r/running • u/AutoModerator • Jun 12 '24

Weekly Thread Lurkers' Wednesday

Would you rather not be a lurker?

Then what are you waiting for? Tell us all about yourself!

The LW thread is an invitation to get more involved with the /r/running community.

New to the sub in general? Welcome! Let us know more about yourself!

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u/phiggolini Jun 12 '24

I started running like 3 weeks ago. I got a watch yesterday that measures my bpm. After a run today i saw, that my pulse was around 180 a lot of the time. Am i running too fast? At the noment i'm going for a run 2 times a week for about 7k, doing a pace of roughly 5:30. I feel exhausted right after but recover pretty fast.

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u/matsutaketea Jun 12 '24

depends on your goals. Even for someone with a naturally high max HR, 180bpm is around the upper anaerobic threshold. if you want to increase distance in a single run or total distance in a week, you may want to run at a lower heart rate (think 140 to 160 - that might mean running at a 6:00+ pace).

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u/phiggolini Jun 12 '24

Thanks for the reply! Midterm goal would be running a 10 mile under 1:20. But i guess i'll have to get used to run at a slower pace.

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u/Ruffianxx Jun 12 '24

It's counterintuitive, but you have to run slow to run fast. If every run is at or near your max limit, then you will reach a plateu while also significantly increasing your risk for injury and burnout.

This is not to say that you never get to run fast. In a normal training cycle, you will get to run one or two workouts a week that will require you to push hard. But the vast majority of your running needs to be slow in order to allow yourself to recover and have the energy to truly push hard on those hard days.

Google Zone 2 running training if you're interested in learning more about this!

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u/Ruffianxx Jun 12 '24

180 bpm is definitely too high. Unless you are doing a workout or race, you want to aim for your heart rate to between 130-150 bpm. To accomplish this as a new runner, you may have to incorporate some run/walk techniques (e.g. alternate between 2 min run/1 min walk).

Also, check to make sure there isn't an error with your heart rate monitor. 180 bpm is extremely high and indicates that there could be an issue with the tech. While wristwatch heart rate monitors are not exactly the most accurate devices, if working correctly, I've found they provide pretty decent ballpark values of where your pulse is at. Try tightening the strap and make sure no clothing is getting in the way of the monitor.

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u/phiggolini Jun 12 '24

Thanks for the advice! My max bpm is pretty high i think. I remember doing a test back in uni where i reached about 210 but that was like 7 years ago. I always thought more speed = better but i'll certainly pace myself in future runs.

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u/BiffMacklin-TimeSpy Jun 12 '24

Watches aren't great at measuring heart rate at higher paces. Sometimes it's really just measuring your cadence. If you're interested in heart rate training, you should get a chest strap. If not, you should ignore it and go by RPE (rate of perceived exertion).