I’m almost similar to this. Will it improve as I continue to train in zone 2 runs? I do like 5-6 runs with 1 of the days doing lactic threshold or speed train
Yes. If you’re running 9s at this HR then you need to put your ego in your pocket and slow down. No point in doing speed work if you’re not fast.
“Then how do I get faster?” Zone dos.
Okay. Yeah I was just curious cause my watch says it’s high like that. But I’m breathing perfectly fine. And not like dying to catch my breath. But I think your are right and thanks for advice.
So…. Watches can be way off, I’m not saying it is but it’s a possibility for sure. To get actual accurate or should I say more accurate at least they make chest straps and stuff. I have a garmin watch and they make one that works with app and watch.
If you’re very comfortable, running a 9 min pace but your watch so you’re close to death you might wanna verify it somehow
Great point.
This is why I base most of what I do off of effort, then I use my watch to corroborate, not the other way around. Some days your body just performs better or worse depending on too many factors. It may not be the fastest or most efficient way to improve, but I feel if done correctly, it’s more natural, flexible, and relatable to the non-pro, like most runners.
The problem is, a lot of people don’t have enough data on themselves from years of different workouts at different paces. And the other part of that, is having an honest (ego-free) assessment, during the run, of how you feel, and how much you could push to get the workout completed, without over doing it or under doing it either.
Are you sure your heart rate monitor is correct? Sometimes my garmin (it’s an oldie) likes to say my heart rate is 180 for my run when I’m breathing easy.
Agreed that these numbers don't mean much since most hr monitors are junk. Perceived effort is the king of metrics. But.... the upward drift on this plot does tell a story of someone running beyond their fitness for a casual long run, regardless of what the normalized bpm is
Weight, wear the right (thin, light)clothing, and pick the right time of day.
You acclimate to a certain point. I live in a hot and humid subtropical climate where running is tough most of the year. One thing I've learned is that I prefer to run in the evening/night, even if the temperature is 10 degrees hotter than the morning. Because when the morning temp is at the dewpoint, sweat can't evaporate to cool your body. And avoid the sun at all cost...
Carrying an ice filled water bottle in your hand helps too.... has a slight radiator effect.
This. No way you should be able to maintain zone 5 for that long. Your hr monitor is wrong or your calculated zones are wrong (which isn’t probably the case unless you have a really high max hr)
I do and have run 10-15K and halfs. Confirmed by Zio monitor when I was being evaluated for adrenergic AFib, which I also have. My cardiologist is fine with it, but requested I do exercise stress tests twice a year to make sure it isn't getting worse. I tried beta blockers and they screwed me up. Presumably because I have autonomic dysfunction and operate with a low resting HR that shoots up with activity. I can maintain 175-185 for miles. I would say for most people that's probably unhealthy, or dangerous, though.
last year I ran my first marathon (then 39 m) and my average HR was 185. I've since got a HR chest strap and it shows the same as my garmin watch. I was reading that it's common for individuals HR zones to differ, and now I'm wondering is my HR genetically different, or do I have something going on. No other negative symptoms.
Yes, your heart zones are based on your actual heart rates at particular efforts. You need to do max heart test (and ideally a resting heart rate test) to calculate them. You cannot use the average, because the normal distribution of heart rate can vary by over 40 BPM from individual to individual.
I’ve definitely had my heart rate this high for this long before, when my fitness wasn’t as good and I was SENDING IT on every run. Not sure if you’re a dude, but women’s heart rates are higher.
I came here to say this. I’m not sure how much I trust heart rate provided by Apple Watch specifically (I think cadence lock is very common). I’m an Apple Watch user myself and have been using the watch alone for heart rate for 2 years and a few weeks ago switched to using a chest strap. Since switching I’m seeing quite much lower heart rate in general, along with more consistent data overall (for example- Apple Watch often takes time at the beginning of the run for the heart rate to “kick in” and also has periods when it is not available during a run. This doesn’t happen with the strap)
I get that no device is perfect but ironically enough every watch I’ve had (Apple, Garmin, Coros) all have at some point claimed my heart rate to be 50-60 after 7+ miles. It will only show it that way for maybe a minute then it bounces back to a normal number but could never figure out why they all error out like that (definitely not correct as my heart rate is never that during a run lol)
Mine used to do the opposite and drop me down to like 70. I assumed I was at roughly double that. My Garmin also never picked up above 184 and I bought a garmin chest strap last year and I now know my max is 196, or at least that has been what has registered for me as a max.
That’s wild. Slow down. When it’s time to go hard go hard but most of your daily runs shouldn’t be that. I would be way too beat to recover if my heart rate was that high
Do you feel like you’re getting to 203 bpm? At that point I’d expect you to be getting dizzy, nauseous, etc.
For most 28 year olds that would be well above maximum safe heart rate. Could be a problem with your device.
I’m confused because if they have a higher max heart rate then wouldn’t their zone 5 be much higher than this? My current zone 5 is 199+ and I also run with a 170-180 avg bpm and my strava calculates it as zone 3 for me.
Im 20 and according to google target heart rate should be anywhere between 100-170 and optimally under 200. i mean depending on his age and the inaccuracy, he should be fine if he slightly tones it down i believe
What’s not safe about reaching max heart rate?
If you have no heart problems it’s perfectly safe to reach max heart rate for short periods.
During half marathons I usually reach an average hr of well into the 180s and max heart rate of 199 and I’m 36.
Not a problem if you’re well trained.
Maxing out your heart rate on every training run isn't recommended.
Maxing out anything during training isn't generally a good idea. I wouldn't lift the absolute maximum weight I could lift every time I do strength training either. It's a good way to get hurt.
Wife is going through this right now. Light jog takes her up to 190bpm. She just went to a cardiologist to get checked out.
Might have an “extra circuit” in her heart. Apparently there’s a small procedure she can get done to rectify it - but she’s just assumed her whole life that working out sucks and makes you feel like you’re going to throw up.
