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treinhar:

So in context to our sport I believe an adrenaline driven peak of 170-180 makes sense during a 50 sec run at your personal limits.  Biological variation, physical attributes, and personality traits will have large affects on the top end.

There is a significant amount of variation in HR. Like with Lance - there is no way I or most people could ever get a HR of 32 no matter how fit - that is a freak of nature. I was a very good 800m runner long ago and my resting heart rate was like 70-80 (out of shape was nearly 100) and I could easily get well above 200 (more like 250 if I recall correctly) - but that was sprinting. 170 does seem pretty high for autocross. I get super nervous, but I don't think I get that high even with my naturally high HR. (never thought to check though)

I play music - but more as a distraction than to pump myself up. Something to keep my mind from thinking too much.

Larry, have you tried bringing some adult material to look at in the grid... (seriously, it might work)

David Lehman:

170 bpm or 160 bpm after an autoxrun

Give me a break-----or your going to give yourself a heartattack.

I don't know about you guys but it takes me like 5 seconds after I come off the course to be relatively calm.  However I do think there is an advantage to be "on edge" or lets say aroused.

 

PS-----now of course if one is too aroused there is the danger of grabbing the wrong stick, and if trying to slam the wrong stick into gear-----tendons could possibly rupture-----causing pain, disfigurement.  However, fear not if they could repair John Wayne Bobbit (sp ?)--------fixing your stick should be easy.

Well...I know that when I have a  GOOD run... i'm shaking for about 5 MINUTES after I get back to grid. Run # 2 on Sunday was that way... I don't ever just drop back to normal after runs. Take a bit... usually just in time to go back for my next run @ local events.

Maybe it's all the burgers, twinkies, skittles and snack cakes....

The Nebulizer:

treinhar:

So in context to our sport I believe an adrenaline driven peak of 170-180 makes sense during a 50 sec run at your personal limits.  Biological variation, physical attributes, and personality traits will have large affects on the top end.

There is a significant amount of variation in HR. Like with Lance - there is no way I or most people could ever get a HR of 32 no matter how fit - that is a freak of nature. I was a very good 800m runner long ago and my resting heart rate was like 70-80 (out of shape was nearly 100) and I could easily get well above 200 (more like 250 if I recall correctly) - but that was sprinting. 170 does seem pretty high for autocross. I get super nervous, but I don't think I get that high even with my naturally high HR. (never thought to check though)

I play music - but more as a distraction than to pump myself up. Something to keep my mind from thinking too much.

Larry, have you tried bringing some adult material to look at in the grid... (seriously, it might work)

 Like many things this discussion this is speculation except for Chris who has real data. 

Back to Blood pressure Meds.  Propranolol is a common one that does alot.  It is also used heavily for stage fright and a side effect is tiredness.  If the one you use (Mr Hart) is in the same class of drugs know as beta-blockers then you might have lost your stage fright/alertness (speculation).  But as with any Med don't stop taking it for a temp performance boost.  Control of blood pressure is more important and it would likely not be gone from your system by missing a pill or 2.  

Consult a physician if it is a concern as there are many alternatives to beta blockers. I went to a different one due side effects of tiredness...

i always thought watching was rather boreing

The Nebulizer:

treinhar:

So in context to our sport I believe an adrenaline driven peak of 170-180 makes sense during a 50 sec run at your personal limits.  Biological variation, physical attributes, and personality traits will have large affects on the top end.

There is a significant amount of variation in HR. Like with Lance - there is no way I or most people could ever get a HR of 32 no matter how fit - that is a freak of nature. I was a very good 800m runner long ago and my resting heart rate was like 70-80 (out of shape was nearly 100) and I could easily get well above 200 (more like 250 if I recall correctly) - but that was sprinting. 170 does seem pretty high for autocross. I get super nervous, but I don't think I get that high even with my naturally high HR. (never thought to check though)

I play music - but more as a distraction than to pump myself up. Something to keep my mind from thinking too much.

