Target Heart Rate ? for Runners

[Imafitnessfreak]

O.k., I started running at the very beginning of this year and loosely tracking my resting heart rate and it has been going down...GREAT! The best part I have noticed is when running, a comfy pace was when my HR was in the 160's. Now it is just as comfy in the 170's which makes me think my V02Max is improving.

In the book BFFM, Tom Venuto provides a few equations to determine your target heart rate zone. One based on age (which I try to avoid because it is biased;-) ) and another based on resting heart rate, however, age is part of the equation.

Here is what I don't get...shouldn't my target zone be in a higher range? It seems to be in a lower range unless my math is off.

Can someone please explain this to me?

 

[Mckmain]

Hi Sarah..I can try and help.....First I am sure your VO2Max is improving! I haven't read BFFM so I really don't know what the Target Zone refers too? I know for a runner it is best to do a test for your Max HR and then go from there. The books I have read are by Sally Edwards "Heart Zone Training" they are excellent for running training tips using a HR Monitor. She shows steps to put your HR numbers in 5 different Zones. Running I stay mostly in the top 3 zones: Aerobic, which is 70-80% of your Max, Anerobic, which is 80-90% of your Max and then Redline, which is 90-100% of your Max and usually when you are running very hard. Training in the Redline Zone will make you faster but you have to be careful to not train in this zone two days in a row. So do you know what your Max HR is?.......Carole

 

[Imafitnessfreak]

Only based on my age...220-32 (years old) but I am unsure how accurate that is. I think (maybe) I may be a smidge more fit than the average 32 (nearly 33) year old so I don't know if that calculation is even fair.

 

[Mckmain]

Okay...try this test from the book I mentioned. 1st is to find your current condition. I know from your posts you would be in the "Excellent Shape" one. Then the test is: Use an eight-inch step to perform a 3 min test. After your warm-up, step up and down in a four count sequence as follows: right foot up, left up, right down, left down. Each time you move a foot up or down it counts as one step. Count "Up, up, down, down" for one set, with twenty sets to the minute. It is very important that you don't speed up the pace. Keep it regular.

After 2 minutes you'll need to measure your heart rate during the last minute. You can now predict your Max HR by adding this to your last minutes average heart rate. Add 75 BPM for you being in excellent shape. See what that comes up with for your Max and maybe it'll be more accurate then merely subtracting your age from 220....hope this helps......Carole

 

[amyg]

>Here is what I don't get...shouldn't my target zone be in a
>higher range? It seems to be in a lower range unless my math
>is off.

You want the lowest heart rate you can get to. Lower heart rate = more efficient pumps of blood. The rate also lowers as you get older, which to me seems like for the exact opposite reason- with age, lower heart rate = slower metabolism. So I don't get that. But age will be a part of any equation when it comes to heart rates, since it is one of the main factors.

Definately go with the resting heart rate. Testing that relatively often will also help you avoid overtraining- if your RHR goes up by 10%, you are much more likely to injure yourself. Take it easy on those days. HTH and somewhat answers a question that Carole isn't addressing. (Or is she?? I can't spend too much time on running questions because I get so upset my body isn't letting me run these days/years.)