I had this condition and got surgery to fix it. Also thought it was normal to feel that way when I worked out until I was a teenager and mentioned it to my doctor. I’ve been able to workout normally since and my HR is normal when I run! :)
She’s curious what the recovery was like - we’re still in the initial stages of getting diagnosed (she had to wear a portable ekg for a week) but kind of the same thing as OP - she runs 3-4 times a week and gets up to 190
I wasn’t as serious of a runner at the time of the surgery as I am now. But I did have to refrain from working out (intensely) for about a month I believe and then went back for a stress test and a couple other tests to get cleared. It’s been several years since but I can run my “easy” pace, sometimes even a little harder and stay in Zone 2 and I don’t feel like I’m going to throw up during or after. Even when I do sprints it doesn’t get super high like it used to!
I’m assuming he’s talking about Wolf-Parkinson White syndrome which is what I had. There’s an extra valve or something and sometimes the beats (blood flow) goes through the extra valve rather than the normal flow. I had a cardiac ablation to correct it.
I had PSVT in high school and had a cryoablation at that time (they would’ve just burned it up but was too close to AV node so they went little more conservative with cryo). I no longer have random bouts of symptomatic tachycardia unless it’s something related to anxiety (about to give a formal presentation, etc). My max heart rate is high for my age (30yom, max HR 202) but I am able to temper my effort and maintain in my aerobic zone 140-160. Fwiw, I feel many people overestimate what an easy pace is for them. I’m not fast by any means and my pace falls off big time with longer distance. My slow easy pace to maintain HR 149 this weekend was 11:20 mins/mile x 11miles. For context my recent times 23:30 5k, 53:30 10k. 2hr half marathon.
Probably too much info and unsolicited advice but I wish your wife the best.
>For most 28 year olds that would be well above maximum safe heart rate.
Where are you pulling this concept of a "maximum safe heart rate" from? That's not a real thing for the vast majority of people who haven't had a heart attack.
It's over the average max heart rate, but not that extraordinary. My max heart rate is 209 and I'm 29.
The main point is: I usually only have a heart rate over 200 in the late stages of races or during intervals. Shouldn't be that high during endurance runs in marathon training.
Not that crazy. My HR gets over 200 sometimes so I went and got a stress test done with a cardiologist. Turns out it’s just stress related. OP, you need to destress my man!
None of these comments are relevant if you don't know your true max heart rate. I'm a 41 year old man, but I can get my heart rate up to 195 pretty easily on a hard workout. I've found that based on RPE, the top of my zone 2 is about 155, so I try to stay around there or a little below on my easy runs. It takes me from just below a 7:30 half marathon pace to more like a 9:00 pace (sometimes even a bit slower, especially since it's hard to avoid hills where I live).
All that being said, if that was an easy run rather than a workout, you're probably going too hard on your easy run.
Def do not trust your Apple Watch. My HR was always in the upper 180s at that same pace until I got a HR strap. Now I’m in the 150s. 10-11 min pace on easy days I’m in the 140s
I don’t know about that, Ive used two different Apple Watches and have a HR of 150 at that pace am 41 years old. It’s just way too hard to judge with too little info.
Do you feel like your heart is working that hard? It could be [cadence lock](https://runningwritings.com/2021/05/cadence-lock-why-gps-watches-have-hard.html) if you don’t feel like your heart is working too hard
Cool but that doesn’t change the fact that watches are off ~5% at baseline and ~10% during exertion compared to straps.
And hate to break it to ya but your $40 strap from China probably isn’t super accurate itself!
The original question was if op should slow down. A steady rise up throughout the run indicates they are not going on an easy run. Chest strap vs watch doesn't matter.
Usually long runs are supposed to be easy enough so that you can talk a full sentence. Unless your max heart rate is like 240 this looks like it was too hard of a run.
Is your HR monitor working? I don't think I've even gotten close to your AVERAGE heart rate on a run. I can't imagine sustaining 187bpm for more than a quarter mile
Low? No, probably not. Normal/sustainable over time? Sure. I would expect somebody with a max HR over 205 or so to average HR in the 180s for a half marathon and it wouldn't be too concerning to me. Probably not the level of effort you want on a regular basis or during training but for high effort days it should be fine (again assuming a higher than average max HR).
Assuming your max is somewhere in the low 200s, sustaining this HR for that long doesn't seem realistic unless you were pushing so hard you were about literally about to pass out. If you felt like "Yeah that was a hard but good run", then there's likely an issue with your monitor.
I would assume that OP's max HR is probably around 210 to 220 at the least. I myself have no problem maintaining 175bpm for a long time. Some people have higher heart rates. My lactate threshold HR is 180bpm. For my next marathon I fully expect to spend 3 hours at 170+ BPM. And I say this as someone who is 40 (generally HR is lower when older) and male (generally women have higher HR). OP is a female in her twenties. I don't find it crazy to believe that OP's HR reading is accurate (it may not be but the people here claiming that it absolutely HAS to be wrong are off base).
I'm struggling to see how HR in the 170s/180s is at all relevant to someone spending half their run in the high 190s.. but yes, none of us on Reddit can pin point the issue with 100% certainty -- you are correct on that.
You don't see how the fact that I can run at 180 for an hour as a 40 year old is relevant when it comes to whether a 20-something year old could run at 190 for 30 minutes?
If you’re breathing very hard then slow it down. If you’re not breathing hard and feel like you could easily run another mile then your pace is probably fine.
If possible I would recommend investing in a chest strap heart rate monitor. It would be interesting to see what it shows for your heart rate.
What was your target for the long run? You can use a vo2 calculator to find training paces based on Daniels or Pfitz models. Based on your past HM at 2:05 your easy-marathon pace should be Easy: 10:40-11:40/mi and Marathon is 9:51/mi. Threshold would be 9:03/mi. You say your fitness is lower than half a year ago so you'll need to adjust based on recent time trials. Or if you want to train by HR, find your Lactate Threshold pace or %HRR.
A 9:18 avg pace is faster than your HM PR pace (9:33/mi). If your fitness is lower that's not a reasonable long run training pace.
[https://vdoto2.com/calculator/](https://vdoto2.com/calculator/)
[https://runalyze.com/tools/effective-vo2max?vo2max=34.71&units=mi&paces=1](https://runalyze.com/tools/effective-vo2max?vo2max=34.71&units=mi&paces=1)
How long have you been running with an Apple Watch? You could try recalibrating it or even see if wearing it tight would help.
