Ultra Runners

1

Depressed Heart Rate (Read 38 times)

GoldmanGolfer13


    I completed my first 50 mile race this past weekend at the Superior 50 mile. Everything went great and I finished with a time I was happy with. I wanted to ask the group about a depressed heart rate I was experiencing from mile 40 on. I followed the Maffetone principals during my entire training build, which essentially means I train between 140-150 heart rate for every run.

     

    I also used this HR range during the first half of the Superior 50 as a governor to ensure I finish (my main goal) the entire race. During the last 10 miles when I was pushing my effort and less concerned about HR I was surprised to see my HR so low. At times of hard running I noticed my HR between 120-130, which is the opposite of what I would have expected at this stage of the race.

     

    Is this a symptom of a bonk? Like I said this was my first 50m. so hoping to draw on others experiences. ~Thanks

    HoosierDaddy


    GreyBeard

      I completed my first 50 mile race this past weekend at the Superior 50 mile. Everything went great and I finished with a time I was happy with. I wanted to ask the group about a depressed heart rate I was experiencing from mile 40 on. I followed the Maffetone principals during my entire training build, which essentially means I train between 140-150 heart rate for every run.

       

      I also used this HR range during the first half of the Superior 50 as a governor to ensure I finish (my main goal) the entire race. During the last 10 miles when I was pushing my effort and less concerned about HR I was surprised to see my HR so low. At times of hard running I noticed my HR between 120-130, which is the opposite of what I would have expected at this stage of the race.

       

      Is this a symptom of a bonk? Like I said this was my first 50m. so hoping to draw on others experiences. ~Thanks

       

      My only thought is that your perceived effort was probably pretty high but your heart was only going to work so hard.  Have you looked at your pace to see if you were indeed going as fast as you believed v. the how fast you felt you were going?  I know that no matter what I do at the end of a long race, the HR usually doesn't get above a certain point.

      2020

      • Black Canyon 100k
      • RRR
      • Zane Grey 100k
      • High Lonesome 100
      • Wyoming Range 100 (?)
      • The Bear 100
      • Javelina Jundred (?)

        Goldman,

        I have kept HR data for all of my running in the past 7 years.

        Your heart rate coming out lower in the last 10 miles is not surprising at all.

        I'm not an expert on this, but I have observed the exact same decline in HR over very long distances.

        Just an example:  On my last 100 miler, my HR averaged 150  in the first 6 hours, then 140 in the next 6; and 130 for the next 6.

        And believe me, running any harder than 130 HR in those final hours hurts like hell.

        Not sure of all the physiological reasons for this, but you are not alone.

        John

        GoldmanGolfer13


          Thanks for the responses. Like I said it was my first time at that distance, so just wanted to know if the symptoms I was experiencing were characteristic of running that distance. Thanks again!