“The better trained at running at their lactic threshold heart rate an athlete is, the less rest they’ll need,” says Lakritz. How much rest will vary, depending on each person. It’s important to remember when you first try running in zone 3, you will need to ensure you take enough rest after each run. If your heart rate doesn’t reach this percentage of your maximum heart rate, you’re training more of your aerobic system, and if your heart rate goes above this range, you’re training more of the anaerobic system.” “Your running heart rate should get into and stay in the 70–80% range. So, when you begin running, you can aim for an easy run in zones 1 and 2 to work on your aerobic fitness.Īs you gain experience, Lakritz suggests aiming for heart rate zone 3. No matter what exercise you do, you should always target your workout to be between 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate. When it comes to your heart rate, there is no ‘normal.’ Each person is different, and on any given day, their heart rate when running could be affected by various influences, as detailed below. “This is a simplified version of how the body uses energy.” Normal Heart Rate for Running “As you run faster and faster, the amount of fat to carbs you use for energy will gradually change as you move through each category,” Lakritz says. Generally, you’re in one of those three zones during a run, but these systems are more of a continuum than specific categories. “This is used for speed training, such as interval running.” “The body uses carbs so fast it can’t clear lactic acid fast enough, and the body goes fast, but only for short periods before it needs to slow down to clear the lactic acid,” Lakritz says. It primarily uses carbs for high-intensity running, so energy is needed quickly. The anaerobic system is your heart rate zones 4 and 5 (80–95% of your maximum heart rate). The problem is that when the body uses carbs to create energy, it causes a byproduct called lactic acid to form.” In the lactic threshold system, the body can clear this byproduct as fast as it’s made – think tempo running. “The way the body uses carbs to create energy is much faster. “When training using this system, the body needs energy faster, so it uses carbs,” Lakritz explains. It is a combination of the aerobic and anaerobic systems and uses a combination of fat and carbohydrates to create energy. The lactic threshold system is your heart rate zones 3 (70–80% of your maximum heart rate). “This is the system you’re using during your easy runs,” Lakritz says. It uses fat to create energy and is a slow system, but it doesn’t create lactic acid, so you can stay there for a long time. The aerobic system is your heart rate zones 1 and 2 (50–70% of your maximum heart rate). “This is a very crude estimation, and your max heart rate will generally go down as you age.” “Your maximum heart rate can be loosely estimated by subtracting your age from 220,” says Lakritz. Polar’s Running Performance Test is also another great way of testing this, as it only requires you to reach 85% of your HR Max for it to calculate your top score.Īlternatively, you can try calculating it yourself. It requires you to do a field test with a heart rate monitor to place your body under the conditions that would cause you to reach your HR Max. It’s when your heart is under maximum stress, usually due to some form of intense physical activity.įinding your exact maximum heart rate can be a little tricky. Your maximum heart rate (HR Max) is the highest number of beats per minute your heart can pump. Maximum Heart Rateīefore beginning to understand the variations that affect your heart rate when running, it’s essential to know your parameters. We chatted with Jason Lakritz, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Finish Line Physical Therapy in New York City and the founder of Profunctional Running, about your heart rate when running. Understanding what happens to your heart rate and body while you run is essential for knowing how to target your training. The thing is, how do you know what’s normal? Normal for everyone else and normal for you? If you’re tracking your heart rate when running (which is a great idea), you could wonder if your running heart rate is normal.
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