heart rate monitor?

jsabina

Hi everybody,
it's the first time I post here..

For the last few years I have been running on and off.. Let's say I run from March to November and didn't during the winter.
Always very slow basic running, started from 0 to do a 5k and the last two years I did the women mini marathon.

This year thanks to having a gym at work I started to run on the treadmill (sigh) in January and now outdoor. I do 30 min run or 5k it depends and after I feel more confident I follow some plan on endomondo.

Anyway, this was an introduction. The question is: I have been given as present an heart rate monitor bluetooth. I am using it when I run and I see that my heart rate is always quite high. I tried to alternate walk and run for a while and see if my fitness would improve... I tried to run slower than my already slow pace.. then I got annoyed an just run.

For example today I did 4k and the analysis is:

Z2 Fat Burning 133 - 144 0m:27s 1%
Z3 Aerobic 145 - 157 1m:16s 4%
Z4 Anaerobic 158 - 169 7m:25s 25%
Z5 Maximum 170 - 182 20m:19s 68%

So I am almost constantly over 170.
(I am female 35 years old)

I had a ECG in december walking on treadmill and no problems as far as I know.

Should I be concerned / train in a way to keep heart rate lower or just keep going based on how I feel?
I really don't run fast I did 4k in 30 minutes and I felt I could go faster to be honest..

Thanks!

Battery Kinzie

Do you know for sure what your max HR is? And not by a formula such as 220-age, I mean either in a lab, or more likely by measuring it yourself.

Without that the HR monitor will be useless.

RayCun

and also that the monitor is generally accurate - what does it read when you are at rest, or walking around?

jsabina

No I don't know for sure which is my max HR..
I will google now how to find it..
It is always quite high, like I was walking to the park and it was over 100, but my rest heart rate if I try to measure it myself is always around 80..

RegisteredMice

Might be worth your while researching into setting your training zones.
For me I used Joe Friels method ... running for 30 minutes hard, clicking the lap button after 10 minutes and analyzing the last 20 of the run.
Link: http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/05/quick-guide-to-training-with-heart-rate-power-and-pace.html

Hope this helps...

TFBubendorfer

jsabina wrote: »

H

Should I be concerned / train in a way to keep heart rate lower or just keep going based on how I feel?
I really don't run fast I did 4k in 30 minutes and I felt I could go faster to be honest..

If your concern is that you're going to drop down dead from a heart attack, then there is no need for concern. Some people just have naturally high heart rates. In reality, that means very little. It doesn't put you into any danger but it doesn't make you a better runner either.

jsabina

Yeah my concern was just to not injure myself or drop dead

I went this morning to a parkrun..
My heart rate has been average 185 and max 199
wow
I noticed when walking I had anyway around 130

so I guess my heart rate is quite high in general

And just to say, I finished the 5k in 31 minutes... for me was my max but as you can understand is not that I am running fast

Anyway, I will keep training without worrying too much, it would be nice to see the average getting lower I guess it means my body fitness is improved?

thanks for all the replies

RayCun

I'm not an expert, but 130 sounds very high for just walking around. No harm in getting it checked out

RegisteredMice

RayCun wrote: »

I'm not an expert, but 130 sounds very high for just walking around. No harm in getting it checked out

Exactly, or else your HRM is not quite accurate (which I would say is the most likely)

jsabina

I just went in December for a ECG (the one where you walk on the treadmill and every few mins they take the pressure and bpm) and they said was all good...
I will maybe call back the gp and hear what they suggest.. uff I hope I can keep running!
Thanks

jsabina

btw it was a "brisk walk" toward the start line as warm up..

TFBubendorfer

jsabina wrote: »

I just went in December for a ECG (the one where you walk on the treadmill and every few mins they take the pressure and bpm) and they said was all good...
I will maybe call back the gp and hear what they suggest.. uff I hope I can keep running!
Thanks

Before you head back to your GP, I'd borrow someone else's HRM and see if the results are equally as high. If you already had an ECG it's unlikely that your GP can diagnose anything. Most likely they'll send you for another ECG.

Btw, I get stupid high readings from my HRM if the contacts are too dry. Try putting some water on the contacts immediately before running and see if the readings are still the same.

MacSwifty

Static electricity from dry fit T shirts also send mine ballistic at the start of runs, so in a 5k this could seriously bias the overall average. Can you view graphically the data and see is it high and erratic at the start?

jsabina

Hmm nope, here the pic.. I think it is true that my heart goes that fast..
only thing I could borrow monitor from someone else, but I don't know anybody at the moment..

Well, I am scheduled for a ecocardio in may, because I had asked for a full heart checkup last year.. I will ask then..

I will keep training, usually I try to stay under 180 when I train, and I hope the heart rate will improve with fitness!

jameshayes

Just out of curiosity, have you tried to test the HRM with your own results?

Like run up the stairs a few times and see what the HRM says and at the same time stick your finger on your wrist or neck and count how many beats in 10 or 15 seconds and multiply by 6 or 4? Your HR will be declining once you stop exercising so you'll have to be swift with the counting!

TFBubendorfer

jsabina wrote: »

Hmm nope, here the pic.. I think it is true that my heart goes that fast..
only thing I could borrow monitor from someone else, but I don't know anybody at the moment..

Well, I am scheduled for a ecocardio in may, because I had asked for a full heart checkup last year.. I will ask then..

I will keep training, usually I try to stay under 180 when I train, and I hope the heart rate will improve with fitness!

that graph certainly does not look like static interference, you're right. The curve is perfectly normal, just higher than you'd usually expect.

Do the ECG in May and mention your high HR to them.

jsabina

Just an update..
I have been to the GP to discuss the results of the stress test ecg
She said it was perfectly normal (there is a something with no clinical relevance, so she said is all fine).

I mentioned the high heart rate but she was not concerned.. I have the eco heart in may, not ecg and waiting appointment for 24hr holter so everything is done, I hope.

Regarding running she just said: "eh, go slow.. I went the other day on my son's treadmill and I felt so baaaad.. so I just walk, better"
but yeah not a fit young doctor I guess..

Went out today running after a week stop for holidays.. tried to keep heart rate down.. had to go very slow between 7.30 and 8 ... to be honest I can't go slower than that!!

I have been able to stay under 170 until 5km and after that it started increasing a bit..

Don't know.. will try to go very slow for a while and see, but it's incredibly boring..