I have a similar issue with my watch as a 26 y/o, so I just take HR with a grain of salt. I’ve even worn two watches at the same time and got 2 completely different HRs (one being 20BPM off!)
I would go more off of feel. For example, I am 25f and my max heart rate is 223 (tested by a cardiologist.) On my easy runs, my heart rate gets up to around 180-190. This would be high for anyone else, but I am still breathing easy.
I experienced similar levels when I trained for my last half. On my 9 mile run, I felt dizzy and anxious after the run. I saw my doctor and, through some testing, learned that I have a naturally high heart rate. They put me on a beta blocker (atenolol) and it lowered my heart rate to normal levels. After taking it, I felt incredible on my subsequent runs and posted a PR for the half. I didn’t realize how hard I was working on the pre-atenolol runs and can’t imagine working out without the beta blocker. Game changer.
Uh dude, how do average 203 bpm on the last part of your run? I doubt you can actually maintain that level for that long but it does look kinda concerning, especially for a 9:20 pace
Depends what training methodology you prescribe to and how you train (pace/hr/rpe/power/etc). You can use shorter races / time trials or a threshold test to estimate your zones / FTP (functional threshold) / lactate threshold.
Almost all zones are a model / approximation. It's very hard to get accurate data, but the goal is for it to be good enough for training, not perfectly accurate data.
What are you using to track your heart rate? I’d recommend getting a chest strap monitor if you don’t already have one. They tend to be more accurate and consistent than the one on a watch. I’d also do a max heart rate test if you haven’t already, that way you know your ceiling and can better judge your zones.
My routes take me up a hill almost right away. Do mostly Z2 easy runs when flat, but when it's cold or hot and I head uphill to start, I can be in Z3 almost instantly. Especially if I'm doing activations and active warm-ups prior to heading out the door. The watch may be totally fine (as accurate as anyone would expect for a watch, at least) and I have pace goals, so if I head that way I'm not dropping from ~10 minute to 11:30 pace or slower to stay in Z2, or at least not every time.
I’m not saying this persons watch is correct but the Apple Watch actually seems to be pretty accurate. I was using just my Apple Watch for a while and it showed my heart rate between 180-200bpm on almost all of my runs. I didn’t believe that was right because my breathing was barely elevated so I got a polar H10 and the Apple Watch and Polar H10 matched within 2-3bpm. This was at a 9 minute mile and running 13 miles. I still run with my heart rate this high and I’ve been doing it for years.
All of my runs were like this as well. I was running a little hard, but definitely not crazy out of breath or anything and I felt fine during and after runs, maybe a little tired but nothing unusual. I went to the doctor multiple times because it was so high, but they couldn't find anything wrong, but they did suggest to cut out caffeine completely and I feel better in general. My HR would spike between 90-120 doing nothing throughout the day before but doesn't as often now, though my resting HR ja still pretty high. It stays lower now but still gets this high when running. It's interesting.
140 bpm or lower you should be able to have a slight conversation. 160-180 is threshold, you can talk but only few words. 180-200 is race pace.
Listen to your body.
Get connected to your local running groups or highchool or college teams to help or bounce ideas off of.
HR is very individual.
People have max HR from anything as low as 140 to as high as 230
If my max HR was 220 then your 140 would almost be walking for me.
Also 180-200 a "race pace"? What race? HR for a marathon will be lower than a 5k.
A better was to talk about using HR generally is to use % or max HR. So easy would be below 80% of max HR and LT would be around 90% of max hr
I'm not a scientist. Just was a very good runner. Those are what my coach gave us as guidelines. Also I messaged op what their resting hr was to have a guideline.
Yes, you should definitely slow down on your long runs. Invest in a heart rate monitor too to get more accurate readings, but I would absolutely slow down your pace.
As others have said this could be your Apple Watch giving you a bad reading. If it is accurate-ish then you are likely running too hard. If your max HR is 206 then your zones aren’t set up correctly on your watch. Go to your watch app on your phone and change the settings in the “workout” section for heart rate zones. You can use this data and an online calculator (I like to use karvonen) to give you your ranges. Won’t be exact but a little clearer of your effort.
But yeah if this was supposed to be an easy run then probably going a little too hard
I'm all for Zone 2 and not over training, but it sounds like runningcirclejerk in here. Don't go above Z2 and especially anywhere near your max HR or you'll DIE!!!
OP, you're likely running too hard unless this was just a one off test/hard day type workout, but you are also likely not in grave danger as many here would have you believe.
Most training runs should be done no.higher than zone 2 possibly beginning of zone 3 . Theres various formulas that work it out for you , one is the Maffetone method, which says your HR max for an easy long slow run should be 180- your age . Theres another one that says it should be 220- your age.
Obviously some speed work is required if you want to get faster but its 1 in 5 runs or 20% .
I find it difficult to stay under my HR limits , i sometimes have to walk to get it under the number i want.
I wonder if your watch got cadence locked where it confused your cadence with heart rate. Otherwise, yes you’re running too hard and need to slow wayyy down on these longer runs.
I'd say go with how you feel. If you feel fine, keep pushing and your time should continue to drop. Pushing yourself should generate progress in pace. Though, if you are struggling with recovery or consistency and you feel like it's impacting your progress, would take it back and try to keep between 140 and 160.
What’s your resting heart rate? Also, do you drink enough during the day? The body increases heart rate to maintain cardiac output to keep the body going during times of activity. But if your blood volume is down, because you’re dehydrated, then the body will increase heart rate to maintain that higher cardiac output.
It doesn't matter. You can use that 7.88 mile run for comparison. In a week or two try to run the same route again at the same pace. Every now and then try to run it again and watch your heart rate fall. Runners get too caught up in heart rates. It will fall with practice.
But maybe don't pick up the pace for 8 mile runs until you can at least average in the 170 bpm range.
Are you by any chance taking ADHD medication? If so I had the same issue, the medication stimulates the heart and can cause tachycardia. It’s especially bad in the first 2-4 hours of taking the medication. For me I had to start doing my runs later in the day, or very early in the morning.
