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Is HR an indicator of overheating/heat stroke? I know HR is higher in the heat, but does it keep going up or does it stabilize or turn down at some point? I try to walk when it hits >140 and run again when it drops to 120. So the hotter it gets, the more I walk.
I've noticed the same thing and mostly have the same approach, max at 140 and walk until I'm sub 130. If I can't get it below 130 walking then I don't run.
But I have experimented and it seems that with a MAF feeling pace HR stabilizes even with heat just about 10 bpm higher. For me anyway, experiment of 1. For me in the heat my head and stomach are the biggest indicator that I am going too hard in the heat. Dizzy, nauseated, that kind of feeling.
Never made it to nauseous/dizzy and that's what I want to avoid.
It is my understanding that the HR will continue to rise the longer you're out there and the hotter you get. Your body is sending more blood flow to the skin to do what it can to keep you as cool as possible. So, as you get hotter and your heart is pumping harder to deal with the heat so your HR rises. I, too, will use scheduled walk periods during longer runs to help avoid getting too hot/having my HR rise too much. I am definitely not built for hot/humid conditions.
runktrun
I'm curious if anyone here occasionally uses a HR monitor but doesn't train by the numbers, and what sort of HRs they are logging in this heat. I ran yesterday when it was 93* and 77* dewpoint. Uncomfortable for an easy run, but didn't affect my pace much at the same perceived effort. I think my HR usually runs 140-150 on easy runs, but I don't have a good baseline and never used it as a metric. I only have a few easy miles planned this afternoon, but it will be 96* with a real feel of 104*, so I'll try to remember to check when I stop.
Not running for my health, but in spite of it.
Joggaholic
You're talking about me I wear a Mio Link but don't really follow HR-based training, I kinda try to keep my HR low (under 130) on easy days half-heartedly But that's my morning runs (temp 70-80s), I do a 5pm run on Monday (mid-90s) and my HR is easily in the mid-130s and up due to the temperature.
I'll track mine and see what I get, but I'll have to manually count right after I've stopped. I know I've hit 170s+ on some gym equipment, and my resting is 40-44. I've also done some crazy shit that would kill your average moderately fit human.
First a caveat - I have not been too serious in terms of 'training' or performance. I do, however, wear a HR monitor but I don't usually pay much attention to it while running. On the really hot days when I'm out more than an hour my heart rate will go up into the 160s (which, for me, is essentially race HR) while going at what would be a recovery pace for me in spring (around 12 minute miles). In the cooler months the same HR will have me in the high 8s/low 9s per mile. So, yeah, I see a significant impact both in terms of pace and in terms of HR from the heat. I can't wait for fall/winter.
Also, note that I'm 47 so 160s is pretty high for me...
+1 to adding in the walk breaks during the summer.
For easy runs, my heart rate is usually under 140 and often closer to 130, aside from hills. However, my Saturday morning runs have been horrendous. I do a 90 minute (or close to) run Friday after work and then run Saturday morning, supposedly easy. Last Saturday, I left the house around 11am, it was in the upper 80s. Even with scheduled walk breaks, I could not get my heart rate down, it averaged 154 and was often over 160. Even with walking, as soon as I ran, it jumped. The Saturday before, same thing, average heart rate was 150.
I wear the heart rate monitor with my Garmin, mainly for data. In the FWIW category, in the winter, during the coldest days, my heart rate was usually a good 10 bpm higher, especially when I was doing some sort of speed work. The interesting thing with the winter jump is I didn't feel like I was working that hard, the same heart rate in the summer would probably leave me puking.
86* temp and 78* dew point for my 400s this evening. Hit 120s after warming up to the track, counted 160 after my 3rd 400. :P
My buddy who is 3 years post open heart surgery hasn't been as diligent lately monitoring his HR. We nailed his splits on our last ladder workout on the track in the heat and humidity. BUT, he did walk for the recovery to bring his HR back down.
Get off my porch
Saw a 150 at the end of our HM yesterday. Finished strong and wasn't about to walk that last hill, but other hills I walked until HR dropped 20 beats which is about a minute. Flat areas stayed around 135 even as it warmed up.
Awesome! I brought a frozen waterbottle to the track and dumped ice cold water on my arms during my :45 recoveries, so my recoveries were a very slow walk/jog, but it was half the time I usually take. I'm sincerely hoping the weather won't be this hot for any of my races!
I ignored the heat warning on Saturday & did a 5k (dewpoint in the upper 70s, temps probably pushing 90, no shade). My heart rate during the race wasn't super high (160 average) and I kept slowing down. However, it took FOREVER for my HR to go back down after the race. It was still in the 130s a good 10 minutes post race. Probably not the smartest decision. I did a 9 mile run Sunday, slightly cooler temps (lower 70s dewpoint and mid 80s), and it stayed in the 130s-140s most of the time. I also was in the shade most of the run. Felt sorry for the folks doing a local race on the sunny side of the street, it's an out and back where the "out" is all downhill and the "back" is all uphill. Lots of suffering.
That is kind of scary. I'm happy when my HR quickly drops 20 bpm when I take a walk break or finish. I've never even seen a DP in upper 70's.