Training for a marathon requires extensive training and preparation for a successful race. Throughout the training program, maintaining workout intensity can help promote performance gains so you run the best race possible. Marathon runners can use heart rate monitors during the workouts to track the intensity and performance gains. Calculating your maximum heart rate and training intensity zone can help target the exact intensity for every workout.
Function
Heart rate monitors function to provide accurate, instant feedback on your intensity during a workout. Not only does the heart rate monitor provide instant heart rate feedback on a digital watch during the workout, you can upload the heart rate data from the workout to a computer. That information can be tracked and recorded throughout the marathon training.
Calculation
Calculating your target heart rate and heart rate zones is the number one key to productive heart rate training for marathons. According to Jacquie Barry, freelance writer and endurance athlete, you can calculate the maximum heart rate (MHR) by taking 220 minus your age. For example, a 40-year old runner will have an MHR of 180 beats per minute. Another method for calculating maximum heart rate is the field test. As you are wearing your heart rate monitor, warm-up for a workout and run two to three three-minute intervals. Increase the intensity every run and finish the last repeat as hard as possible. Immediately following the last interval, check the heart rate and that recording should be your maximum heart rate.
Features
Most heart rate monitors will feature a wireless strap that wraps around the chest and syncs with a wrist watch. You can set the desired heart rate and when your heart rate doesn't stay in the desired range the watch will beep to warn you. After completing the workout, upload the workout data to a computer to graph your performance over time. Other features include water resistance, stopwatch, alarm and timer.
Intensity
You can use the heart rate monitors and adjust the target heart rate for any type of workout; intervals, tempo runs, recovery runs or long runs. Each workout has a recommended percentage of MHR to achieve maximum results. To calculate the percentage, take the MHR and multiply the percentage. For recovery and long runs, maintain a 65 percent to 75 percent MHR. Tempo runs are more intense and should vary from 87 percent to 92 percent. Interval workouts will reach 95 percent to 100 percent of the MHR.
Benefits
Heart rate training for a marathon has several benefits. Barry says the No. 1 benefit is the ability to track your improvement leading up to the race. This ability allows you to track your resting heart rate to prevent over-training---a physical and emotional condition that reduces workout intensity while increasing resting heart rate. Overtraining can lead to overuse injuries that could prevent you from running the marathon.
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