Comparing HR Monitor Straps: Garmin Soft Strap vs. Scosche Rhytm Armband

On a Christmas Day recovery ride, and after I received the Scosche Rhythm HR Armband Heart Rate Monitor for Christmas from my brother Nick.  I thought I would compare the two, the Garmin vs. the Scoshe, head to head, well almost.

VS.

First, we are all familiar with the traditional HR Strap from Garmin with the plastic sensors in the soft strap.  It only read through Ant+, but does a tremendous job as long as the plastic sensors are wet, otherwise the readings are not forthcoming in the beginning of the ride.  I was having trouble getting the strap to read my HR during the beginning of my ride even after moistening it with saliva, (spitting on it).  So I bought some HR strap gel, which made it work again.  Thus the seed was planted in my brothers head and the Scosche was purchased.

Now for the Scosche Rhythm HR Armband.  According the Scosche website: "This heart monitor employs patented optical sensor technology for highly accurate monitoring and measurement. Many other heart rate monitors fall short in this area, but the high-quality Rhythm+ excels in providing remarkably accurate measurement of exercise intensity." This may be true after all.  The Rhythm is also both bluetooth and Ant+ which is great for all types of fitness apps.  I used it with TrainerRoad which senses both on a Mac.  The Rhythm is also an armband that is ultra comfortable and adjustable.  I can with two sizes.  I am assuming on for the forearm and one for the upper arm, but I had to the use the bigger one for my forearm...FAT.

To set the Rhythm up with TrainerRoad, first you turn it on by pushing on the top of the device, then in the program you go to devices and select it, then forget the other one...Easy Peazy. 

While the Rhythm was set up to the Mac and TrainerRoad, the Garmin soft strap was set up to my Garmin 810, tried and true.  This way I could check the active HR, the Rhythm on the TrainerRoad on the TV, and the Garmin on the Garmin.

Accuracy:

The active accuracy was spot on.  The Rhythm actually gave me more variation of HR during activity then did the Garmin, and adjusted more quickly to changes in HR.  I was on a recovery ride, so I did not bring my HR up too high, but elevated and lower it several times in the short 25 minute ride.  Each time the HR was within a beat of each other while moving up and down, and alway the same when a stable pace was achieved.

After the ride comparison:  TrainerRoad does not display maxHR therefore that data point was out, however the avgHR was spot on at 115bts/min.  So good new for those of us who hate putting on a chest strap...The Scosche Rhythm matched the Garmin Soft Strap at every turn!  Nice!

Round 3 of Methotrexate...

Round 3 of Methotrexate: 

Took 6 pills on Friday night as usual, Saturday I was a bit tired and just hung out all day; same on Sunday.  Hands felt OK, bad times seem a bit better than they were before, by maybe a digit or two. So instead of being a 10 out of 10, they are an 8 out of 10. Still bad but I can touch type on a bad day.

Hands and feet are bad today, Monday after eating both Tomato sauce and Potatoes yesterday.  Two of my trigger foods.  Also weather is a bit on the down side, with snow this am, and rain yesterday.  

Day 3 of no riding, but went to the gym and stretched and did an ab workout this morning.  Legs feel good and ready to ride now.  Friday's outdoor gravel ride took a bit more out of me than I thought.  Might try to ride when I get home, but we shall see what the PM brings.

Tuesday 11-15-16 - Hands and feet sore and stiff

Today is Tuesday week 2 weather is rainy.  My hands and feet are stiff and sore although not their worst.  Road 30 minutes indoors, could not have ridden outside.  Added 2 mg to my Methylpresdisolone to a total of 6mg, with Dr. permission of course.  Hope it helps.

1 Week In and 2nd Dose

OK I have been one Methotrexate for one week and there was no change in my hands or feet. The swelling in both went for low to high and back again, with pain doing likewise, all week long.  I was able to get outside to ride twice this week, which was more the type of bike and my determination than anything else.
Friday night I took my 2nd dose of the stuff, and Saturday had a bit of diarrhea, and loose stool this am.  But woke up today (Sunday) with my hands welling a bit better without meds and my feet not aching, but still still and toes sore.  I am able to type normally albeit with a dash of pain, nothing like yesterday.
Over time I have noticed that not food but weather effects my symptoms most.  Temperature has little effect, but when the barometer changes, my swelling and pain rise dramatically, usually before a storm or rain, Once raining however the severe pain calms down and subsides a bit.  Ate red sauce last night to little effect today.  In fact my spirit is great because of the red sause....:)
We shall see what the week brings, but am happy and thinking of road riding today, so I held off from riding indoors the AM.  Would love to take either the gunnar or R5 out for a spin....

