Using heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion to monitor intensity in runners.

This investigation examined using heart rate (HR), central rating of perceived exertion (C-RPE) and peripheral rating of perceived exertion (P-RPE) values obtained during a graded exercise test (GXT) for monitoring intensity during a 5000 m field run. Ten trained runners performed a GXT to determine HR, C-RPE and P-RPE values at a blood lactate concentration ([La]) > or = 4.0 mM. Three randomly assigned 5000 m runs were performed on an outdoor track using the HR, C-RPE and P-RPE values from the GXT. [La] was assessed at 1000 m, 3000 m and 5000 m and running velocity (RV) at each 1000 m interval. No significant interaction effect was observed for [La] or RV among trials. A significant time effect was found among trials for [La] and RV. The 5000 m [La] was significantly different from the GXT for the C-RPE and P-RPE trials, but not the HR trial. The 1000 m RV for each trial was significantly different from the RV of the GXT. The 2000 m and 5000 m RV for P-RPE were significantly different from the RV of the GXT. The data indicate that using HR values from a GXT were better than using RPE values for maintaining exercise intensity at a [La] of 4.0 mM during a 5000 m field run in trained runners.