Threshold vs Aerobic heart rate

[LuvlyGal]

Good day beautiful runners I have a question on the groups thoughts about running with your heartrate at the threshold heart rate zone vs aerobic heart rate zone. I run very, very slow and thought I was running at a slower heart rate, but my garmin watch is telling me differently. I am not really sore the next days after runs and I just finished week 6. I might be a little stiff, but this quickly goes away with the good old fashion stretching session. I am just wondering if I should be slowing my runs even slower? My conversation capacity is good as I am always chatting with my dog. Lol. I know I am getting back in shape and I am in my mid 40s. Am i overthinking this? All thoughts from the groups are greatly appreciated!

[Cmoi Graduate]

Hi   LuvlyGal , if you can comfortably chat to your dog while you're running, I'd say you're fine, regardless of what your Garmin says.

Bear in mind that I'm biased - I've been running a little over three years and, on the rare occasions that I bother about pace, I only ever run by perceived effort. I don't wear my Garmin for every run, nor can I remember what threshold or aerobic zones are, they're that unimportant to me.

If you do want to pay attention to your heart rate zones, then you need to personalise them on your watch and not just go with the default 220 minus age formula. I find that's wildly out for me, not least because I run a lot of hills. You'd probably also get a more accurate reading from a chest strap than from your watch.

Personally I wouldn't worry about all that during C25K, you've got plenty of time in the future to get into running data if you want to. Enjoy C25K!

[LuvlyGal Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

Thanks Cmoi! I was leaning this way, so greatly appreciate your feedback.

[XenaZelda Graduate]

I would say don't worry about it until after you graduate, sounds like you are doing ok, i graduated 5 months ago and my heart rate was around 40%-50% in the High Zone 5 and i do now check my heart rate on every run, it takes a lot of training to keep it below the maximum threshold, but i am getting there now its more like 40-50% in Zone 4 and the rest in Zone 2-3 . But now it depends what effort i am doing, i.e a faster shorter run or a slower longer run

[LuvlyGal Graduate in reply to XenaZelda]

Thanks XenaZelda. This is good news. I will keep training and see where the heart rate takes me...lol

[Sax64 Graduate]

Ha don't trust your garmin for heart rate zones. They're just averages and, by definition, we can't all be average. So run by feel, and if you can comfortably have a conversation without gulping for breath, then you're doing brilliantly 👏

[LuvlyGal Graduate in reply to Sax64]

Hahahha love that image of my gasping. I run so slow my dog is always looking at me like Really?? This is seriously slow Mom.

[Bluestreek Graduate]

Hi, I have posted this before but it is a bit of a bug of mine. Wrist monitors are NOT heart rate monitors, they are pulse, if you get into trouble with your heart, as I did, then a wrist one can be a real problem.

I went into VT, heart was stuck at 220bpm but my pulse had dropped to 60, I was wearing both at the time. I ended up in A&E for cardio inversion and three stents.

And just for good measure wrist monitors can also lock onto your cadence, so that’s a bit confusing . I’ll NEVER exercise without a chest monitor. Sorry to go on.

[LuvlyGal Graduate in reply to Bluestreek]

Wow. Thank you for sharing this great information! I will keep that in mind.