Day 2: really day1 of Metotrexate

Sat Nov 5th was day 2/1 of taking Methotrexate for my Psoriatic Arthritis.  No effect on apatite or no nausea to speak of, but was always hungry.  This has been the case ever since taking methylpredosone. My hand and feet swelling and pain are the same, and my psoriasis is also.  The Dr. daid it would be  a month or more, man.

Day 1 Methotrexate for PA

Well I just took my first 6 tablets of Methotrexate which is once per week.  I am going to keep a record of my bodies reaction to it, and whether it is helping my Psoriatic Arthritis or not.  The Dr. had me take it at night prior to bed so I can sleep on the first hour of the dose, and she said I need to have an open day the next day for rest as needed, due to the possible stomach and intestinal upset.  Fun is...
So stay tuned, same bat time, same bat channel.

Trainer Roads Beta Test day 3

Sunday Morning: Day 2 of Beta 2nd try

Tried to pair both by BTE and ANT+, crashed at 6 minutes.

Uninstalled and reinstalled, even change videos, only paired via ANT+ but still crashed at 7:32 min.  No time to try the file removal again. but will tomorrow.

Deleted trainer roads data folder then reinstalled prior to dirty dozen.

Did get in a bit of a ride, enough to sweat anyway.  Two rides totaling about 15 minutes....Not much but better than nothing.  Preserves my streak at 7 days in a row.

TrainerRoads Beta App for Mac: Try 2

Road indoors to sufferfest's To Get to the Other Side for 1 hr using the beta app.  No crashes but there were a few "glitches".  

1. The app and video did not synch properly.

2. The app did not record my workout at the end, just shut down. ( I have it recorded on Garmin)

Some things I would like to have back:

1.The efficiency bar under WATTS was nice, although not necessary 

Things I like about the Beta:

1. Pair and connectivity is easy and efficient

2. New look and feel.

3. Choosing video is easier and bigger viewing area.

Beta Test of the New TrainerRoads app for Mac

Beta Testing the TrainerRoads App for Mac (first impressions)

-Like the new user interface and graphics.  Simple yet functional.  Much easier to work with devices.  Quick and easy pairing.

-Similar workout data, but you can fast forward and rewind the video in place...Nice. (above)

-More web like and less application-centric.
-Choosing a workout video was as easy as selecting your favorite video type through selecting a graphic Icon:




Will ride the Sufferfest video TBTITW in the AM and give you my thoughts....
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Woke up early to try out the app, got it ready to go and just before mounting the bike, the computer froze up and rebooted.  I restarted the computer (older MacBook 13 intel model 2008).  Go everything running again, and was 6 minutes or so in when the app went down and disappeared.

Until the crash everything worked fine, and several new features worked tremendously.  The right ride segment tracker move across only that segment and then resets to the next allowing you to see how much time is left in that segment.  The left segment show where you are overall.

The app when working has the similar functionality and data points in the same places but the two graphics did not draw the data points on the graph. This may have been what caused the crash.  I like the new changes.  Now to make it STABLE enough to use.

Food for thought

Since I have contracted Psoriatic Arthritis I have completely changed my diet and eating habits to help reduce inflammation in my joints. Therefore, I will be using this blog to help track my food intake for the previous day and my joint pain and stiffness to fedder out the culprits.

My current diet plan includes the removal of meats from animals, with the exception of fish and eggs.  I have also decided to be gluten free as well.  I started with a gluten free diet in mid-August, and Pescetarianism in the first week of Sept.  I have also removed Night shade vegetables whenever feasible as these are also a source of inflammation.

Thus Far I have seen a lessening of my symptoms, but I still have a lot  of inflammation and pain.   In addition I have found that eating red sauce or tomatoes, bell pepper, potatoes and wheat effect my symptoms the most.  Specially the red sauce and for an Italian boy that is drastic.  I did have Rye bread without issue, but 100% whole wheat cause an increase in inflammation.  I do not eat too many fresh tomatoes but ate salsa with some tomatoes without effect.

Ate Wild Salmon with rice and veggies last night and seems to be a positive result.  Today I can touch type so that is an improvement.

If you are inflicted by this disease see what your triggers are, and stick to it adding foods back one at a time and record the results.  Seems to be working a bit for me.