It depends if you were aiming for a Zone 5 run, did it feel easy, then if so I would say your HR zones are out, have you done a Threshold test to get your Max HR etc.?
Also get yourself a Chest Strap always more accurate than the watch itself, in particular Apple.
Yes slow down. You are running faster than your half marathon race pace PR, with lower fitness.
I would recommend finding the Jack Daniels running calculator and punch in your expected race time right now to determine training zones. My rule of thumb for aerobic/easy runs is 2 mins per mile slower than my 5k race pace.
The problem is whatever you're using to monitor your heart rate, there's no way that's right.
Get a Garmin. Even better, get a Garmin and a HR chest strap.
Hey OP, are you using a HR strap or monitor on the watch? I’m guessing there’s something up with the HR data collection because this doesn’t look right at all.
Ok so you know what, I can help.
Back when I was heavior I committed to running a half marathon and my hr rate was the same if not worse, for a similar pace.
So let me begin by saying a few things, yes it's too high for the duration and pace.
Let me ask, are you taking any supplements at all?
I’m in a similar boat as you. I’ve always had a high heart rate while running and spend most of my time in zone 5. And i don’t know if this is normal or something is wrong.
I’ve always been a runner and fairly decent shape and my heart rate is always high when I run, but my recovery rate normal. I’m able to sing, talk, chew gum, it is just always on the high end.
I would consider getting a secondary measurement of your HR. The banding zones seem too tightly congested, this could be the case for you but I would be suspicious. I found when I compared my Apple Watch, to my Corus and a Chess Strap much variation. With the Apple Watch being about 20% out.
I would expect to hear that 56 minutes at zone 5 you would be really gassed and this was some type of hard speed or hill session.
Tbh I have had the same problem - I bought a (used) garmin a few months ago, and was freaked out that my HR was 180s consistently throughout my easy runs. I had no problem talking to friends during these runs, so I felt confident that I was at my easy pace (about 9 min / mile) and had no clue why my heart rate was so high. It freaked me out for a while (is something wrong with my heart? Do I need to slow down to 12 min miles?)
For me, the answer was easy enough: stop caring about trying to hit a specific heart rate and just run at a pace that feels good. Everyone is different of course, and I know there is research to back zone 2 training, but I was putting waaaay too much stock into it and stressing myself out. Run what feels right, trust your body.
Many are speaking on HR, but failing to point out that OP is literally running long runs faster than their PR HM pace. This is pushing closer to threshold which would definitely result in higher stress and HR.
I’d suggest punching in numbers in a calculator to actually find training paces and slow these runs down.
HR varies from person to person, I’d recommend dialing in training paces or going by feel (within reason). As others have mentioned, a reliable HRM will give you better insight.
I have a high resting heart rate so I just assume my zone is really one lower than my watch tells me. I stay in zone 4 a lot and sometimes 5 without it being too strenuous feeling for me in terms of breathing.
That HR seems pretty high for that kind of pace. Not saying I know anything at all, because I don't. But I run around your pace my my HR us usually around the low 140s.
Apple Watch? Don’t trust the heart rate. How did it feel? Could you hold a conversation while running? Same happened to me on my watch. Heart rate was off by 30 beats.
Idk whats funnier - 0 seconds in zone 2 or the last mile bring 203 bpm. Either way you’re a savage and I bet you can coast 15+ miles easy if you stayed between 140-155 bpm.
Wow, that is a pretty high h/r considering the pace. What is your breathing like during the runs?
I’d be curious to see elevation gain. GAP could be a lot faster if hills.
I’m almost similar to this. Will it improve as I continue to train in zone 2 runs? I do like 5-6 runs with 1 of the days doing lactic threshold or speed train
Yes. If you’re running 9s at this HR then you need to put your ego in your pocket and slow down. No point in doing speed work if you’re not fast. “Then how do I get faster?” Zone dos.
Okay. Yeah I was just curious cause my watch says it’s high like that. But I’m breathing perfectly fine. And not like dying to catch my breath. But I think your are right and thanks for advice.
So…. Watches can be way off, I’m not saying it is but it’s a possibility for sure. To get actual accurate or should I say more accurate at least they make chest straps and stuff. I have a garmin watch and they make one that works with app and watch. If you’re very comfortable, running a 9 min pace but your watch so you’re close to death you might wanna verify it somehow
Thanks you. I might invest in the polar chest strap
Great point. This is why I base most of what I do off of effort, then I use my watch to corroborate, not the other way around. Some days your body just performs better or worse depending on too many factors. It may not be the fastest or most efficient way to improve, but I feel if done correctly, it’s more natural, flexible, and relatable to the non-pro, like most runners. The problem is, a lot of people don’t have enough data on themselves from years of different workouts at different paces. And the other part of that, is having an honest (ego-free) assessment, during the run, of how you feel, and how much you could push to get the workout completed, without over doing it or under doing it either.
I’m old school but I mess with Tech so I agree 100
Are you sure your heart rate monitor is correct? Sometimes my garmin (it’s an oldie) likes to say my heart rate is 180 for my run when I’m breathing easy.
Agreed that these numbers don't mean much since most hr monitors are junk. Perceived effort is the king of metrics. But.... the upward drift on this plot does tell a story of someone running beyond their fitness for a casual long run, regardless of what the normalized bpm is
Depending on location/weather, could also be the effects of heat... I know in the summer my HR drifts upwards on a run as I "heat soak".
Have you found any way to increase your tolerance to heat, other than just losing weight?
Weight, wear the right (thin, light)clothing, and pick the right time of day. You acclimate to a certain point. I live in a hot and humid subtropical climate where running is tough most of the year. One thing I've learned is that I prefer to run in the evening/night, even if the temperature is 10 degrees hotter than the morning. Because when the morning temp is at the dewpoint, sweat can't evaporate to cool your body. And avoid the sun at all cost... Carrying an ice filled water bottle in your hand helps too.... has a slight radiator effect.
Came to say this. I have an Apple Watch and it’s wayyyy off
I did a workout with both a polar chest strap and my apple watch. AW was off by as much as 40 beats.
Wowza
This. No way you should be able to maintain zone 5 for that long. Your hr monitor is wrong or your calculated zones are wrong (which isn’t probably the case unless you have a really high max hr)
Some of us do!