Larry, have you tried bringing some adult material to look at in the grid... (seriously, it might work)

harts:

i always thought watching was rather boreing

Well, then rent a 'co-driver' to keep you 'aroused'. 

Do you think your tiredness is affecting your driving? It seems to me you did very well this weekend, but maybe you normally do even better?

Are you still tired after the run or does that get you alert?

This is actually, for me at least, a pretty interesting thread...acheiving a balance of alertness/anxiety and calm/focus in a sport that requires such a short burst of concentration and energy...and, it's not like running a sprint or something, where you just let it rip, there's a lot to think about...well, maybe it's kind of like high hurdles, to use a track and field metaphor.

I've been all over the board in trying to acheive that state of readiness...my first Tour, Atwater '05, I slammed a Red Bull an hour before running against the then current National Champ and a bunch of other guys with jackets...and won the event...so, I drank a Red Bull before Nationals that year and was bouncing off the ceiling, unable to concentrate and dnf'ed my last two runs on day one...clearly, I overshot the mark, in terms of alertness/anxiety...so, I gave up on Red Bull

I do know a bunch of really fast, National champ caliber guys who continue to slam multiple energy drinks during the course of the day...particularly those from the PacNorthwest, but I guess that's just a response to being perpetually water logged...and are bouncing all over the place before they run. On the other hand, I see others who go to the opposite extreme, retreating to quiet areas on grid and, apparently, going to sleep (probably visualizing and calming themselves). 

I guess it's one of those deals where we're all just wired a little differently and there's no one answer, but there is going to be one process and state of mind that is optimal for each of us...it's just discovering what that is that is the challenge. But, maybe not thinking about this stuff, at all, is the best state of mind

their have been times when i got back to grid after a run really on the edge i have had the shakes, but their are times when i drive just like i felt in grid,,, lethargic,, not realy attacking the course like you need to,, i know if you go in for a stress test they tell you to stop takeing your blood pressure medicen a couple days before, this medicine is ruining my career !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and don't know one give me any crap about dieing i am 66 now so how many years i got left, i want to go out with the shakes !!!!

The Nebulizer:

harts:

i always thought watching was rather boreing

Well, then rent a 'co-driver' to keep you 'aroused'. 

Do you think your tiredness is affecting your driving? It seems to me you did very well this weekend, but maybe you normally do even better?

Are you still tired after the run or does that get you alert?

I find that caffeine and music generally allow me to focus more on the task at hand. From what I understand this is typical for people with certain kinds of ADHD. Which is why Ritalin and things work for kids.

I have a hard time blocking out my own thoughts and focusing. I think its because I competed at a very high level in sports when I was in my teens and now the only competition I have is once every couple of weekends. Instead of taking ADHD drugs, I'm trying to get through this whole thing with discipline and some common sense.

^ The above is a disclaimer for choking at 07 Nats 2nd day - dropped from 9th to 20something in STS

Larry,

One thing that you may want to try is Yoga.  There are some simple breathing exercises and simple poses that can increase the blood flow to your brain.  A yoga DVD is pretty cheap, buy a good one, and try some of the breathing exercises at home.  If you find that it helps, they are easy and discreet to do in grid. 

Drop a live scorpion down your pants right when they signal you to leave grid, and go up to the line.

You will be nervous with anticipation trying to guess when that little sucker is going to sting you in the nuts.

PS---works great to get you out of your work assignment-----"Excuse me Howard, but who is this weekends chief operating steward ?  Seems I have a little problem, see I placed a live scorpion down my pants, and it now looks like my left testicle is the size of a tennis ball......might anyone also know where the nearest Emergency Room might be.  Thanks"

I actually had a wasp caught in my shirt under the shoulder harness once...... now THAT was an entertaining run for the passenger I had.... :)

One hand on the wheel going through a slalom, the other trying to pull my shirt up...... and I still went within a second of my fast run...

