at 400m rep

, but your new training paces might come as a surprise too. Before you get started, work out the right benchmarks to work towards by finding your maximum heart rate. If you're a complete beginner, start off with this very approximate formula: 214 - (0.8 x

Heart-rate monitors vary hugely in price and functionality. For less than £20 you can pick up an HRM that simply measures your pulse, while parting with £150+ will give you a monitor that will set training zones for you, tell you how many calories

heart rate to drop before beginning the next repetition. Your recovery target should be less than 80 per cent of your WHR.Suggested sessionJog for 10 minutes, then run three repetitions of 1.5 miles at about 85-90 per cent of WHR. Rest three minutes

acclimatise, you'll be able to run faster in your heart rate zones, but it would take several weeks to approach your normal levels.In reality, when training at altitude you'll be using your monitor as a means of damage limitation, rather than trying to improve