Peak HR for 49 minutes? Is this dangerous?

[Seadie2502]

I was wondering if someone could give me some advice? I'm 26 and quite fit and active, I do weights, and run quite a bit... I was just looking at my HR on my Fitbit and notice me that during my 55 minute run I spent 49 minutes in peak! 

Is this dangerous? My resting HR is about 56bpm and I only ran miles at 10min per mile. Why does my HR rocket? Should I worry? 

[WavyDavey]

Hi @Seadie2502,

First, I would want to verify that the heart rate readings are OK. Take a look at this article, which helped make my Fitbit more accurate for heart rate. Can you post a screenshot of that heart rate chart from the run?

[Seadie2502]

Hi WavyDavy,

thanks for for the message. The article was helpful but I think I'm doing all of the steps correctly. So I do think it is accurate. Should I run slower? I do feel stressed during the run, maybe that causes my he to sore? I'm just worried I'm doing more damage than good?! 

[WavyDavey]

Hi @Seadie2502,

I'm not totally certain from the graph what's going on. It is unusual in my experience to hit peak and just stay there like that.

What I would do is break up the run into segments, like run 10 minutes, walk 5 minutes and repeat that. You should see the heart rate fall during the walk. If it stays in the peak and doesn't fall, make the walk time 10 minutes instead. Once you start seeing the heart rate drop during the walk period, then increase the amount of run time.

Here's one example over the course of a few workouts:

Run 10 minutes, walk 20 minutes, repeat.

Run 10 minutes, walk 10 minutes, repeat.

Run 20 minutes, walk 10 minutes, repeat.

Run 20 minutes, walks 5 minutes, repeat.

Keep adding to the run time and subtracting from the walk time until you are completing 30 minute runs with no walking period, then keep upping the run time. 

The basic idea is to look at how quickly your heart rate recovers from peak into cardio, and use that as a guide for when to up the intensity. When your heart rate doesn't go down much, as in your screenshot, it's time to lessen the run time and/or add to the walk time. Basically, it's the HIIT principle at work. Hope this helps.

[Seadie2502]

That's really helpful Dave, thank you, I will give that a go! 

[Julia_G]

@Seadie2502, to add to @WavyDavey's excellent training advice, it is also worth noting that if your Fitbit has trouble finding your heart rate, there is some evidence that it picks up the cadence of your feet instead.  So you may not have been in the peak zone.  

Fitbit is an excellent guide, but you should also always try to tune in to your body.  You will know if you are making peak effort...