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2015-03-23 9:48 AM

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Subject: Heart Rate Questions
I've about got my heart rate training down and I am trying to get my wife on board.

I have a few questions.

She just had a baby in November and is really working on getting back in shape. She has been doing insanity since she was medically cleared to do so. Right around new years.

She wants to start running again and work on losing some weight. I'm trying to convince her that she needs to be training at lower heart rates to work on her aerobic base and the different metabolic pathways.

Her average heart rate while doing insanity is between 165-175. I haven't watched her do most of it but I do know that she can't perform the exercises very long and has to take quite a few breaks. When she did it after the first baby I felt she could go longer than she can now even after three months of working out.

The weather was nice the other day and she went out for a run and said her HR was immediately in the 160's and never came down until she started walking at the end of the run and then it was still in 140's. Even when she slowed her pace to 13:00 min/mile

She tells me that her heart rate is never in the 120/130's when she is working out. Always in the 160's or higher.

I am almost concerned that she has a slight medical condition that is making her heart rate jump that high. I do know that after her delivery she had an elevated heart rate as she lost lots of blood. Had some iron issues as well. I am thinking that they may not be fully resolved at this point.

What she is telling me is that she can't even go out and slow jog and keep her hr in the 140's. Much less the 120's or 130's.

Does this point to just being out of shape or medical condition?

How do I get her started in the right direction?


2015-03-23 10:12 AM
in reply to: Nick B

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Subject: RE: Heart Rate Questions
My view (probably not a very popular one, nor supported by any scientific underpinnings): when you start with running looking at heart rate is really useless because as you say it skyrockets the second you start running. Telling someone to basically walk at a brisk pace (I think that is what 13min mile speed is, right?) is likely to have a negative influence on their motivation to keep going. In those first weeks I think it is okay to be really rather tired when going on what should be an easy run. The big thing of course, is to not force anything, and the best way to do that is to run consistently, frequently, and not for too long. Moreover, try to make her stick to a certain pace that she can hold throughout rather than focus too much on HR. When I started running last year after a period of inactivity (in running, not in general) in August I was running at like 8:30 min/mile and my HR avg was also in the 160s and it felt hard but doable, whereas if I wanna reach HR 160 now I really have to work hard for it, I will have to run at around threshold speed which is 6:30ish pace in order to get there. In other words, HR 160 for an untrained person can feel alot easier than it does to a trained person, and I think it is wrong to approach HR training in the same way because of that. Now I have no idea what the physiological differences are between "untrained" 160 and trained 160, but this is my experience with it. Over time her average heart rate will drop. When it does, then you can coach her into instead of speeding up straight away, remain at the pace she is but running it at a much lower HR. I have never used the couch to 5k or the run/walk programs, but that could also be of help to her. Have you asked her what her rate of perceived exertion is when her HR is so high?

Having said all of this, given your details about possible medical conditions, it should go without saying that that should be checked out regardless of any other thoughts on her HR while running.
2015-03-24 9:43 AM
in reply to: Nick B

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Subject: RE: Heart Rate Questions

Not sure what a 160 HR means for your wife, its just a number.  There are metrics to use such as HR zones derived from a field LT test, pace derived from a timed run such as a 5k (VDOT) (McMillan run calc), RPE and/or breathing rate.  I know a guy that is just like your wife, as soon as he starts to run his HR jumps up and is always high, his field run LT test was something like 194.  He uses a mix of pace and HR. 

Barring a hold from a doctor, have her do some sort of field test (LT HR, timed run, etc), train, repeat test in 6-8 weeks if so desired.

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