Chris Hammond:

I'm sure Hollis can probably weigh in on some of this topic.

You rang?

Cool idea to log your HR during runs.  I'll have to try that.

Being a marathoner, my resting HR is in the low-40's, but my max is around 195.  I also have really low blood pressure (always have). 

I have two kinds of autocross events...ones in which I get nervous and ones in which I do not.  Most are in the latter category.  For those, some up-tempo music and/or caffeinated beverages are helpful to get the heartrate moving.  Having someone piss me off also works. 

But for a handful of big events when I have the best competition to run against, I am naturally amped up and nervous, and need to relax to drive well.   So I do almost the opposite preparation in those cases.  Watching what and when I eat/drink on race days is also important to avoid blood sugar spikes/drops.

This is an interesting topic which touches on some of the big-event metal stuff we used to discuss in the old Evo Phase 3 class.  Knowing what works for you is key, whether it be psychological or physiological.

--Andy

PS: I like Marcus Meredith's start-line motivation technique.   But it's not for me to say... 

Definitely interesting...

 I'm generally very nervous in grid and especially at the line, but I've had probably about a dozen times in my autocross career (all at locals) where I've felt like I was about to fall asleep at the start line.  For the most part, those have been the best runs I've ever made.  Everything seemed to slow down on course just a tad.  I wish I knew what to do to get me to that place more often.

Very interesting thread.

My heart rate gets up pretty high during most runs in my car.  It's loud, it's fast and stinky (what's not to love).   Good runs when I get that couple seconds take a breath before the starter sends me on my way I can focus.  Coming of course on a fast clean run is wonderful, if it were not for a 5 point harness I would be bouncing all over in the car.

Once I get out I finally notice my heart is pounding like a jack hammer I am talking a mile a minute and shaking like a leaf.   ( just can't imagine not doing this every couple weeks).

This is fascinating.  I listen to music that seems to help me drive better, but what I'm learning after thinking about this is my music slows things down for me, not speeds things up.  I don't listen to super-fast tempo stuff, usually milder bouncy music helps me relax and run better.  I even made a CD specifically for pre-run jitters. So I guess I don't suffer from getting drowsy, usually it's more like "ready to puke", especially at bigger events.

I also shake bad after really great runs.  If I get out and I'm not shaking, I didn't "get it done".  I would be interested in getting heartbeat counts, because I maintain about 170-175 on the crosstrainers working out and my resting beat is 60ish.  Is there a cheap monitor out there? 

Surferjer:

<Snip>

Is there a cheap monitor out there? 

There is a data acquisition niche for someone.  Build an interface that takes the output from a wireless pulse rate monitor and feeds into the data acquisition system of your choice.  Traqmate/DL1/ whatever else has an extra input channel. 

I would love to see heart rate charted against g forces and speed.  Maybe even against throttle position.

Chris Hammond:

I'm using a Garmin Forerunner 305, perhaps with the GPS data between that and the DL-1 in the car I could sync up some of this? Perhaps not

I don't think this would be legal in Cole Stock. 

My HR monitors are part of my bicycles' computers, but if you can autocross wearing a watch, something like any of these would be inexpensive, functional and also serve other uses...like an alarm clock to make sure you don't oversleep on Sunday...

http://www.nashbar.com/results.cfm?subcategory=60001054&category=600094&browse=&storetype=&estoreid=&brand=&searchbox=&start=31&orderby=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Heart%20Monitors

Go to second page for cheap, wrist monitors...$30-50 will get you what you need...

David Lehman:

Drop a live scorpion down your pants right when they signal you to leave grid, and go up to the line.

You will be nervous with anticipation trying to guess when that little sucker is going to sting you in the nuts.

 

PS---works great to get you out of your work assignment-----"Excuse me Howard, but who is this weekends chief operating steward ?  Seems I have a little problem, see I placed a live