For the last couple of years, I have just gone out and ran and biked and swam. Didn't pay a whole lot of attention to HR except to note it. (Didn't train by it)...
Highest I ever saw it was during my marathon run when it went up to 196 (I was 40 at the time). As time went on, I was able to run at a faster pace with that same generalized rate, 196 or so being max.
After taking time off, I lost some fitness and now I'm not quite back to that yet, but I've now had the HR up to 203 max in a couple of local 5K's I've done recently. I'm now almost 18 months older.
A cardiologist told me that max HR is just that, the highest your heart will beat and not really to stress if it was higher than others at your age. I'm just wondering how it seems to be increasing with age. Thoughts?
All I can on this one is
All I can on this one is WOW! I would be on a stretcher on my way to the local hospital if I hit those numbers.
It doesn't sound like you follow a training plan, is that correct? When I first started in tri's, my heart rate was through the roof most of the time...didn't matter what I was doing. Once I hooked up with a coach and really started to understand the body but more importantly, my body, my heart rate started to fall dramatically.
Now, after many years and having very solid base, my heart rate is right where it needs to be to compete at distances of HIM and Full IM. I would HIGHLY recommend really looking into heart rate training / zone training. Your body will not have to work as hard and you will probably end up much faster than you are now.
Just a thougt.
Train hard, train safe.
Brad
Funny thing is that I feel
Funny thing is that I feel winded at the end of a race but I recover quickly and the HR is not up all day. It drops quick and my resting is still high 40s. I watch some guys run a 5 or 10K and their puking and damn near passing out after the finish. I feel like its been a hard effort, but really no big deal.
Did you look at the HR graph
Did you look at the HR graph near the high points? Some monitors sometimes give bad readings, so it doesn't hurt to make sure it makes sense.
I get up in the low-190s too
I get up in the low-190s too on 5Ks (though only 32) and experience the same thing after a race. I recover real quickly and have a low resting HR. It's weird reading folks talk about doing threshold runs at low-160s while I'm in the upper 170s. I know what you mean. It's crazy how different each person can be. Do you by chance take any medication? I know my athsma medicine give me a slightly higher HR.
I would try not to worry
I would try not to worry about actual beats per minute versus the 40-something year old next to you. I am 47, give or take 1-3 beats, my max HR is about 177-179. I generally speak in % of Max HR not BPM, so when my buddies ask me "What is your HR? I reply I am at 76% of max as an example, we are all different.
The fact that you max HR went up is interesting. Could have been a weird spike as mentioned. You mention your not as fit now, but I wonder if for some reason if your able to reach a higher threshold now. Could your Anaerobic threshold be better and you are able to reach a higher HR versus shutting down early and not reach a higher potential max? A really unfit person who has low threshold levels would never come close to his/her max? As "bradaellis" mentioned, their are many great books available, especilly for running.
I am not going to ask what brand you use, but proper transmitter care affects HR transmission, the crew at Polar's Customer Care actually have to ask people if they wash their Wear Link transmitter. I am referring to whay kylie mentioned. If your whole 5K was in the high 190's and you peaked at 203, could be nornal for that last .1 effort in a 5K. If your avg hr was in the 180's and then you see a 203 peak, then I would think something else is happening.
I am not a doctor, did not play one on TV or sleep at a Holiday Inn Express, just a fellow athlete working at Polar
paganopj, I would be
paganopj,
I would be interested to see your times and HR zones for your 5/10km, I presume you are running at race pace, flat out? There is a chance that the increase in your heart rate could be due to loss of fitness and not an increase in age. I believe the general rule is that you will gradually lose a few beats a year around your mid 30s. The less fitter you are will require the heart to work harder as it has to pump oxygenated blood around the body to the muscles so that they can perform, its that simple.
Have you correctly worked out your maximum heart rate, your resting heart rate and your training zones? Its in your interest to lower your heart rate as this will have a direct link in lowering your lactate threshold, less stress on the heart, muscles more effective.
3-5months of base training will do that. You will find that after a base period you can keep the same pace at a lower heart rate, lower LT. This will = less effort = greater endurance and for longer. A great analogy for base/heart training: "Build the Ferrari don't fine tune the Volkswagen".
I am also in my mid 40's and I have a max HR of over 190, but its rare that I train in a high zone and during my longer races I will stick to a zone when running.
Rob
The last 5K I ran on
The last 5K I ran on Saturday was a max hit at 200 and an avg HR of 186 for the race. (There were a couple of decent hills) My avg pace was 7:14(slow)
The 5K the week prior was a max hit of 198 and avg HR of 186 for the race. (Few hills, really) My avg pace for that race was a 7:06
Two weeks prior was another race where I hit 203 and the avg HR was 189 for the race (There was a monster hill) My avg pace was 7:12
Contrast this with a 1/2 Mary I ran on 2/6 where I kept a pace of 7:37 for the race and my max HR was 187 with an avg of 178
My PR for a 5K was last Nov when I ran a 6:42 pace and broke 21:00 (I don't have the HRM data unfortunately)
My HR has always run high and I am sure this is due to only having been running since Oct 2008 and never really doing base training. I'm just shocked that it hit over 200. I don't think it was an error in readings as those are usually way up in the 240 range or something when the 305 goes haywire.
With the exception of the races, I have been doing nothing but slow runs for the last couple of weeks and to keep my HR below 140 takes work and an 11:15+ pace overall. I can only get away with LSD base training for so much longer as IMFL is looming about 6 mos out. I figure being comfortable with 8+ mi runs and 70+ on the bike, I can afford a few more weeks of base.
Mate we are of a similar
Mate we are of a similar age, and all I can say from my own experience is that the 4 months of base training I did off season have made a vast difference.
Rob
I also seem to have a high
I also seem to have a high heart rate for my age. But I seem to feel fine training at a high heart rate. I have noticed though that if I don't force myself to do some "easy" workouts during the week, I will get burnt out and I may not notice it until 4-6 weeks into a training phase. I recommend wearing a HR monitor for the next 2-3 months just to learn your HR patterns. Just so you learn about your HR. I think HR trends vary among athletes.
Another point is if you are
Another point is if you are racing every weekend, you are not training and will therefore see minimal improvement, as your body is recovering to where it was before the race. If you are going to race a 5km every week work in a zone and stick to it.
Rob
robmathews66 wrote:Another
[quote=robmathews66]Another point is if you are racing every weekend, you are not training and will therefore see minimal improvement, as your body is recovering to where it was before the race. If you are going to race a 5km every week work in a zone and stick to it.
Rob [/quote]
I know... interesting enough, I had quit training for several weeks until my friends at work got me out for that first 5K a few weeks ago. (Work has been a serious mental drain lately...I work for a state agency and its legislation time, my unit might be cut, etc and soforth) and it's the races and camaraderie that have got me fueled again to meet my long term goals for IM this year.
One of the guys at work was telling me what an inspiration I was to others (as I was almost 250lbs when I left the agency) and came back 5 years later fit, running, and doing triathlons...anyway, I digress...the point is that I have been showing up to be supportive as well as to get back on track myself. This weekend is the last race I have planned. I have been doing the 5K's and then going out for another 6-8 at 140bpm and below pace (like I said, I recovery quickly) Anyway, I know what you are saying and I'm trying to get that on track.
I am not sure, however, if I should spend a couple of months in base with only 6 months to go to IM.
I have no experience in IM
I have no experience in IM but I am 7 weeks out from my first HIM and I don't see why you cant build a base to your training plan as you are still six months out. Over to the more experienced Iron Men.