Heart rate spike

[Florentine]

I finished week 6 yesterday and, at 67 and never having run before, I am very pleased. Up to yesterday my highest heart beat registered on my Fitbit was 155 but yesterday there was a 2 minute spike of 186. Alarming! It cones down readily when I finish and my resting HB is 55.

[Go59 Graduate]

Can't comment on your heart rate, I don't monitor mine, but very well done for completing week 6. I've just got in from doing run 1 of week 6. Maybe I should monitor my heart rate? I'll be 60 in February.

[Florentine Graduate in reply to Go59]

Oh well done you too! I only monitor my heart rate because I wear a Fitbit anyway to nudge my footsteps a bit. I am an extremely slow runner but a snail pace is better than nothing I suppose! Let’s keep going!

[Go59 Graduate in reply to Florentine]

I think us snails are brilliant! Lol.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

I wouldn’t over worry about this... wrist based heat rate monitors are notoriously susceptible to picking up on cadence and are also not 100% accurate to start with. If you felt ok, then you probably weren’t anywhere near in trouble... usually you’d experience other issues that you’d feel before getting to your true maximum HR. If you’re concerned, speak to your GP for advice and as things (within the NHS at least) are getting back to normality you may be able to go for a test if deemed necessary by them.

Great job with the running... you got this, enjoy closing it out.

[Florentine Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you for your encouragement.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

As UnfitNoMore says, it probably reverted to detecting your foot cadence instead of your heart rate for a moment. It will be more obvious by looking at the HR plot ... if you see the spike is very sudden, you can be sure it's a false reading. Hearts are not made of metal, to be switched on/off in an instant... any changes happen relatively gradually.

[Florentine Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thank you. It was sudden and then dropped again quickly.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Florentine]

In which case, nothing to worry about. Wrist-based device losing your pulse signal and locking onto your cadence instead. Have a look at your cadence numbers during the spike - they should be quite similar.

[Comfortnotspeed]

Excellent stuff! Finishing W6 😀

[Florentine Graduate in reply to Comfortnotspeed]

Many thanks!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Well done.

If you feel fine then you probably are, but if you feel dizzy, faint or sick then get checked out.

Many HRMs can be inaccurate.