Ron,
Good on you for running at 60 years old.  I can tell you a few things.
First off make sure that if you have any problems, speak to your
physician.  Ok, now that that's out of the way let me tell you a few
things you might or might not be aware of.  First, you have to be aware
that the drug verapamil is what's refered to as a "calcium blocker"
It's a drug given primarily to those who have high blood pressure
(hypertension), coronary artery spasm (some forms of angina) and not
infrequently are given to bring the heart rate down.  Going on the
presumption that you have no real medical problems, the increase in
heart is do to excercise. Next, I assume you have no pain, dizzyness,
nausea, or you don't feel light headed when you are running.  If these
are the facts, it's most likely you did not notice those spikes in your
heart heart previously, as we usually cannot tell to what extent our
heart rate is increased to when we are permorming any exercise.  The
heart rate fluctuates on a daily bases, on a hourly bases, and even
minute-to-minute, it fluctuates.  Also, drug verapamil, will act
differently depending on a few factors; if it's the extended release or
immediate release and the dosage you take and the milligrams.
Sometimes the dose is too high for you and you might have a type of
suppresion of your heart rate when you excercise.  You also have to
know what your heart rate was like before you started taking the
verapamil and would excersice.  So all in all, I think  (FROM WHAT YOU
WROTE) you probobably don't have a problem, but again if you have a
concerns speak with your physician.  That's what I would want my
patients to do.
Grinch

Do you use an automatic device to take your pulse or do you do it manually? If
manually, it could be a problem getting an accurate reading during the first
min. or so.

Bill

Would suggest you inform your doctor who likely will want to refer you
to a cardiologist for possible stress testing.

You are welcome :-)

At His service,

Andrew

--
Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD
Board-Certified Cardiologist

**
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It seems to me I heard somewhere that ron wrote in article
<1109296493.329622.88650@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>:

Ckmiller raised the possibility of erratic HRM readings.  My HRM is
sensitive to interference from high tension lines, especially on dry
windy days that generate static.  On those days I pretty much have to
ignore the readings.

With Grinch's assumption that you have no "real" medical problems, if
you really are spiking now and weren't before your layoff, it may just
be from a slight loss of conditioning; running, particularly on trails,
is a different beast from treadmills and ellips.  I find it takes me a
fairly set distance to hit a steady HR, usually around a mile and a
half.  Up to that point I usually ramp up fairly smoothly but there are
days when I overshoot and then drop back, without any perceived
difference in exertion or pace.  At 76 I don't push much so I rarely see
those 150-160 readings any more, but I can do it when motivated.  I
normally cruise about where you do, 135-140.