So I got a wahoo elemnt for xmas (excellent by the way, highly recommended). It came with all the extras (cadence, speed, HR monitor).

I’ve been using the HR monitor during my runs. Today, for instance, during my 7km run I averaged 173 bpm, with a max of 186 bpm. Pace was slightly slower than normal at 4.40 min per km.

I’m 41. Apparently my max should be c179-182 bpm, with people forecasting death and destruction if I’m over the max for a long time.

Thing is, I feel fine. Hot (today, despite the snow and wind, I was in shorts and tshirt. Started with gloves and arms, but took them off), but fine. My resting is about 60 bpm.

Should I worry? Should I just ignore the max, and go with how I feel? Should I just assume all the hill climbing I do has given me a good heart etc.

As an aside, when I give blood, I normally finish in just over 4 minutes. Apparently they’re not keen if you finish under 4 minutes. I am – according to the Blood Service – a fast bleeder. All my medicals tell me I’m fine.

It may just over read of course 😉

How did you calculate your theoretical maximum? 220 minus your age or another way?

Should I just ignore the max, and go with how I feel?

Short answer: Yes

Long answer: Do a FTHR test and use the result to calculate your training zones

Apparently they’re not keen if you finish under 4 minutes

That’s true of lots of things. *sniggers*

heart rate max was 220-age, or 217 -(0.85*age) or 207 -(0.7*age)

all about the same.

thanks – i’ll have a shufti at the FTHR, and see what’s what.

Have to say i generally don’t seem to get out of breath; the legs go first on running or cycling.

Stop worrying. Your max is your max. The 220-age thing is just a very rough way of estimating what it might be.

I’m 27, resting HR is 45-48, I max out at 198bpm.

I wouldn’t worry about what your maximum is supposed to be, everyone differs.

today, despite the snow and wind, I was in shorts and tshirt.

😯

Physiologically that can’t be good? Are you northern?

Grand. Cheers. I’ll ignore it, and just go with.

Even at the max, having a conversation was fine (apart from the wind of course)

38 RHR 44-54 MHR 202.

220 – age is a guidelines

Northern? No. A right southern nancy chap.

Just get warm. Did a fell run on 27th Dec; started at -3c or something. Was in shorts and t shirt for that. Ended up just running in shorts on the 5th hill, much to my son’s embarrassment.

Always been a problem; generally stay flushed for a good few hours after exercise, and then go back to the normal pasty English pallor.

220 – age is way out for me, test it properly.

An average of ~95% of your Max HR (Assuming the 186 is a true MaxHR) is quite high for a training run.

I’d ignore the absolute numbers but try and find your true MaxHR and adjust your training according to that. Obviously listen to your body first, but there’s no point having a HRM if you’re going to completely ignore it 😉

Did a fell run on 27th Dec; started at -3c or something. Was in shorts and t shirt for that. Ended up just running in shorts on the 5th hill,

😯 😯 😯

I’d die 😉

💡 Paradoxical Hypothermia 😉

Hypothermia? Nah. Always been of the opinion if you’re feeling cold, just run a bit faster.

Sometimes the fingers get a bit fresh, but gloves for that.

Can’t remember the last time I wore long bibs on the bike. If it’s below freezing, then maybe put another top on.

220 – age and the 217 -(0.85*age) formulae are way out for me. The only true way to find your MHR is to do a lab test.

I’m 57 and on a steep sustained hill can keep my heart rate in the 170 – 175 range for a couple of minutes so there’s no way my MHR is 163 or even 175.

Your heart rate and how it reacts to exercise is yours not a generic formula, just use those generic values as a starting point.

Everyone is different. RH of 40 but max out at 170 fell running where I am about to keel over. Struggle to get it past 167 unless racing. Im 40 this year.

I am the same age as you and my max HR is 192, RHR 43. maxHR hasnt come down over the last 8 years I have been training with HR data, but my RHR has come down 10. for a 10k road race I would average 182 and this has improved over the years as my threshold has increased.

Since moving back into cycling and training with guys in their early 20’s I find it fascinating to hear how quickly they breathe and they tell me their HR goes over 205 on the hills.

TBF, while the 220-age thing is bunk, that does seem a high HR if you’re able to hold a conversation at the same time. My max HR is 206 (50-55 resting, I’m 34) and above 180BPM I’m a wreck.

Is is possible for you to wear your HRM for a couple of hours just pottering about to see what your normal HR is?

Or – another thought, were you using a wrist based HRM on this run? If so, what’s your running cadence?

the tickr (trendy wahoo name, obv) is a chest strap model, so no idea of the cadence. Their cadence thingy, despite being an accelerometer doesn’t work without the elemnt.

