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Heart rate zones (argh!)
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Training with a heart rate monitor is good as it gives you measurable progress of fitness although it can be frustrating at times having to keep your heart rate down.
You cannot calculate your MHR (max heart rate) with any accuracy using any formula, doing a test is the best way. Google MHR test, I would advise the hill reps is the best option. It's not pleasant doing an MHR test but it's over quickly and you don't need to do it again. I'm sure you'll find your MHR is much higher than your calculations.
Good luck
As Shades says above it's not really a question of pace and running to HRM is an excellent way of measuring your progress and also ensuring you're not pushing things too hard to begin with. It sounds as if you've got things nicely under control and I wouldn't worry about the peaks. Are you seeing these on the run or when you look at the stats after?
I am 34 and my wrist max is around 190 (though rarely, and I rarely reach this level), with a comfortable 5k sitting under 140. Resting shows as something under 60 depending on sleep. I may try the mhr thing, but with the temperature low and as a new asthma sufferer I am wary. Numbers seem okay to me, and I have noticed my heart rate decreasing for equivalent runs which seems intuitive.
In general though, what is the advantage of training to HR as opposed to distance or pace?
The advantage of HR training is that you train at the correct effort for your ability and level of fitness, it will give you a strong aerobic system. By distance does not take into consideration the correct effort required. By pace can be used but needs to be calculated carefully and conditions such as heat and strong headwinds means that if maintaining that pace in tougher conditions means you're training too fast.
If you read up on base training you'll see the opinions of the effectiveness of HR training.
If I do decide to throw in a cheeky marathon or something (had never really appealed before) I may well look at a proper monitor and training regime.
However if your main sport is not endurance based then with the running that you're doing you should over time notice your resting heart rate start to reduce. That's a sign of improving aerobic fitness.
Similar to BR36, thought best to just build onto this thread as my question is on same theme - am new to the forum today to ask this question specifically so I hope its ok to just build on this thread.
I'm 52, what I'd call an intermittent runner - 1-3. times a week. Main runs are 5-6K on a weekend either one or two ~5k runs. I bought a HR monitor (chest) recently and am now a bit confused with the results. I can happily run a 5k in ~24 mins but with this HR monitor and a bit of google I learned:
1) Theoretical HRMax in ~168 (220-52)
2) Cardiac drift - after about 8mins I get a bit of a sweat on, HR at ~140 or so at the end of 5km I am at ~166bpm - ie just under my max HR. I added more liquids but no difference really. Overall, I feel totally fine after this 5K, no heavy breathing or fatigue - after 6km at this pace am getting more ready to stop.
3) I slowed down the pace to 30min for a 5k but HR does same thing. I then tried 12mph for 20mins but still most of the run is in 'Zone 5'.
I feel absolutely fine running 24min 5k without any heart monitor. But now I have the heart monitor (and google) I see I am effectively in zone 5 for pretty much most of the 5k which of course makes you paranoid your going to pop something but meanwhile I feel totally fine (vs the theory of only doing zone 5 for a few mins). I tried running 5km slow enough to keep heart rate down but I can walk faster and therefore it felt a bit pointless.
So my question - is this a sign I am just a bit unfit and just need to build up runs at a slower pace over time or should I just ignore the HR monitor and stick to my 24min 5k pace and listen to my body instead?
My intent is not about speed, races or anything like that - its just to keep fit as I age - simple as that - a runner friend died recently mid run - he was mid-50's hence a bit of paranoia from me on heart health also perhaps - either way, its timely for me to reset any habits if I am over stressing my system.
Any advice much appreciated thanks.
The 220 minus your age is of no real relevance if you're trying to run within HR zones, you need to find the actual max, and there's lots of stuff on the net to tell you how to do that.
For myself it was a 5x 400m hill run session at max pace which gave me something like 200+ @ 50years old. Even now 20+ years on I can regularly go over my theoretical max (148) on even steady training runs, but that's only using a garmin wrist monitor so I pay no attention to it as they're notoriously unreliable.
https://theathleteblog.com/calculate-maximum-heart-rate/
Since then there were quite a few other formulas that controlled for different variables. In particular, I found this one to provide a generally more accurate number - 211 – 0.64 x Age. But estimating should be just the first step. From there you'd calculate zones (preferably, by using a Karvonen formula) - you can use this calculator https://theathleteblog.com/heart-rate-zone-calculator/
Once the zones are calculated, you can validate those based on perceived exertion or eventually doing a functional threshold test (40-45min all-out effort). If the average HR for that test would lie somewhere in the middle of Zone 4, then you'll know that the zones are correct. If not, adjust the theoretical max HR in the calculator for the zones to match with your functional threshold test.
When it comes to max HR, it doesn't really matter for most athletes what exactly it is. In fact, for someone who is new to training a MHR test will not yield the right value, because the body will start shutting down earlier than one would achieve his/her true max value. All you need to know is where are your Zones 2-3-4, because that's where you'll be doing most of the training. High Zone 4 and Zone 5 training is best done by pace or power - heart rate would be very skewed at shorter efforts, because it doesn't climb up as quickly.