Originally Posted by deacon mark

I don't think I relate to anything here mentioned. I have been a long-distance runner and cyclist for 45 years. I now only cycle due to runner's dystonia but I ride about 8-10,000 miles year I don't train for anything just like to ride and get a workout. At 62 my resting pulse is like 39 and I find it almost impossible to get my heart rate above 140. On a long and hard climb I can get 145. The last time I saw 158 my supposed max was almost 2 years ago up a 6 percent grade for a mile. All my training my HR runs between 102-120 bpm. I rarely average about 115. According to garmin I am not work hard and while I am not out of breath of having and chest issues I just cannot crank it above that BPM.

My guess is I rarely take time off and if I did probably recovery and 3-4 days rest I would have much more power including HR but who knows. I just wonder if any other long time endurance folks see this trend in their training?

Originally Posted by MoAlpha

Incidentally, a low RHR and a blunted HR response to a moderate exercise challenge are a predictors of a-fib in older folks.