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Half marathon heart rate results weird

steve Beyersteve Beyer
in Races & Places 🏁⛺

So looking to make a little sense of the heart rate results for the HM I did last Saturday. To give perspective, and help you understand why I think HR was weird (high) during HM, here are the results of the 5K TT done at end of JOS 2 wks before race, and the pre-HM tempo run done 3 days before.

5K TT splits(min per mile/heart rate) : 1= 7:02/167 2= 7:21/170 3= 7:18/172...last 1/10=6;26 pace/177

*was shooting for mile 2 and 3 to be around 6:50 but felt kind of dead and had horrible head winds...heart rate pretty typical though

*based on that TT came up with HR zones of: Z1= 112-134, Z2= 134-153, Z3= 153-160, Z4=160-170, Z5=172-175

Pre-HM tempo run(goal was 1 mile WU at MP, then 3 miles at HMP): 1= 8:12/159, 2=7:50/156, 3=7:35/158, 4=7:38/159

*was BIG confidence builder. Felt great, HR in right zones, and felt like I could do miles 4-10 of HM at 7:40-7:45 pace after the first 3 miles a little slower.

Half Marathon Results: 1= 7:57/156, 2= 7:46/165, 3= 7:50/166, 4= 8:00/167, 5=7:47/169, 6= 7:49/171, 7= 8:02/171, 8= 7:51/171, 9=7:51/172, 10= 7:53/174, 11= 7:53/174, 12= 7:54/176, 13= 7:27/176

*1-3 maybe little quick (goal was little over 8:00/mile), but was holding back and felt good. 4th was slower b/c uphill and short walk to drink. 7th was slower b/c of short walk to take gel and get water. BUT compare heart rates to the 5K TT and the tempo run?!? Overall time (1:43:43) was in the range of what I expected....the upper end, but still within the range. It's just the HR I was at that is confusing...miles 2-4 were in Zone 4, and the rest of the race was in zone 5!!!

Other relevant things: RPE felt right for miles 4-10....was just slower with what I think was unusually high heart rate. Took a caffeinated gel at around 6.5, but HR was already higher before that. Hydrated per plan....5oz perform at 2,4,8,10 and H2O with the gel at 6.5 point. All of this was practiced in training(except the gel in training was no-caffeine), the only thing I can point to was that had HORRIBLE nights sleep night before race...awakened several times (hospital across street....helicopters/ambulance), even got slight headache from be awakened......could this be enough to explain unusually high heart rate?

Any/all thought appreciated image

 

                                                       

Comments

  • Scott AlexanderScott Alexander
    Temperature, humidity and wind differences between the days?

    Temp and humidity REALLY hurt me (I'm a big dood).
  • steve Beyersteve Beyer
    Yea, that's a pretty important detail, thanks Scott

    It really was a near ideal day....low 50's, very little wind/humidity....gorgeous day. Had been training in colder weather, but with more clothing of course, so I'd say weather had little if any effect.
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    Don't know about other people, but I race an HM in mid-upper zone 4 for HR. And the last three miles may well go into Z5, with an RPE that feels like 10K >> 5K. Just to make sure we're speaking the same lingo, Z4 to me means 85-91% of my max HR, and I'm racing an HM between 88 and 91%; I let myself go up to 92-4% over the last 3 miles. Some people refer to this as cardiac "drift". I just call it "working to my max at the end."

    Z3 is more like what I would be doing the HM of a 70.3, 78-85%.

  • steve Beyersteve Beyer
    @Al....Interesting! Mid to upper zone 4, with the last three miles into zone 5 just about EXACTLY describes my race! I was just unsure if it seemed normal because: 1. comparing it to the two runs I mentioned. and 2. Only trained with pace, not HR last year, so HR is new to me.

    Thanks!
  • rboglerbogle

    I think a poor nights sleep could definitely contribute to a higher HR, especially if your RPE felt reasonable. I think Al is right too that HM HR is on the higher side. I always see my HR creep up the longer I go at a sustained pace, you have to work harder to maintain the same pace over longer distances due to fatigue and limits of your muscles ability to convert and dissipate lactic acid. So a little of both factors working together. 

  • tim cronktim cronk
    @Steve.... I gave up on HR when I ran the Boston Marathon @ a HR of 97% that of my 5k HR...... Power/Pace/RPE for me.... To me it all comes down to RPE in the end anyway ! Just way too many variables for HR and hate wearing the strap anyway...
  • steve Beyersteve Beyer
    LOT of collective talent and experience behind the feedback.....appreciate all of it!
  • MattAaronsonMattAaronson
    Seeing this post a bit late in the game. FWIW my HR maxes out around 195 (top I've ever seen), and LT intervals will be anything from 180-188/89 depending on temps and humidity. I usually top out at ~185 in tough workout in average conditions.

    In my most recent two half marathons my HR was well into the 180's:

    1. RnR half in Vegas last year: my HR averaged 181 for the whole race and maxed out at 189. The average for each mile was: 163, 176, 178, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185, 184, 186, 187, 187. In other words, I ran the last 5 miles of it with my HR up into the rage of my hard z4 interval workouts and 94-96% of my max. Every mile after mile 1 was well over 90% of my max. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/405762046

    2. RnR half in DC last year: this one was in cooler conditions and averaged 176 for the race overall, maxing out at ~182 (some equipment-related spikes at the beginning). Unlike in Vegas I got to a stable HR quickly and the mile averages didn't really go up as the race went on. By mile, averages were: 166, 173, 174, 174, 176, 178, 179, 178, 178, 176, 177, 178, 178. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/284912844

    I suspect a contributing factor to the HR profile in the Vegas race was the elevation profile which featured a final 3-4 miles on a gentle incline. Also I ran it 1:10 faster (although I had better run fitness for that race and was running at full effort in both cases).

    No idea if this is helpful but it seems to confirm that 90%+ of max HR is certainlynot out of line in an open half-marathon.
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