Hello all, HELP! I'm getting discouraged... It seems as though my heart rate is always way too fast to be doing anything aerobically. I know that most of your miles should be easy, say 65-75%, but my heart rate is usually about 180 and tempo runs/intervals can be 202. I am 18 years old, and according to any formula I do, this is too hard. I realize that formulas do not always work out the best, but my resting heart rate is getting lower and lower (low 60s) as I get fitter and fitter, which is normal, but that doesn't explain the really fast heart rate...unless I'm overtraining. The only problem with this theory is I don't run that much...3-4x/week, two easy days, two hard days like tempo or interval. I'm pretty slow, even 12:00 miles right now put me in that zone. I even feel like my runs are always hard, my face is tomato red, I sweat buckets, and I usually huff and puff after 1 mile. What gives!?

No, I haven't seen a doctor about that, although I think exercise induced asthma might have something to do with it. No, I don't smoke and I'm good with the whole drinking thing. After talking to some running people, I think I'll just use the talk test and hope that I don't get burned out in the process...overtraining could be an option too. Thanks for the advice!

No, I haven't seen a doctor about that, although I think exercise induced asthma might have something to do with it. No, I don't smoke and I'm good with the whole drinking thing. After talking to some running people, I think I'll just use the talk test and hope that I don't get burned out in the process...overtraining could be an option too. Thanks for the advice!

I didn't think so. Runners run for health and that other stuff just isn't part of health. Hope your training goes well and you meet your goals this year.

Kate, I think the talk test thing will help you out. I'm helping coach a half marathon training program for beginners right now and one of the biggest things we stress is to *slow down*. The most important thing is to build that base of miles. In fact, this year we've cut out most of the speedwork and all of the hill work from the beginners training plan. For runners with a bit more experience, we add in some speedwork that last month or so before the race. Not sure when your race is, but I'd think about cutting out at least one of your tempo or interval days (if not both if you have awhile to your race) and adding in more easy mileage to get your base mileage built up there. And remember that your not supposed to be out there running every workout as if it's a race. Easy workouts should be at a pace a minute or two slower than you race pace. Just becuse a 12:00 mile might be slow for someone else doesn't mean that holds true for you. If 12:00 is race pace for you, slow your workouts down to 13:00 or 14:00. The idea is to get in the miles without wiping yourself out so that your body will be recovered by the next workout. Make sure you get your asthma under control too. That's not something you want to mess with. Teresa

The slowing down part was really hard for me too. I didn't really *get* it until that day I went running with Dean Karnazes. We had a nice, slow run. Only about 5 miles or so but at a pace to where we could chat with each other. Slow and steady and I felt like I could have run all day. I came home and tried it out on my long runs and couldn't believe the difference. I felt good during the runs and amazing after. Usually after my long runs I'd have to take a rest day to recover whether i wanted to or not. Just a little slower pace and it wasn't a problem anymore. I think got away from slow long runs since I quit running them with the group and was running alone. Just seem to feel a need to keep pushing myself. Teresa