Cover lesson · PE · Year 7 · Beginner

Calculating heart rate recovery and hydration for a cross-country run

LNF: Numeracy → Understanding the number system helps us to represent and compare relationships between numbers and quantities → Calculation

Also assessed, DCF: Data and computational thinking → Data and information literacy

Name: Class: Date:

Cover teacher: you need no subject knowledge

What this practises: multi-step calculation and sports data literacy in PE. Pupils turn 15-second pulse counts into beats per minute (multiplying by 4), calculate each runner’s 2-minute heart-rate recovery drop, add three 800 m lap split times and convert seconds into minutes and seconds, work out water requirements in millilitres and litres, and write 3 training conclusions. No computers are needed.

Board: open the supply teacher presentation for board slides, timers and spoken script.

Print: this worksheet, one per pupil, and the stimulus sheet “Coed y Bryn 2.4 km Cross-Country: Pulse Counts, Lap Splits and Hydration”, one between two. Hand out calculators.

Run: 5 min settling starter · 5 min calculation rules · 10 min Step 1 (pulse and heart-rate recovery table) · 10 min Step 2 (lap splits and finish times) · 12 min Step 3 (hydration in ml and L) · 5 min Step 4 (3 training conclusions) · 3 min plenary review. Total 50 minutes.

Collect: this worksheet. Quick checks: Step 1 recovery drops: Dewi 56, Ffion 48, Gethin 40, Lowri 60, Mared 36, Osian 52 bpm. Step 2 finish times: Dewi 675 s (11 min 15 s), Ffion 720 s (12 min 00 s), Gethin 740 s (12 min 20 s), Lowri 640 s (10 min 40 s), Mared 780 s (13 min 00 s), Osian 690 s (11 min 30 s). Step 3 hydration: 750 ml (0.75 L) per runner, 4,500 ml (4.5 L) for 6, 18,000 ml (18 L) for 24 = 4 carriers of 5 L.

What you are doing

Six Year 7 pupils have run the 2.4 km Coed y Bryn cross-country course. You will complete their heart-rate recovery table, work out their finish times and pacing from their 800 m lap splits, and calculate how much water the PE department needs to bring.

Step 1: complete the heart-rate and recovery table

Use Table 1 on the stimulus sheet. Multiply each 15-second pulse count by 4 to find the heart rate in bpm, then calculate the 2-minute recovery drop.

Runner Resting HR: 15-s count × 4 (bpm) Peak HR: 15-s count × 4 (bpm) 2-min recovery HR: 15-s count × 4 (bpm) Recovery drop: Peak − 2-min (bpm)
Dewi 16 × 4 = 64 46 × 4 = 184 32 × 4 = 128 184 − 128 = 56 bpm
Ffion
Gethin
Lowri
Mared
Osian

Quick check: Which runner had the largest recovery drop (fastest recovery)? ________________________ Which runner had the smallest recovery drop? ________________________

Step 2: convert 800 m lap split times into finish times

(a) Use Table 2 on the stimulus sheet to add the three 800 m lap times in seconds, then convert the total into minutes and seconds (60 s = 1 min; 600 s = 10 min; 660 s = 11 min; 720 s = 12 min; 780 s = 13 min).

Runner Lap 1 (s) Lap 2 (s) Lap 3 (s) Total time (seconds) Total time (min and s) Finish rank (1st to 6th)
Dewi 220 230 225 675 s 11 min 15 s 2nd
Ffion 235 240 245
Gethin 200 250 290
Lowri 215 215 210
Mared 240 260 280
Osian 225 235 230

(b) Which runner ran the fastest Lap 1 (200 s) but finished 5th overall? How many seconds slower was his Lap 3 than his Lap 1, and what mistake did he make?

Step 3: work out hydration requirements in millilitres and litres

Use Section 3 of the stimulus sheet (1,000 ml = 1 L) to complete these hydration calculations.

Hydration calculation Working out Answer (with units)
1. Water for 1 runner (before + during + after) 250 ml + 150 ml + 350 ml 750 ml (0.75 L)
2. Water for this group of 6 runners (in ml and L)
3. Water for the full squad of 24 runners (in ml and L)
4. Number of 5-litre carriers needed for 24 runners (and spare water left)

Step 4: write 3 training conclusions from the figures

Write 3 training conclusions for the PE coach, using numbers from Steps 1, 2 and 3 to explain: (1) how heart-rate recovery links to finish times, (2) why steady lap pacing beats sprinting at the start, and (3) how much water to prepare for the 24-runner squad.

Step by step

  1. 5 min Settling starter: multiply Dewi’s 15-second resting pulse count by 4.
  2. 5 min Check the pulse, time and volume conversion rules on the board.
  3. 10 min Complete Step 1: calculate resting, peak and 2-minute recovery heart rates and drops.
  4. 10 min Complete Step 2: add the three 800 m lap splits and convert to minutes and seconds.
  5. 12 min Complete Step 3: calculate water requirements in millilitres and litres and 5 L carriers.
  6. 5 min Write 3 training conclusions in Step 4 backed by your figures.
  7. 3 min Check your answers against the plenary slide.

Success criteria

If you finish early