Couch to 5K

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High Heart Rate on a 5k Run

Hello All,

This is my first post here and I would like to hear your views on my Heart Rate during a 5k run. I am 31 and have started running a couple of months ago, i have recently completed c25k plan. On my 5k run today, which is the second time i ran 5k, I spent almost 19 minutes in the Max Intensity zone between 190 - 196 bpm. I have attached an hr graph in the post. I use a chest heart rate monitor which is quite accurate in my experience. The max hr i have hit is 206 bpm on a sprit and i could still go further.

Is that unusual, should i be worried?

7 Replies

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Clearly you haven't died. hon. And you don't mention any pain or discomfort. So I wouldn't worry too much.

The old [200 minus Age = MHR] equation is notoriously unreliable, but I guess that's what you've used to calculate your MHR.

Adjust your MHR up a few ticks so it looks less scary; I'd suggest suggest something around 210 to give yourself a cushion.

If it feels comfortable then don't worry about it. Adjust your MHR to get yourself out of that maximum rage though.

Doing some back to back hill sprints (so short duration but intense) will give you a better indicator of what your MHR might be, but easy does it. At the moment go for "Does this feel okay?" rather than "What do the numbers say.

I would see your doctor and he may arrange an ecg to check things out. Personally I wouldn’t be comfortable with that heart rate and would like it investigating

Ok. Ideally if you were the legend that is Mo, you’d only hit max at the end of the race, 5k at that level isn’t anaerobic and 90% heart rate and beyond is. That’s him, he did rather well on it... that’s why he’s a legend.

Looking at the graph, light and fat burn are non existent... so I’d assume your resting heart rate is quite high... knowing where you were a few weeks ago that makes sense.

As you keep running and improve your health, your resting heart rate will go down and the graph, and especially the time at max, will be a lot less scary.

So, no, its not unusual at all, it’s very normal.

Edit: working out your actual max (VO2 max) needs a very demanding scientific testing session. Your device is guessing. It’s also guessing where vVO2 max is (the point above which you go anaerobic) so yeah, the graph is pretty, but at this stage it doesn’t actually tell you a lot.

My resting HR is 50. I didn't mention that i live in a quite hot and humid region. When i ran, it was over 90° F with 65% humidity. Maybe thats why my HR was in max intensity zone for the most part of the run. But i felt absolutely fine with no pain or discomfort whatsoever. What do you say?

Ah, ok... assumed you were over here in the nice cool UK. Yes, that will up the heart rate, making any run more difficult. Your device is just guessing though, and your max is probably higher... your device knows your age, height, weight and gender I assume... so that’s the rates for an average person of those stats... a resting heart rate of 50 would put you above average fitness.

Edit. Just checked and at 31 with resting heart rate of 50 you’d be way way above average, athlete in fact.

Sorry replied further down in the thread

I'm always in peak when I'm running I've even come of high blood pressure tablets. I'm still here no pain so I guess I'm really pushing myself to get 30 minutes to 5k. As my PB is today of 39:06. If your worried seek medical advice.