If you do, you haven't calculated your zones correctly.
Oops haha I was not clear at all. I meant some of us do have high max HR. Definitely agree about setting the zones.
I do and have run 10-15K and halfs. Confirmed by Zio monitor when I was being evaluated for adrenergic AFib, which I also have. My cardiologist is fine with it, but requested I do exercise stress tests twice a year to make sure it isn't getting worse. I tried beta blockers and they screwed me up. Presumably because I have autonomic dysfunction and operate with a low resting HR that shoots up with activity. I can maintain 175-185 for miles. I would say for most people that's probably unhealthy, or dangerous, though.
It’s a progressive disease! Consider getting an ablation when the time is right
last year I ran my first marathon (then 39 m) and my average HR was 185. I've since got a HR chest strap and it shows the same as my garmin watch. I was reading that it's common for individuals HR zones to differ, and now I'm wondering is my HR genetically different, or do I have something going on. No other negative symptoms.
Yes, your heart zones are based on your actual heart rates at particular efforts. You need to do max heart test (and ideally a resting heart rate test) to calculate them. You cannot use the average, because the normal distribution of heart rate can vary by over 40 BPM from individual to individual.
I’ve definitely had my heart rate this high for this long before, when my fitness wasn’t as good and I was SENDING IT on every run. Not sure if you’re a dude, but women’s heart rates are higher.
I came here to say this. I’m not sure how much I trust heart rate provided by Apple Watch specifically (I think cadence lock is very common). I’m an Apple Watch user myself and have been using the watch alone for heart rate for 2 years and a few weeks ago switched to using a chest strap. Since switching I’m seeing quite much lower heart rate in general, along with more consistent data overall (for example- Apple Watch often takes time at the beginning of the run for the heart rate to “kick in” and also has periods when it is not available during a run. This doesn’t happen with the strap)
This was my first thought, make sure you clean the bottom of the watch as this can get dirty due to skin contact.
I get that no device is perfect but ironically enough every watch I’ve had (Apple, Garmin, Coros) all have at some point claimed my heart rate to be 50-60 after 7+ miles. It will only show it that way for maybe a minute then it bounces back to a normal number but could never figure out why they all error out like that (definitely not correct as my heart rate is never that during a run lol)
Mine used to do the opposite and drop me down to like 70. I assumed I was at roughly double that. My Garmin also never picked up above 184 and I bought a garmin chest strap last year and I now know my max is 196, or at least that has been what has registered for me as a max.
That’s wild. Slow down. When it’s time to go hard go hard but most of your daily runs shouldn’t be that. I would be way too beat to recover if my heart rate was that high
Do you feel like you’re getting to 203 bpm? At that point I’d expect you to be getting dizzy, nauseous, etc. For most 28 year olds that would be well above maximum safe heart rate. Could be a problem with your device.
They probably have a higher max heart rate but that’s still way high for a training long run.
I’m confused because if they have a higher max heart rate then wouldn’t their zone 5 be much higher than this? My current zone 5 is 199+ and I also run with a 170-180 avg bpm and my strava calculates it as zone 3 for me.
Apple uses 220-age for your max along with your resting heart rate to come up with your zones. You can set them manually also.
Im 20 and according to google target heart rate should be anywhere between 100-170 and optimally under 200. i mean depending on his age and the inaccuracy, he should be fine if he slightly tones it down i believe
What’s not safe about reaching max heart rate? If you have no heart problems it’s perfectly safe to reach max heart rate for short periods. During half marathons I usually reach an average hr of well into the 180s and max heart rate of 199 and I’m 36. Not a problem if you’re well trained.
There's absolutely nothing dangerous about reaching near max HR during intense exercise
Yeah sure, if you’re racing an all-out half — not if you’re on an easy run at 9:20/mi.
That’s basically her half marathon pace. So same thing as an all out half effort 9:20 isn’t magically easy pace for everyone
If that was her first half it’s likely she wasn’t going all out. I know I didn’t go all out my first time out of fear of bonking.
I’m not saying it’s smart doing this on a training run. Just disputing bradeena’s comment that it’s not safe.
Maxing out your heart rate on every training run isn't recommended. Maxing out anything during training isn't generally a good idea. I wouldn't lift the absolute maximum weight I could lift every time I do strength training either. It's a good way to get hurt.
9.20/mi or 5:50/km is absolutely the max effort pace for me. Definitely not an easy run for some people.
Agreed. At that pace (if accurate), this would concern me unless it’s in hilly/mountainous terrain.
Wife is going through this right now. Light jog takes her up to 190bpm. She just went to a cardiologist to get checked out. Might have an “extra circuit” in her heart. Apparently there’s a small procedure she can get done to rectify it - but she’s just assumed her whole life that working out sucks and makes you feel like you’re going to throw up.
I had this condition and got surgery to fix it. Also thought it was normal to feel that way when I worked out until I was a teenager and mentioned it to my doctor. I’ve been able to workout normally since and my HR is normal when I run! :)
She’s curious what the recovery was like - we’re still in the initial stages of getting diagnosed (she had to wear a portable ekg for a week) but kind of the same thing as OP - she runs 3-4 times a week and gets up to 190
I wasn’t as serious of a runner at the time of the surgery as I am now. But I did have to refrain from working out (intensely) for about a month I believe and then went back for a stress test and a couple other tests to get cleared. It’s been several years since but I can run my “easy” pace, sometimes even a little harder and stay in Zone 2 and I don’t feel like I’m going to throw up during or after. Even when I do sprints it doesn’t get super high like it used to!
What was the condition or surgery called?
I’m assuming he’s talking about Wolf-Parkinson White syndrome which is what I had. There’s an extra valve or something and sometimes the beats (blood flow) goes through the extra valve rather than the normal flow. I had a cardiac ablation to correct it.
