Heart rate in race conditions

guerito

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on this. I recently ran my first 5K, which was my first competitive race since I was 11. I ran it with a HRM, and didn't go above 172, which is 90% of my MHR (according to the blunt instrument 220-age calculation). In the last kilometre, when I could hear the cheers from the finish line, the adrenaline started pumping and I had to force myself to stick to the same rhythm I'd kept throughout the race (i.e. 90%). I've no doubt I could have gone substantially faster over the last kilometre, but assuming for a moment that I was actually running at 90% of maximum, is it ever a good idea to exceed 90%? Is it ok, say over the last 500m to 1K? By way of background, most of the time between my last competitive race and January of this year was spent drinking, smoking and sitting, so there's no great base of fitness there!

TFBubendorfer

I assume that you don't have a heart condition.

There is no reason why you should restrict yourself like that. You don't get a heart attack by maxing all out. In fact, it's at the final sprint for the line in a 5K when you most likely find out your real max HR. The 220-age formula is less than useless.

tunney

Meh - everyone is different, my run max HR is 198 and I'll happily plod along at 195 average for a 5km (okay not happily), if you're worried get checked out by a doctor. Actually thats probably a good idea for anyone starting back exercising.

pgibbo

As one of our rowing coaches used to say - "you pass out before you die"

Best to take tunney's advice first though and get a check up first

happy_73

have to admit I stopped using my HRM for races - didn't like the numbers I was getting! Using it for training only now.

pgibbo

happy_73 wrote: »

have to admit I stopped using my HRM for races - didn't like the numbers I was getting! Using it for training only now.

I know nothing about HR training. However, would it not be wiser to wear it and record the numbers? You don't have to watch them during the race. I would have thought race conditions will get you pretty close to your max HR and hence your HR training could then be adjusted based on those figures. I may be way off the mark but I'd assume the closer you can get to identifiying your true max HR the more it will benefit you in training.

jaymack75

tunney wrote: »

my run max HR is 198 and I'll happily plod along at 195 average for a 5km (okay not happily),

Is this true?

If you're averaging 195 for a 5k, surely your max must be higher than 198?

tunney

jaymack75 wrote: »

Is this true?

If you're averaging 195 for a 5k, surely your max must be higher than 198?

Repeated lab test have put me at 198bpm max for running. Also have shown I don't cross OBLA until 182bpm. So high heart rates aren't anything to worry about if you've got the all clear from the doc.

jaymack75

thanx tunney......just one thing I'm trying to get my head around though (I sometimes think about heart rates n stuff quite a lot ) :

I can understand with your OBLA @ 182, being able to average 195 for the 5k makes sense, but was the lab testing you did specifically for max testing, or just lactate / vo2?

In other words, while you constantly hit 198 in the tests, presumably this was at the end of a maximal effort.....fatigue was maybe stopping your heart from going higher?

tunney

jaymack75 wrote: »

thanx tunney......just one thing I'm trying to get my head around though (I sometimes think about heart rates n stuff quite a lot ) :

I can understand with your OBLA @ 182, being able to average 195 for the 5k makes sense, but was the lab testing you did specifically for max testing, or just lactate / vo2?

In other words, while you constantly hit 198 in the tests, presumably this was at the end of a maximal effort.....fatigue was maybe stopping your heart from going higher?

PM'ed to keep on topic.

guerito

Thanks guys. That fits in with how I felt during the race. I'll be knocking on the door of my physio and doctor just as soon as the next paycheque comes in.