Forums >General Running>Heart rate training and Pace
My max MHR = 205 (per actual treadmill test)My aerobic range is: 143-164But my pace is 13-15 min/mi in order to stay in the aerobic range.
I ran the other day at a 12:29 pace for 10k (1:16 hr:min total) with an HR around 180-188 (88-91% of MHR).
1) How is it that I can sustain a run of that long yet still be in anaerobic HR range? Does this mean I'm really out of shape?
2) What do I need to do to get run faster, yet keep my HR in the aerobic zone? (Which would translate to better aerobic capacity). Run for several hours at barely a trot (>14 min pace)?
About me:I'm 40 and only started running in college. I'm in good shape overall, due to my occupation. I enjoy competing in OCRs (obstacle course racing). My goal is to run a 10k at a sub 5 pace. I can do the distance.
Mother of Cats
I am so very confused by this post.
a) you are 40 (an age when most have been out of college for nearly two decades) and yet you say you "only started running in college" - implying that you are a new runner and that college was recent.
b) you are currently running 12:29 pace for the 10K distance (presumably that's pace per mile), but want to run a 10K at a "sub 5 pace" - do you mean sub- 5 minute per mile pace? If so, that's a 31 minute 10K - nearly an impossible task for a masters male runner (I'm assuming you're male), and faster than the women's masters world record for 10K.
Can you clarify these points of confusion?
Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.
And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
I graduated college at 25. It just doesn't seem that long ago to me. 15 years went by quick. Point is I'm not a noob, but then I haven't been running since my tween years either.
The goal is crazy, challenging, and may be out of reach. But if I don't shoot for a goal slightly out of reach, I'll be content with mediocrity. I recently ran 5k with a 9:31 pace. And that's not close to my PR. I podium'd a trail run 5k for my age group running a sub 9 last year.
I've ran faster. That 10k @ 12:29 wasn't race pace. It was trotting, but trying to keep my HR down. The idea is run longer, in my aerobic zone to build an aerobic base, then start speed work later. It's hard, though, when I pretty much walk to keep in my aerobic zone. Yet I can run for 60-90 minutes anaerobically.
For our Bruce Protocol treadmill test at work my HR ticks along at 205 after 10 minutes of running at an incline and I still have gas in the tank.
I was also a little confused reading this. I would try starting out with a goal closer to your current fitness and just keep working on improving. I think starting out just running more (either distance of your runs or amount of times you run a week) will make you faster and help drop your heart rate. I do think running a sub 5 min mile 10k is too ambition of a goal. It's not just "slightly out of reach" but as darkwave mentioned almost impossible for most people.
Mmmm Bop
You recently ran a 5k at 9.31 pace but you just ran a 10k at 12:29 pace to keep your HR down???
I think you need to find out your true max HR.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
There is so much that makes no sense here. Honestly, I would just ignore HR for now.
Go out and race a 5K. All out. See how you do. Base your training off of the pace you ran for your 5K, and base your goals on that.
"I've ran faster. That 10k @ 12:29 wasn't race pace. It was trotting, but trying to keep my HR down."
I understand that. But if you were potentially capable of running a 31 minute 10K, you'd find it impossible to run that slow. Especially as a runner with 15 years experience.
I am much slower than 31 minutes for 10K (just under 39 minutes). Relative to my race times, I run my easy runs as slow or slower than anyone else I know, sometimes edging over 10 minute pace on my easy days. I can tell you that I am not physically capable of running at slower than 12 minute pace.
The Limping Jogger
My max MHR = 205 (per actual treadmill test)My aerobic range is: 143-164But my pace is 13-15 min/mi in order to stay in the aerobic range. I ran the other day at a 12:29 pace for 10k (1:16 hr:min total) with an HR around 180-188 (88-91% of MHR). 1) How is it that I can sustain a run of that long yet still be in anaerobic HR range? Does this mean I'm really out of shape? 2) What do I need to do to get run faster, yet keep my HR in the aerobic zone? (Which would translate to better aerobic capacity). Run for several hours at barely a trot (>14 min pace)? About me:I'm 40 and only started running in college. I'm in good shape overall, due to my occupation. I enjoy competing in OCRs (obstacle course racing). My goal is to run a 10k at a sub 5 pace. I can do the distance.
I’d check your HRM as your HR for that 10k, which you say you trotted, makes no sense at all. As for sub 5 pace? Try sub 60 mins first. Personally, I check resting HR and occasionally check HR during workouts. Typically I can feel when I’m working easy, hard or on my limit. As stated in another reply, an all out 5k is a good test.
"Only a few more laps to go and then the action will begin, unless this is the action, which it is."
What model HR monitor do you have? Is it used with a chest monitor or sense the pulse from the wrist?
I'm under the impression that HR training is a guideline and not a rule. In college I had crazy high HR during hard workouts, but my resting pulse was in the 50's. I haven't tested my current max HR, but my resting HR is still in the 50's; 30+ years later.
Your HR is only relative to YOU, and not a chart or other people. You can use it as a comparison to YOUR past efforts, to check your progress. Keeping track of how you feel and what effort you're running at and then comparing it to HR might give you some data you can use.
Training for a 15:30 5k, you may find it more productive to ignore workout HR and trying to stay in some "range", but DO keep track of your resting HR to check on recovery. (Before getting out of bed in the morning, check it for a full minute, write it down. An increase more than 10-15% over the previous day means you're still recovering. In bed in the morning because you want the conditions to be as close to the same for every measurement)
60-64 age group - University of Oregon alumni - Irreverent and Annoying
TomTom Cardio Runner. It's accurate. I've taken my pulse physically and compared it to the HRM. I'm a paramedic, so I'm proficient at taking vital signs.
Ok. 90% max HR in that 10k tells me that you were either running balls out up a mountain or the HRM logged some erroneous readings. Since you said ‘trotting’ effort, I’ll go with the latter and suggest getting more data points.
It's like that when I pause to take a quick manual pulse. The terrain was grassland prairie, and running at a cadence of 180 steps/min. There was some minor elevation change, but probably no more than 10 feet.
You paused to take a quick manual pulse? Forget about heart rate training and just use your brain instead....ie, if it feels like you are running too slow during a race then speed up.
SMART Approach
To be frank, you just need to run more to get fit. You simply are not fit which causes your HR to take off with any amount of running or jogging. Be gradual with your progression. It takes 6 months to get fit and then you can get more serious about "training" and actual race goals. Again, don't rush this....it takes time and you simply need to run more.....mix in some cross training also.
Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery
Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training
Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique
www.smartapproachtraining.com
Not this time. Other times. Especially when I first got the HRM to make sure it was calibrated.
This isn't the thread to get into the benefits of HR training when running. I used to go by how I felt and my conditioning was worse. I'm sorry if all of this seems to raise more questions than explanations. That's the problem of trying to keep stuff brief and readable vs divulging my entire running history and training plans for the last several years. But thank you to those that are patient enough to help. tchuck- Like I just mentioned, I haven't listed every training day on here. Running, other training, activity at work that constituted a hard workout aren't all shown. I would think running consistently since mid-2015 would be enough time to get "fit." It's not so much that any little bit of running or jogging makes my HR shoot up. It's that my HR goes up (whether I run sprints or jog slow), but I can still function.