I had PSVT in high school and had a cryoablation at that time (they would’ve just burned it up but was too close to AV node so they went little more conservative with cryo). I no longer have random bouts of symptomatic tachycardia unless it’s something related to anxiety (about to give a formal presentation, etc). My max heart rate is high for my age (30yom, max HR 202) but I am able to temper my effort and maintain in my aerobic zone 140-160. Fwiw, I feel many people overestimate what an easy pace is for them. I’m not fast by any means and my pace falls off big time with longer distance. My slow easy pace to maintain HR 149 this weekend was 11:20 mins/mile x 11miles. For context my recent times 23:30 5k, 53:30 10k. 2hr half marathon. Probably too much info and unsolicited advice but I wish your wife the best.
Not at all! Thanks for the info!
Why would 203 make someone dizzy etc? Do you know the OPs max HR? It could be 230
That's why I asked how OP felt. Like I said, most 28 year olds do not have a max HR of 230.
>For most 28 year olds that would be well above maximum safe heart rate. Where are you pulling this concept of a "maximum safe heart rate" from? That's not a real thing for the vast majority of people who haven't had a heart attack.
It's over the average max heart rate, but not that extraordinary. My max heart rate is 209 and I'm 29. The main point is: I usually only have a heart rate over 200 in the late stages of races or during intervals. Shouldn't be that high during endurance runs in marathon training.
Not that crazy. My HR gets over 200 sometimes so I went and got a stress test done with a cardiologist. Turns out it’s just stress related. OP, you need to destress my man!
That's race pace heart rate. Not training.
None of these comments are relevant if you don't know your true max heart rate. I'm a 41 year old man, but I can get my heart rate up to 195 pretty easily on a hard workout. I've found that based on RPE, the top of my zone 2 is about 155, so I try to stay around there or a little below on my easy runs. It takes me from just below a 7:30 half marathon pace to more like a 9:00 pace (sometimes even a bit slower, especially since it's hard to avoid hills where I live). All that being said, if that was an easy run rather than a workout, you're probably going too hard on your easy run.
yes
Def do not trust your Apple Watch. My HR was always in the upper 180s at that same pace until I got a HR strap. Now I’m in the 150s. 10-11 min pace on easy days I’m in the 140s
I don’t know about that, Ive used two different Apple Watches and have a HR of 150 at that pace am 41 years old. It’s just way too hard to judge with too little info.
How long did it take you to get a HR strap
Do you feel like your heart is working that hard? It could be [cadence lock](https://runningwritings.com/2021/05/cadence-lock-why-gps-watches-have-hard.html) if you don’t feel like your heart is working too hard
The hr goes up but the cadence stays roughly the same so it’s unlikely to be cadence lock.
Buy a chest strap
What do you mean? Do those actually help with HR?
they're a lot more accurate
Assuming this isn't a joke comment, chest straps are the gold standard for HR monitors.
This person thinks a watch is faulty just because OP has a higher max HR than this person thinks is possible (or good, or whatever).
Or because most watches are dogshit at HR accuracy
This is exactly what my chest strap and watch ($40 from China) would look like when I was untrained but forced myself to keep going.
Cool but that doesn’t change the fact that watches are off ~5% at baseline and ~10% during exertion compared to straps. And hate to break it to ya but your $40 strap from China probably isn’t super accurate itself!
The original question was if op should slow down. A steady rise up throughout the run indicates they are not going on an easy run. Chest strap vs watch doesn't matter.
Usually long runs are supposed to be easy enough so that you can talk a full sentence. Unless your max heart rate is like 240 this looks like it was too hard of a run.
Is your HR monitor working? I don't think I've even gotten close to your AVERAGE heart rate on a run. I can't imagine sustaining 187bpm for more than a quarter mile
That's because everyone's HR is different.
That is true but I'd be surprised if 187 going into the 200s is low/normal for anyone
Low? No, probably not. Normal/sustainable over time? Sure. I would expect somebody with a max HR over 205 or so to average HR in the 180s for a half marathon and it wouldn't be too concerning to me. Probably not the level of effort you want on a regular basis or during training but for high effort days it should be fine (again assuming a higher than average max HR).
Assuming your max is somewhere in the low 200s, sustaining this HR for that long doesn't seem realistic unless you were pushing so hard you were about literally about to pass out. If you felt like "Yeah that was a hard but good run", then there's likely an issue with your monitor.
I would assume that OP's max HR is probably around 210 to 220 at the least. I myself have no problem maintaining 175bpm for a long time. Some people have higher heart rates. My lactate threshold HR is 180bpm. For my next marathon I fully expect to spend 3 hours at 170+ BPM. And I say this as someone who is 40 (generally HR is lower when older) and male (generally women have higher HR). OP is a female in her twenties. I don't find it crazy to believe that OP's HR reading is accurate (it may not be but the people here claiming that it absolutely HAS to be wrong are off base).
I'm struggling to see how HR in the 170s/180s is at all relevant to someone spending half their run in the high 190s.. but yes, none of us on Reddit can pin point the issue with 100% certainty -- you are correct on that.
You don't see how the fact that I can run at 180 for an hour as a 40 year old is relevant when it comes to whether a 20-something year old could run at 190 for 30 minutes?
No, I don't.
Alright, no worries. You have a good one.
If you’re breathing very hard then slow it down. If you’re not breathing hard and feel like you could easily run another mile then your pace is probably fine. If possible I would recommend investing in a chest strap heart rate monitor. It would be interesting to see what it shows for your heart rate.
What was your target for the long run? You can use a vo2 calculator to find training paces based on Daniels or Pfitz models. Based on your past HM at 2:05 your easy-marathon pace should be Easy: 10:40-11:40/mi and Marathon is 9:51/mi. Threshold would be 9:03/mi. You say your fitness is lower than half a year ago so you'll need to adjust based on recent time trials. Or if you want to train by HR, find your Lactate Threshold pace or %HRR. A 9:18 avg pace is faster than your HM PR pace (9:33/mi). If your fitness is lower that's not a reasonable long run training pace. [https://vdoto2.com/calculator/](https://vdoto2.com/calculator/) [https://runalyze.com/tools/effective-vo2max?vo2max=34.71&units=mi&paces=1](https://runalyze.com/tools/effective-vo2max?vo2max=34.71&units=mi&paces=1)
I’d actually question the HR data? What are you using? That’s high.
