Heart rate after a run

[Reggit]

First of all I should probably not over analyse my Fitbit haha.

I’ve noticed my heart rate after a run (I’m only on W2) falls fairly quickly but stays about 10bpm above normal for several hours, probably falling to normal in the night.

Is this indicating anything to worry about?

Eg, my normal resting rate in the day is high 60’s, it will peak around 160 during the runs and quickly fall to around 80 after finishing, then take a long while to drop to around 70.

I feel fine by the way.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer this thoroughly... a medical opinion would be needed to be sure. That said, if you go run and look at your heart rate 2 minutes after finishing the exercise, you have a new measure of fitness, your recovery heart rate. The length of time you’re at this heart rate, and the rate itself will reduce with increasing fitness... elite athletes recover to their resting heart rate in a few minutes. I’m not sure whether an hour or several hours is normal... If you’re feeling fine, you almost certainly are, but a call to your GP to put your mind at ease wouldn’t be a bad thing.

[Reggit Graduate]

Thanks, I’ll take it as normal. I started walking before starting the C25K to get my fitness levels up. Hadn’t considered C25K until I realised my lunchtime walk was up the fell I live next to, took about 2.5 hours and covered 10 miles - was supposed to be doing it over a lunch time 😂 I’ve seen my resting rate fall from 75 to 65 in however long the lockdown has been (8ish weeks I think).

Wondered if the slightly elevated level was my body repairing itself (or in shock) after been subjected to previously unheard of exercise!

The initial fall from peak of 160ish to 80ish is happening over a few minutes, the HR rise and fall at the start and end are roughly the same rate.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Reggit be very wary of the readings from your Fitbit. Wrist-based optical HR devices are notorious for dodgy readings. A common problem is they can lose the signal from your pulse and instead lock onto your foot cadence ... so if you´re jogging, running at around 160-180 steps per min, then your HR reading will appear to be similar, when in fact your real HR will be considerably lower. It´s called ´cadence lock´ - happens with my Garmin all the time and is very common.

I´d pay no attention to the HR from the Fitbit and instead just use it to track pace, route, distance etc.

The most important thing you said was that you feel fine. Focus on that instead.