Heart Rate

[Beginner13]

My HR Is up at about 180 while I’m running, it quickly comes down during the walk but does anyone have any idea how to keep that down a bit? My long term goal is to run a 10k but I worry that a HR that high won’t be sustainable for the full 10k. I’m 24 btw so a high HR isn’t a worry for me. Thanks for any help you can provide!

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

The issue is not about sustaining that heart rate for a 10k, but about sustaining a pace.

And more importantly, what is your effort like that at that heart rate of 180bpm? How does it feel?

What stage of C25K are you at? You should be *jogging* at every stage (when you're not walking).

So, even for 24 yr old, if you're jogging and taking it very easy, then 180 *is* quite high. It's very possible your device (how are you, measuring it?) is giving you a false reading - many do.

[Lula375 Graduate]

I’m glad you asked this because I’ve been wondering about heart rate too. What week are you on?

I would get to the 180s/190s when doing the intervals and I was jogging at a faster pace; now, with the longer runs and a conscious effort to save something to get to the end it’s in the 150s/160s. I put this down to improved fitness and slowing down, but worry I’m not pushing hard enough now!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Can you speak aloud, clearly gasping sentences as you run? . If not, you are going too fast.

An easy conversational pace is the recommended pace for C25k, as explained in the guide to the plan. You don't need to know any numbers, as this should equate to approximately 70-80% of your max HR.

I will disagree with the other replies here about whether it is sustainable for 10k. When I was aged 60 I could run for an hour or more with a heart rate of mid 150s, which is very much in the same relative region as your 180 bpm for a 24 year old.

The formulae that calculate your max hr and consequently the zones are rather crude and only produce an average................you may not be average.

If you feel fine, recover quickly afterwards and are comfortable at that rate, then you probably are fine, however there is no need to push hard for C25k, as stamina is built, counterintuitively, at an easy conversational pace.

[Beginner13]

Thanks for your answers everybody, I’m on week 7 run 1. The runs feel hard when I do them, however I do feel fully recovered and ready to go again once I’ve finished the 5 minute cool down. I am running at quite a slow pace, my average is about 8.5min/km. all these measurements are taken from an Apple watch. Thanks so much for your answers, I feel reassured. Lula, what run are you on?

[Lula375 Graduate in reply to Beginner13]

I did W8 R2 this morning- feeling shocked that I’ve made it this far and buzzing after each run!

[Beginner13 in reply to Lula375]

Oh amazing well done! The long runs are so hard but I get through by telling myself if I take a break now I’d have to do the whole thing again!

[Lula375 Graduate]

Me too!!!😄