AtlJimK

Yes, during a DE. Granted I do not have race experience so I can not speak to that. What will summize is that when I was "traffic-free" my HR actually went up as I was pushing the limits of my car. When I got into traffic it dropped beacause the cars were going slower. I would guess that if I was pushing a pass into or through a corner w2w it probably would go up. I have been training and racing bikes with an HRM for 15 years. I know my HR well. I don't think even if I was racing it would get above 165. JMHO.

thusly

I actually changed my off-track "training" after wearing a heartrate monitor. I used to do a stationary bike for 45-60 minutes, maintaining a 135-140 constant HR (BTW - I am 50 yo). Despite the pretty frequent work-outs (3-5X per week), I was tiring after 25 or so minutes in the Cup car.

After wearing a monitor on track in the 997 Cup, I discovered that my HR was a low of 130, with frequent peaks to 155 bpm. (FWIW - I have a Garmin Forerunner 305 https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=142&pID=349 - it tracks heart rate and has GPS that can also track location and correlate the two). Even more interesting was that my heartrate peaks were at the end of or a few corners after very fast parts of the track (hard braking areas or high g load corners).

After tracing HR for a number of track days, I changed training to intervals - 130 HR for a minute to four, then 150+ BPM for a minute to three, back to 130, and so on for 30 or more minutes. The interval training certainly has helped, and my endurance is better. (It is a lot less boring than running a constant HR).

FWIW - wearing the same HR monitor in a SPBOX, Spec Pinata, GT-2 or CLK on track, HRs are about 10-25 beats per minute less in general.

Stuttgart951

Boxing.

DCP

Thanks for posting this. It was interesting to me because I also train on bikes with a HRM. My only racing experience is Lemons. In endurance racing, I suspect that heart rate would be similar to your DE except that it would likely spike during periods of close racing. In shorter and closer racing, I'm ceratin it is much higher all the time.

007DT

Very Cool!!

Thanks for posting this information. It's funny how when you are purposely working out your mind (at least mine) is on your breathing, HR, exhaustion. Yet when you are driving it doesn't even come to mind, but also explains the exhaustion afterwards.

Do you think the HR level is all relative to how comfortable you feel?

I should wear one while instructing, curious to see how much is physical vs. mental?

Any DR's in the house to explain why HR may be so high if your actual physical movement is limited in a car vs a similar HR riding a bike for example.? Is this simply due to adrenaline? With that, is this considered in the same category as exercise if the HR is high yet limited physical activity/movement?

WHB Porsche

Not a Dr., but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

My layperson's opinion is that the notion earlier in this thread is correct - it's much easier for your heart to beat at 150-200BPM when you're sitting in a race car than when you're doing something more physically exertive.

For example, take the average overweight 50 year old and put him on a treadmill. He'd probably struggle to hit 150. Take that same guy and start shooting at him, his HR is probably pushing 200 within a couple of seconds.

AtlJimK

My take>

HR level is directly related to physical exertion and stress (adrenaline levels). Both play a part in the escalation of the HR during the session. Physical from trying to hold myself in the seat while turning the car (resistance), pressing hard on the brakes and the accelerator and heat from the high ambient temp (Hotlanta). Stress from thinking, in the back of my head, coming down the hill WOT out of 12 and sliding out to the rumbles at the end of a session with greasy tires, how easy it would be to wad the car up. I would say that over the past year my comfort level has increased greatly and probably has lowered my HR on the average run group.

You should wear one while instructing. Would be an interesting data point. You could grade your students on how low they kept your HR

007DT

LOL.. Yea. "If I break 130, either you should be in the top run group, or you really suck!"

I rode with the One Lap of America (Class winner 4th overall) winner at Mid Ohio on Memorial Day in an old overpowered BMW. I guarantee was 150+HR He scared the **** out of me.

PedroNole

I wear a HR monitor every time I work out and have worn one a few times in the car. My HR absolutely spikes in the first 10-15 minutes of the race, backs down a bit (after I focus on breathing a bit better and relaxing...) but stays pretty constant at 150-160 for the balance of the race.

In my case, I really think a lot of it is mental. I'm so focused on everything except trying to be relaxed that my HR really spikes. In almost every enduro, I catch myself 20-30 minutes in, focus on breathing a relaxing a bit and the HR comes right down. I've tried to see if there was a correlation between my spiking HR in the first 20-30 minutes and the lap times I'm turning (from a negative standpoint) and can't really make that connection.

I've decided that, although I continue to strive to be more relaxed in the initial laps, it's really against my character and, since it's not negatively affecting my times, I just go with it.

BC

So most here ride a bike to condition for not getting tired racing? What sort of ride is it? I tried stationary stuff and its just too boring.

RSA333

As stated by someone in this thread, physical exertion that recruits large muscle groups, such as cycling or running, is different than the heightened behavioral state of "arousal" (NOT sexual) that is required for racing. A measure of heart rate is too simplistic in this instance - they are not comparable. In racing, central pathways such as the amygdala-brain stem axis is activated by the requirement for hyper-vigilance (attention and fear), as well as increased amounts of circulating cortisone. This last physiological profile is similar to what we measure in soldiers in combat, or waiting for combat.

Thus, the model F1 driver, as well as possessing skill and fast reflexes, has to be in both superior physical shape as well as having extraordinary powers of concentration, as well as large "attachments."

DCP

I do road cycling not to stay in condition for racing, but so that I can eat without worrying about my weight so much. I think that cyclists have chimed into this thread because most of us use heart rate monitors. They are useful to gauge how hard you are working and if you are working too hard and need to back off for a while. As has been noted, heart rate in racing conditions really isn't all that related to heart rate from physical activity. It is just interesting to those of us who pay attention to heart rate for other purposes.

I agree that stationery bikes are far too boring. Road bikes are less boring if you get in with a good group. My typical weekend ride is 50 miles, more or less. My defintion of a good group is one that is both safe and keeps out of the way of cars. I have the same complaint that everyone else does with groups which do not give way to cars.

FredC

That's hilarious!!!!

FredC

Were you wearing a HR monitor when your rear tire exploded at the Glen?

Racerrob

+1. I also ride so I can eat I think the key to avoiding boredom whether on the road or stationary is to mix it up--dont just sit there and slog out the miles. Group rides give you good variety. My area is also very hilly so my HR is constantly going up and down. On the stationary bike in the winter I watch tv and either do intervals or stand and mash the pedals during commercials.