Reducing Heart Rate Running

brownbinman

Hi all

I've got back into the running and am currently tipping along nicely.

However I've noticed my heart rate creep up. My heart rate on average is around the 170 mark with cadence of 160.

I'm only 32 and I know the general rule of thumb is 220-age but I'm still think it might be a bit high, especially as I'm training for few 1/2 marathons this year.

Can anyone suggest some tips to reduce HR or would this happen naturally as my fitness improves

Thanks in advance

Annie get your Run

The first thing you need to do is a max HR test here's a simple guide or if you're racing a 5K flat out use the max HR achieved in the race. The age/220 calculator is hugely inaccurate.

Once you know what your max is you can then train in the correct zones, there are a few different running plans/options for that but roughly your easy pace could be your max HR minus 50bpm (although that's based on HADD which is not for everyone).

As you train your fitness will improve and you will see your paces increase for the same hear rate so for example you might start out your easy runs at HR 130bpm which translates to 10 min miles, as you get fitter you'll see those paces go down to 9.30min miles (that's just an example, everyone's easy pace will differ).

TFBubendorfer

brownbinman wrote: »

Hi all

I've got back into the running and am currently tipping along nicely.

However I've noticed my heart rate creep up. My heart rate on average is around the 170 mark with cadence of 160.

I'm only 32 and I know the general rule of thumb is 220-age but I'm still think it might be a bit high, especially as I'm training for few 1/2 marathons this year.

Can anyone suggest some tips to reduce HR or would this happen naturally as my fitness improves

Thanks in advance

Congratulation on tipping along nicely

The HR creeping up during a run is a sign of not being very fit. That's not a personal criticism, that happens to every one of use when we start out running.

As you get fitter, two things will happen. 1) the average HR on any run will be lower and 2) the HR will eventually stop drifting upwards during a run.

However, this is a long, slow process. My HR these days is about 20 beats lower for the same pace as it had been 10 years ago. Initial progress is much faster but the rate of improvement slows down after a while.

There is nothing specific you do about it. It will come down all by itself as you get fitter. Don't worry about it, and don't get too obsessed with numbers.

Also, forget about the 220-age formula. It's worthless. That's supposed to be your maximum heart rate but it is totally inaccurate for the majority of runners I know and my own max HR is almost 20 beats higher than the age formula would have you believe.

brownbinman

many thanks folks. Much appreciated. Did a HR and VO2 max test last year and was told I'm perfect.

I'm actually around the 10min/mile mark but might reduce it slightly to see how I get on.

I'm probably just being too cautious and hopefully it'll come down over time. Was at the 26km last year before an injury but my HR was averaging 165 and with a cadence of 171

Annie get your Run

brownbinman wrote: »

many thanks folks. Much appreciated. Did a HR and VO2 max test last year and was told I'm perfect.

I'm actually around the 10min/mile mark but might reduce it slightly to see how I get on.

I'm probably just being too cautious and hopefully it'll come down over time. Was at the 26km last year before an injury but my HR was averaging 165 and with a cadence of 171

Did they give you your max HR? what is it? 165 sounds very high HR to be doing easy runs at unless your Max was 200+?

brownbinman

I can't remember off hand but must dig it out. If I find it I'll definitely report back

28064212

brownbinman wrote: »

I know the general rule of thumb is 220-age...

That's a useless formula for an individual. It can be useful for, say, statisticians studying large groups of people, but utterly meaningless to a single person. Real-life testing are the only way to look at your own HR details

average_runner

brownbinman wrote: »

many thanks folks. Much appreciated. Did a HR and VO2 max test last year and was told I'm perfect.

I'm actually around the 10min/mile mark but might reduce it slightly to see how I get on.

I'm probably just being too cautious and hopefully it'll come down over time. Was at the 26km last year before an injury but my HR was averaging 165 and with a cadence of 171

How did the run feel? Were you tired during or it or could you hold a conversation ?

Heartrate gives us alot of things, for example I did a hard tempo on Thursday, really pushed it, for my long run on Sat my pace was 15 secs slower on sat, some due to the course but I was basing it on feel and heart rate. I know I wasn't a 100% recovered from the thursday session.

HelenAnne

I actually feel my own heart rate creeping up as I read this thread! Does anyone else find that thinking / worrying about their heartrate makes it go up? (I'm not being funny - mine goes up whenever the doctor tries to take it, and I stopped every measuring it myself (with one of those apps on my phone) as a) I started to get anxious about it / started to worry about whether I was as fit as other people, whether my resting heart rate was too high etc and b) I could genuinely feel my heart starting to race as soon as I put my finger on the tester.)

(And it really is racing a bit now as I think about it!)

brownbinman

average_runner wrote: »

How did the run feel? Were you tired during or it or could you hold a conversation ?

was on my own but felt it was little tougher than usual. I was conscious of my HR which could have added to the problem

I actually keep a log of each run on a spreadsheet. Few weeks ago I was doing 4-4.5km at slower pace (6:30km/min) and HR was around 150 mark

really appreciate the feedback folks, really do

eyrie

HelenAnne wrote: »

I actually feel my own heart rate creeping up as I read this thread! Does anyone else find that thinking / worrying about their heartrate makes it go up?

Haha, yes!! Mine definitely does the same when I try to take it (which makes that a pretty pointless exercise). I spent a while doing purely heart-rate based training and I swear it made my heartrate higher just from worrying about trying to keep it in the right range! :rolleyes:

BeepBeep67

Do some research on cardiac drift, it's quite normal within reason.

Here's a running specific article to kick you off: https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/why-cardiac-drift-is-important-for-runners-who-train-by-heart-rate/

Clearlier

HelenAnne wrote: »

I actually feel my own heart rate creeping up as I read this thread! Does anyone else find that thinking / worrying about their heartrate makes it go up? (I'm not being funny - mine goes up whenever the doctor tries to take it, and I stopped every measuring it myself (with one of those apps on my phone) as a) I started to get anxious about it / started to worry about whether I was as fit as other people, whether my resting heart rate was too high etc and b) I could genuinely feel my heart starting to race as soon as I put my finger on the tester.)

(And it really is racing a bit now as I think about it!)

If you focus in on your heart rate you can slow it down too.

brownbinman

Just back from a lunchtime run. Ran with the HR face on watch and focused on that rather than pace.

5.16km @ 6:07min/km and avg HR of 159 so significantly lower. Strange thing is, I felt it was a much lower pace throughout and more manageable.

I'll keep an eye on it and try again for my next run of a similar pace

Thanks to all again