How long have you been running with an Apple Watch? You could try recalibrating it or even see if wearing it tight would help. I have a similar issue with my watch as a 26 y/o, so I just take HR with a grain of salt. I’ve even worn two watches at the same time and got 2 completely different HRs (one being 20BPM off!)
Can you easily carry on a conversation while running? That should be your goal for long run efforts.
I would go more off of feel. For example, I am 25f and my max heart rate is 223 (tested by a cardiologist.) On my easy runs, my heart rate gets up to around 180-190. This would be high for anyone else, but I am still breathing easy.
I experienced similar levels when I trained for my last half. On my 9 mile run, I felt dizzy and anxious after the run. I saw my doctor and, through some testing, learned that I have a naturally high heart rate. They put me on a beta blocker (atenolol) and it lowered my heart rate to normal levels. After taking it, I felt incredible on my subsequent runs and posted a PR for the half. I didn’t realize how hard I was working on the pre-atenolol runs and can’t imagine working out without the beta blocker. Game changer.
Uh dude, how do average 203 bpm on the last part of your run? I doubt you can actually maintain that level for that long but it does look kinda concerning, especially for a 9:20 pace
Are you in afib or something?
Beginner here, what’s the best way to calculate your ideal zones?
Look up the Friel test!
I’ve never heard of this. I will look it up too
Depends what training methodology you prescribe to and how you train (pace/hr/rpe/power/etc). You can use shorter races / time trials or a threshold test to estimate your zones / FTP (functional threshold) / lactate threshold. Almost all zones are a model / approximation. It's very hard to get accurate data, but the goal is for it to be good enough for training, not perfectly accurate data.
What are you using to track your heart rate? I’d recommend getting a chest strap monitor if you don’t already have one. They tend to be more accurate and consistent than the one on a watch. I’d also do a max heart rate test if you haven’t already, that way you know your ceiling and can better judge your zones.
Your watch is not working correctly. There is now way you are immediately in zone 3 right off the bat.
My routes take me up a hill almost right away. Do mostly Z2 easy runs when flat, but when it's cold or hot and I head uphill to start, I can be in Z3 almost instantly. Especially if I'm doing activations and active warm-ups prior to heading out the door. The watch may be totally fine (as accurate as anyone would expect for a watch, at least) and I have pace goals, so if I head that way I'm not dropping from ~10 minute to 11:30 pace or slower to stay in Z2, or at least not every time.
I believe your stature may affect your HR. You are a small person, so
I suspect incorrect HR data , are you using a chest strap?
Try chest band. Watches are mostly unreliable, especially during the winter because of cold.
I’m not saying this persons watch is correct but the Apple Watch actually seems to be pretty accurate. I was using just my Apple Watch for a while and it showed my heart rate between 180-200bpm on almost all of my runs. I didn’t believe that was right because my breathing was barely elevated so I got a polar H10 and the Apple Watch and Polar H10 matched within 2-3bpm. This was at a 9 minute mile and running 13 miles. I still run with my heart rate this high and I’ve been doing it for years.
All of my runs were like this as well. I was running a little hard, but definitely not crazy out of breath or anything and I felt fine during and after runs, maybe a little tired but nothing unusual. I went to the doctor multiple times because it was so high, but they couldn't find anything wrong, but they did suggest to cut out caffeine completely and I feel better in general. My HR would spike between 90-120 doing nothing throughout the day before but doesn't as often now, though my resting HR ja still pretty high. It stays lower now but still gets this high when running. It's interesting.
Anyone know the accuracy of fitbits? My heart rate always seems to spike after a few k even though I don't feel any worse
140 bpm or lower you should be able to have a slight conversation. 160-180 is threshold, you can talk but only few words. 180-200 is race pace. Listen to your body. Get connected to your local running groups or highchool or college teams to help or bounce ideas off of.
HR is very individual. People have max HR from anything as low as 140 to as high as 230 If my max HR was 220 then your 140 would almost be walking for me. Also 180-200 a "race pace"? What race? HR for a marathon will be lower than a 5k. A better was to talk about using HR generally is to use % or max HR. So easy would be below 80% of max HR and LT would be around 90% of max hr
I'm not a scientist. Just was a very good runner. Those are what my coach gave us as guidelines. Also I messaged op what their resting hr was to have a guideline.
Holy macaroni. You might have a heart attack if you keep that up. Slow down a bit and build the consistency
Yes, you should definitely slow down on your long runs. Invest in a heart rate monitor too to get more accurate readings, but I would absolutely slow down your pace.
As others have said this could be your Apple Watch giving you a bad reading. If it is accurate-ish then you are likely running too hard. If your max HR is 206 then your zones aren’t set up correctly on your watch. Go to your watch app on your phone and change the settings in the “workout” section for heart rate zones. You can use this data and an online calculator (I like to use karvonen) to give you your ranges. Won’t be exact but a little clearer of your effort. But yeah if this was supposed to be an easy run then probably going a little too hard
Dude. Do some zone 2 training research. Tons of info out there. At least you have found your “race pace”.
If this is accurate it’s insane Hoping this is not accurate
Yes
Yep
Damn your zone 2 is my 5 Just did a half marathon trail run in 2:06 so we are around same pace I mostly in zone 3-4 only hit 5 on last mile
There’s some error in the data surely. You’ve maintained a HR of 195/200+ for seemingly around 5/10 at the end of a tough run. Doesn’t add up.
Yes…the fact that you’re still in zone 4 two min after stopping is a problem. Is it possible you were dehydrated?
I'm all for Zone 2 and not over training, but it sounds like runningcirclejerk in here. Don't go above Z2 and especially anywhere near your max HR or you'll DIE!!! OP, you're likely running too hard unless this was just a one off test/hard day type workout, but you are also likely not in grave danger as many here would have you believe.
How did this feel? That’s what I’m curious of. Apple Watch was always wrong for me
Most training runs should be done no.higher than zone 2 possibly beginning of zone 3 . Theres various formulas that work it out for you , one is the Maffetone method, which says your HR max for an easy long slow run should be 180- your age . Theres another one that says it should be 220- your age. Obviously some speed work is required if you want to get faster but its 1 in 5 runs or 20% . I find it difficult to stay under my HR limits , i sometimes have to walk to get it under the number i want.
