Running Online

Calculate Your Max. Heart Rate

1. Check with your primary care physician to get permission to perform a stress test that will determine your maximum heart rate.

2. After your primary care physician has given you permission to perform the test, you should rest for 2-3 days of easy running (taking the day before the test completely off).

3. Gently warm-up for about 10-15 minutes with several 100 meter strides and some light stretching. Wear a heart rate monitor if you have one (otherwise you can take your own pulse after the test).

4. Choose one of the following maximum heart rate tests:
   • TEST A:
     Run 800 meters (1/2 mile) as fast as you can. Take 1:00 walk rest and then run another 800 meters as hard as you can making sure to sprint the last 200 meters.

   • TEST B:
     Run 1600 meters (1 mile) as hard as you can making sure you sprint all-out the last 400 meters (1/4 mile).

   • TEST C:
     Run 6 repeats of 400 meters on a steep hill at a hard effort increasing the effort on each hill repeat so that you run the last two repeats all-out. Jog back to the base of the hill after each repeat and rest about 10 seconds before the next repeat.