But – anecdotally – my feet were hitting the ground a lot less than the chap I was running with.

I’ve been wearing it since lunch; seem to be average about 72-75 whilst sat at the desk.

I wish my age was 220 minus my max heart rate.

You might also have noticeably different max heart rates for different sports. My max on a bike is 178, running is 184. Resting is 32-39 depending on what random system Garmin choose to calculate their RHR these days.

If you do go all out to discover your max heart rate you will almost certainly make yourself slightly ill* for 48 hours. Don’t try it if you’re planning a big ride the following day.

* Trust me. I had an ECG for work the day after a VO2max test and failed it spectacularly (diagnosed multiple arrhythmias, enlarged heart, ectopic beats, long QT, you name it…). Resulted in much hassle but irritatingly no time off work, so think twice before absolutely gunning it.

Quite high but not ridiculous, mine is normally Mid 50s low 60s at my desk, depending on how much coffee I’ve ploughed through.

Just a thought as I’d seen that wrist based ones can lock into your cadence instead of reading out your heart rate, don’t think the Tickr should suffer from that.

Might be worth keeping an eye on it just in case, you never know.

the sat at the desk rate may be increased by the coffee of course…

I’m 57, my max seems to be about 186. I’ve only used an HRM for about 7 years, but my max hasn’t changed in that time. My highest/longest average was at the legendary Mayhem 2012, where I averaged 175bpm for a 2 hour lap at an average speed of 5.2 miles an hour.

I’m 44. Todays HR Max was 126bpm 😀

46 here, max heart rate is 202 and my threshold is 186 according to training peaks.

According to my HR strap my max on the ride to work today was 192, my watch says 156.

I was a bit scared on the way in today, but I think my battery needs replacing, as it said similar yesterday. It’s quite handy having the two to compare.

@Flaperon – err, no! You have *one* maximum heart rate. You may not be able to reach that figure in every activity but those are upper limits for that activity not another MHR. Your heart doesn’t know if you are running, swimming, whatever, it just knows it has to supply more blood but there is a rate beyond which it cannot go.

@prawny – I’ve found that occasionally external factors fool the HRM and you get sudden spikes. If it’s just a momentary, one off figure then it’s just a glitch and not something to be concerned with.

I’m 44. Todays HR Max was 126bpm

That’s my minimum, time for a coffee 🙂

@Flaperon – err, no! You have *one* maximum heart rate. You may not be able to reach that figure in every activity but those are upper limits for that activity not another MHR. Your heart doesn’t know if you are running, swimming, whatever, it just knows it has to supply more blood but there is a rate beyond which it cannot go

Could have phrased my previous post better. 🙁

Obviously you’re right. The point I’m trying to make is that if you set about measuring it you may get different results depending on the activity.

My mate was proud of his potential to reach a high HR, turned out he had a problem and had to have a cardiac ablation.

Generally running will produce the highest value since in cycling and swimming your body is supported during the exercise but not in running so your body and heart are having to do more work.

@Whitestone, mine is carked, it was the same yesterday I’ve done 10 minutes in zone 5 3 times in the last 2 days, all while soft pedalling in traffic.

I’ve been using the strap for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week for the last 12 months so I think it’s due a new battery.

There is no good or bad. HR rates are specific to the individual and dont represent fitness. Years ago I could run at sub 5 minute miling and not exceed 175 bpm even if I was being chased by a Lion. My resting rate was very low 40’s.
What is important is the speed/effort for any given rate. I dont wear a HR monitor because I dont think they benefit training as there are too many variables to make it useful.
The most indicative measure of fitness from what I understand is the speed at which an elevated HR reduces so If you run 800 metres flat out and have a HR of say 200 at the end. The speed at which that reduces to close to your resting rate is a good measure. Ovett recovered so quickly at the end of fast 200 metre efforts in training that he didnt have a chance to stop !!!

I once got a reading on my HRM of 202 riding up East Bank Road in Sheffield (a reasonable hill I have the option to ride on my commute). I was coming home early as I was coming down with some horrid flu type lurgy

Weirdly it didn’t make me feel like I was 18 again

My target HR is 172 for hilly 10ks which I also run in shorts an t shirt.

There is no “should” – your max is what it is.

51yrs. My max is about 170 or so – at least 168 is the best I got to in a daft zwift race the other day and has been stable since I got a HR strap late last year

Resting HR, funnily enough, is being affected a lot by my daft zwifting – down from 72 to just under 60 in about 2 months