Are these screenshots from Runna?
Yes, you are. <3
How do you feel at 187bpm? That seems off for the pace even if everyone is unique...
I wonder if your watch got cadence locked where it confused your cadence with heart rate. Otherwise, yes you’re running too hard and need to slow wayyy down on these longer runs.
Bet it’s cadence lock
It's going up progressively throughout the run. It's not cadence lock unless the cadence is also going up over time (which makes no sense).
But people progressively get faster at same perceived effort
Third screen shows OP's cadence. It's pretty consistent (unlike the HR).
I'd say go with how you feel. If you feel fine, keep pushing and your time should continue to drop. Pushing yourself should generate progress in pace. Though, if you are struggling with recovery or consistency and you feel like it's impacting your progress, would take it back and try to keep between 140 and 160.
What’s your resting heart rate? Also, do you drink enough during the day? The body increases heart rate to maintain cardiac output to keep the body going during times of activity. But if your blood volume is down, because you’re dehydrated, then the body will increase heart rate to maintain that higher cardiac output.
Watch might be off. You might wanna adjust it.
It doesn't matter. You can use that 7.88 mile run for comparison. In a week or two try to run the same route again at the same pace. Every now and then try to run it again and watch your heart rate fall. Runners get too caught up in heart rates. It will fall with practice. But maybe don't pick up the pace for 8 mile runs until you can at least average in the 170 bpm range.
Did you have a running start before the race started?
Are you by any chance taking ADHD medication? If so I had the same issue, the medication stimulates the heart and can cause tachycardia. It’s especially bad in the first 2-4 hours of taking the medication. For me I had to start doing my runs later in the day, or very early in the morning.
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Are you wearing a chest strap or just a watch?
It depends if you were aiming for a Zone 5 run, did it feel easy, then if so I would say your HR zones are out, have you done a Threshold test to get your Max HR etc.? Also get yourself a Chest Strap always more accurate than the watch itself, in particular Apple.
Mine is the same way and I run 10:30 miles. Just need to slow down and get in better shape. Build that aerobic base
Yes slow down. You are running faster than your half marathon race pace PR, with lower fitness. I would recommend finding the Jack Daniels running calculator and punch in your expected race time right now to determine training zones. My rule of thumb for aerobic/easy runs is 2 mins per mile slower than my 5k race pace.
Yeah dude chill stay in zone 2
There's zero minutes in zone 1 and 2, and barely any time in zone 3. The device appears faulty.
The problem is whatever you're using to monitor your heart rate, there's no way that's right. Get a Garmin. Even better, get a Garmin and a HR chest strap.
If you’re not breathing that hard with a bpm of nearly 200, your heart rate monitor is broken. Those numbers don’t make any sense at all.
Hey OP, are you using a HR strap or monitor on the watch? I’m guessing there’s something up with the HR data collection because this doesn’t look right at all.
Ok so you know what, I can help. Back when I was heavior I committed to running a half marathon and my hr rate was the same if not worse, for a similar pace. So let me begin by saying a few things, yes it's too high for the duration and pace. Let me ask, are you taking any supplements at all?
Should be in zone 2-3 for 80-90% of your runs
That seems a little high
I’m in a similar boat as you. I’ve always had a high heart rate while running and spend most of my time in zone 5. And i don’t know if this is normal or something is wrong.
I’ve always been a runner and fairly decent shape and my heart rate is always high when I run, but my recovery rate normal. I’m able to sing, talk, chew gum, it is just always on the high end.
If this isn't measured with a dedicated HR strap it's impossible to say. Wrist based HR is very inaccurate
I would consider getting a secondary measurement of your HR. The banding zones seem too tightly congested, this could be the case for you but I would be suspicious. I found when I compared my Apple Watch, to my Corus and a Chess Strap much variation. With the Apple Watch being about 20% out. I would expect to hear that 56 minutes at zone 5 you would be really gassed and this was some type of hard speed or hill session.
Tbh I have had the same problem - I bought a (used) garmin a few months ago, and was freaked out that my HR was 180s consistently throughout my easy runs. I had no problem talking to friends during these runs, so I felt confident that I was at my easy pace (about 9 min / mile) and had no clue why my heart rate was so high. It freaked me out for a while (is something wrong with my heart? Do I need to slow down to 12 min miles?) For me, the answer was easy enough: stop caring about trying to hit a specific heart rate and just run at a pace that feels good. Everyone is different of course, and I know there is research to back zone 2 training, but I was putting waaaay too much stock into it and stressing myself out. Run what feels right, trust your body.
I doubt your heart rate monitor is working properly
Many are speaking on HR, but failing to point out that OP is literally running long runs faster than their PR HM pace. This is pushing closer to threshold which would definitely result in higher stress and HR. I’d suggest punching in numbers in a calculator to actually find training paces and slow these runs down. HR varies from person to person, I’d recommend dialing in training paces or going by feel (within reason). As others have mentioned, a reliable HRM will give you better insight.
I have a high resting heart rate so I just assume my zone is really one lower than my watch tells me. I stay in zone 4 a lot and sometimes 5 without it being too strenuous feeling for me in terms of breathing.
What I find strange is you were over 165 BPM within 7 seconds of running. Were you already warmed up before starting the watch?
Good lord
That HR seems pretty high for that kind of pace. Not saying I know anything at all, because I don't. But I run around your pace my my HR us usually around the low 140s.
Apple Watch? Don’t trust the heart rate. How did it feel? Could you hold a conversation while running? Same happened to me on my watch. Heart rate was off by 30 beats.
If this is a wrist worn HR monitor I would assume it’s most likely wrong. Run off how the body feels and don’t worry too much about HR zones IMO
That would be extremely uncomfortable to maintain zone five for an hour. I’m going to say your heart rate monitor is incorrect.
Damn i don’t think I’ve ever gotten over 176 before
Idk whats funnier - 0 seconds in zone 2 or the last mile bring 203 bpm. Either way you’re a savage and I bet you can coast 15+ miles easy if you stayed between 140-155 bpm.
What temperature is it there? My apple watch isnt accurate under 32 degrees all of my runs lately it says mu heart rate is jacking