I am completely baffled as to what heart rate to be aiming for.<<<<<<
I am mostly cycling (normally outdoor but now on a trainer inside) but I find an assessment, like Carmichael training or sufferfest, and do a 20 min FTHR test and work from that. You can google for variations, I know my resting HR and could have a really good guess at the sort of max HR but I cannot work on perceived exertion, as everything is perceived as exertion LOL. If you are rowing or running there will be a variation on that theme. The average of that 20 mins is the basis for setting some HR zones so you can workout with some baseline information.
If that sounds more than you care to do http://www.briancalkins.com/HeartRate.htm is decent enough. I try to spend a decent amount of time in the 80-90% range and that takes concentration. and a bit of structure.
Had a great bike ride today. Started in Arlington VA where we met up with my son and his GF. Rode down the Mt Vernon trail past National Airport and many of the DC sites. We rode farther than Old Town Alexandria, but then went back to Old Town for an outdoor lunch. It was our first time eating AT a restaurant since March. We showed restraint and didn’t get ice cream after 
I used to do that ride fairly often, but it may have been 15 years at this point. We live just far enough that if the kids weren’t there we wouldn’t head that way. I’m really happy they are enjoying biking too. We showed them an easier way to get to the trail, and I suspect they will try it on their own again soon.
We probably went about 22 miles total, which isn’t great, but we wore them out, especially bc the very last part was hilly. The trail is actually pretty crowded, especially now, but it still felt great to be out and about.
@1214mom - That’s awesome! Sounds like a lovely day.
I am game for trying lots of things and I am willing to do some strength training AND that woman’s recovery from osteoporosis is remarkable AND I admire those like @Midwest67 who rock this sport, but I have literally no motivation/interest to lift barbells!
Now you’ve got me intrigued and I want to start training with barbells! But not until it can be done with in -person instruction. As I mentioned earlier, I am not the most naturally athletic person and I think paying for coaching would be wise. The gym where I go has classes in TRX and Kettlebells but not barbells. I actually enjoyed some of the TRX but haven’t done too much.
@Sybylla and @MomofWildChild Yes, I think I will have to try some of those all-out kind of workouts to get some idea of the high end. It would be nice if there was some kind of magic formula but I know all the formulas floating around are just guesses. I think for this week I’ll just do the workouts that we have planned and see how the HR data corresponds to the perceived exertion as well as the other data I’m recording.
@1214mom Oh gosh! You bring back so many memories. Our family used to ride that trail in the 80s, though we would start in Reston! Sometimes we would drive to my Mom’s school in Falls Church. How I LOVE (a million times over) that spot that goes right by the runway at National. We would stop there and watch the planes land. They are so low you can see the people in the windows. Older S is moving up there in a few weeks. Hopefully, this mess will have died down enough that we can visit for real someday.
@Midwest67 I love stories like that. You are never too old to start. And one thing beginners have on us old timers is that they see so much improvement week to week. It’s exciting.
We are a pathetic household today. Thank goodness older S went back to school town to stay with friends. H is in the middle of colonoscopy prep, younger S is in wisdom tooth recovery (though he is doing amazing! We are stunned and thrilled. he’s going to work tomorrow) And I have what we call the “gym flu.” My program is done and my body definitely needs a break. I slept for 9 hours last night with one 1 pee break. And then I just took a 2 hour nap. I will do some stretching later today, but that’s it for me. This week is all about active recovery, with the emphasis on recovery.
Our gym opens on Tuesday. I’m going to run by there (literally) to see how crowded it is. I am planning on lifting in the C-gym until we move older S. I don’t want anyone getting sick before then. At the very most, I might run to the gym, do the stairclimber/bike for 30 min, run home and lift in the shed. We will see.
You know, I’m not IN LOVE with barbell training. It’s a little bit like taking medicine for me.
For some mysterious reason, I’ve found it’s something I’ll actually do and I recognize it’s going to serve me well in the long run. The ROI happens fairly quickly, and that is certainly motivating.
But yes, I think I totally get not being interested!
A little side story: I was working another carry out shift at the restaurant, and at the end of the night the male manager on duty said we needed to take in the patio tables and chairs and metal room dividers.
I was surprised. You mean, you drag all of that in and out every evening? Yep.
It was a very nice rewarding feeling to be USEFUL. I could easily carry 2 chairs stacked. Much to his surprise, I could pick up (deadlift!) a table on my own and carry it in. I was not worried at all about “hurting myself”.
I’m pretty sure he thought he was going to be doing the majority of the work, but nope, I did my share!
Although I train at home, I did seek out help on form, in the beginning, from two different local coaches. Neither one was a good fit, so I ponied up and drove a little further/paid more for a session with a Starting Strength coach.
It just made more sense since that was the program I was determined to do.
About six months in, I returned to that coach for another form check and programming advice.
He’s a good resource to have!
@ClassicMom98
Read your post in another thread. Are you sure you are not anemic now? Curious because you recently said your legs are dead on your runs.
@1214mom
Do you listen to music or anything while you bike?
@Midwest67 doubtful. My hemoglobin is usually around 12.0. Donation levels are 12.5 and anemic, I believe, is under 10. My OB-Gyn is usually happy with the 12.0. They said they have mostly smokers with dangerously high levels so in their opinion, I’m great.
I would say borderline overtraining. I did an advanced 6 week lifting program that was chock full of explosive leg exercises while running/walking 70-75 mpw (about 50-60 running). And every year for most of the last 30, all my runs have stunk from April-November due to allergies and heat/humidity. Feeling good on runs this time of year is like finding hand sanitizer in a store.
That is pretty high mileage. I used to do that in my 30s and early 40s. Not since. If I hit 40 mpw now it’s almost too much. I know I’m older than you are by a couple of decades, but still… no wonder you are beat!
@Midwest67, no to listening to music.
On the path we were on today, I’d venture to say it would be dangerous to listen to music. My husband was kind of uncomfortable, because it was crowded in many places.
There are times when we’re on very uncrowned paths during uncrowned times that we listen to a little music, but mostly we just like the peace and quiet.
When my husband and I ride, we don’t even talk very much. When I ride with friends I wind up talking more.
I listen to podcasts when I run. (My favorite is Freakonomics). But for saftely sake, I only put in one ear bud, leaving the other ear “open” to hear footsteps or comments from the folks behind me.
I have not been able to run recently, but today I did get to do 3.5k around the neighborhood. Better than nothing.
@Midwest67 What are these barbell things you speak of? 
Today’s workout was short for me. My body is beat and Sunday would typically be a rest or run day.
So, today after warming up, I bench pressed for strength and then try HIIT was a 21-15-9 rep scheme of light deadlifts and GHD sit-ups. And finished with a 3x10 of ring dips.
If I could be ASSURED lifting those barbells would repair my osteoporosis I’d force myself to do it!!!
From WedMD:
Force yourself to do it. You might actually like it. ?
Deadlifts of MiracleGrow bags and then pots filled with said dirt. Now my deck garden is complete, and I can go back to my regularly scheduled programming! Looking forward to the summer harvest.
Can someone explain why barbells are better than dumbbells?
4.1 humid miles this morning. We are having some tough weather- a little hotter than normal. THEN- I did the unthinkable and went off on the dog walk without my Apple watch which I had put on the charger during a work call! The dogs wouldn’t hear of going the 1/10th of a mile back to the house, so the 1/2 mile walk yielded me no steps or MOVE calories. Oh well.