I recently completed my 3rd executive check-up in as many years. My executive check-up in 2007 was significant to me since that was my wake up call to start exercising; eventually, that led to my running and racing.
I don’t realy look forward to getting poked and probed all over but I like doing the stress test, more commonly called the “treadmill test”.
The particular test the clinic makes me perform is is called the modified Bruce protocol stress test. The test consists of 3-minute stages on a treadmill where each stage becomes exponentially more difficult as the treadmill speeds up and the incline increases. The test is stopped when the patient cannot go further or hits the maximum heart rate. The heart functions, blood pressure, heart rate are all monitored throughout the test.
Basing on the speeds indicated above, it may not seem very fast but the 20% incline was pretty steep, comparable maybe to the steepest inclines at Maarat and nothing like the hills I’d normally encounter. Stage 6 felt like 10k race pace and Stage 7 felt like running 400m at maximum effort.
In 2007, I was able to complete half of stage 6, before I started running. Last year, I did half of stage 7 and the other weekend, I completed stage 7, a new PR! I actually felt I could go on to stage 8 for a bit more but I’m sandbagging for next year’s check-up 
7 responses so far ↓
daytripper1021 // October 15, 2009 at 1:12 am |
wow galing! congrats!
workaholicrunner // October 18, 2009 at 11:38 pm |
I’ll try to do these treadmill climbing runs at the gym next weekend. I’ll see if I can pass through Stage 7. Is there any rest between the stages or do you have to do it consecutively?
DATC // October 19, 2009 at 12:58 am
Consecutive. Better if you can program your treadmill so there’s no lag. And by the way, I don’t know the speed and incline of stage 8, you’ll have to look it up. Just look for modified bruce protocol.
workaholicrunner // October 19, 2009 at 11:32 am |
I don’t think the treadmill in the gym can be programmed. I jut have to have fast fingers.
workaholicrunner // October 28, 2009 at 12:41 am |
Treadmill at the gym only goes up to 15% incline. Too bad, I can’t replicate thi.
DATC // October 28, 2009 at 7:42 am
Go for an executive check-up na lang. We’re not spring chickens anymore and it doesn’t hurt to be overly cautious.
thesolemates // October 31, 2009 at 2:08 pm |
sandbagging for next year? haha that elicited a chuckle from me. fun post! – Mariel