Heart Rate and Overtraining Issues

by Gabor
(Hungary)

My heart rate monitor says I train at an average heart rate of 169 bpm. As far as I know considering my max HR (192) and my rest HR (68) based on all the calculation methods I've found on the web this is somewhere in zone 3; and running in this zone for 45-70 min is not really advised. The problem is if I ran slower I would walk.

I run/jog 10k in 55 - 58 min at the above mentioned HR and I feel more refreshed rather than extremely exhausted.

In the end of the training usually I feel, that I could keep on going for a few kilometres at the same pace.

I am a 28 old male, started to run on a regular basis about six months ago. The HR device must work fine, as I tested it on several friends and family members and it's never displayed any nonsense.

Is that possible that my HR zones are not defined correctly and located at a higher range, or I run "too fast" and should slow down, or any other possibilities?

Thanks in advance for your answer.
Cheers,
Gabor

PS: I am a bit ashamed because I still owe you a huge thank you since I started running. I started with the 6th week of your beginners program 3. I still cannot believe that I am able to run for more than one hour and over 11k. Wonderful feeling. Thank You for that Dominique.


Answer by Dominique:
Hi Gabor,

Thank you for your question about your heart rate. It always gives me a lot of joy to see that I have been able to help somebody get started with running. And look at you go. Already able to run more than an hour non-stop. That just makes my day!

Let's cover off on the following:

1. The importance of running by feel
2. What happens in the first year of running
3. Understanding overtraining

The Importance of Running by Feel

You are right, your heart rate seems a bit high. A very important skill to develop when running is to "run by feel." It sounds like you're already doing a good job of this. You are controlling your pace. And at the end of an easy run you feel refreshed and you feel like you could be doing a few more kilometres.

These are all signs you are running in Zone 2. After all, your tempo run pace (generally called Zone 3) would be the pace you are able to maintain for an hour. It's difficult to run at tempo pace for a prolonged time. On bad days I feel like 5 minutes at tempo pace is enough to send me to despair. On good days, after 15-20 minutes at tempo pace, I am starting to really work.

So even though your heart rate monitor tells you so, you are not running in zone 3, but in zone 2, possibly top end of zone 2.

So, what is happening? Let's discuss that in the next secion.

What Happens in the First Year of Running

As a coach, I am interested in what a runner's training age is. I.e. how many years have they been running when they come to me for help. You may be an adult, but in training age terms, you are six months old. You are growing, you are developing rapidly, you are doing a lot of things for the first time that you might have thought were impossible before. Running 30 minutes non-stop, 45 minutes non-stop, an hour non-stop etc.

My main explanations of why your heart rate is high are the following:

Cardiovascular system still developing
The key system in your body that is developing during your first year as a runner is your cardiovascular system. I see it happening with more runners at your stage. It can take a while for the heart rate to "regulate". Your heart may not have had to work hard for a long time before you started running. Maybe your whole life. Your heart may need some time to get used to these new demands you are putting on it.

Your heart may have been used at pumping a little bit of blood around the body for years. Now you are suddenly asking it to pump much more blood. It can take a fair amount of time for your heart rate to settle at lower levels. Over time, as your cardiovascular fitness improves, your heart becomes more efficient, pumping more blood with each beat.

Inaccurate measurement
It is pretty hard to get good measurements on your rest and max heart rates. The link provides a pretty good method to establish your max heart rate. Rest heart rate is a bit trickier to do. Fitness watches worn at night can give you a decent indication. But when trying to measure it the "old school way" and testing it early in the morning, it may have already gone up quite a bit.

So, maybe your maximum heart rate is 195, making your 169 a "high zone 2" if you are using the Karvonen method.

Understanding Overtraining

It is true, overtraining could be a reason your heart rate is higher. More generally, too much stress on the body could be causing a higher heart rate. E.g. I have hayfever. In spring, as my body is under stress from allergies, I generally have a higher rest heart rate for a month or so and my heart rate during runs is higher as well. But any type of stress can bring this on. Not enough sleep, too much work, problems that occupy your mind, etc.

So rather than thinking about overtraining, it is important to take a holistic view and consider the cumulative stress you are dealing with. Because overtraining is a very hard state to reach for a beginning runner. It can definitely happen at the elite level / semi-elite level. It can happen when you run an incredible amount and you are not fuelling well. But pure overtraining as a beginning runner is an extreme state to reach. Simply because you are not doing a massive amount of running yet.

Clearly, I can't look into the whole of your life and provide an assessment. You should consider the cumulative stress you are under and consider what is right for you. Hearing that you feel refreshed after a run and feel like you could continue on for a while longer gives me some confidence to say that overtraining is not the problem here.

I think I have been close to overtraining or at a point of overtraining at one point in my life. And I can tell you, there was very little joy in my running at that time. Every run felt like a drag. I definitely did not feel refreshed.

Ultimately, heart rate training is a valuable tool, but it's important not to get too hung up on the numbers, especially as a beginner. Focus on how you feel during your runs, continue to build your base fitness, and make adjustments where necessary. Every runner is unique, so listen to your body and find what works best for you.

Keep up the fantastic work, and enjoy your running journey. Remember, you're already making amazing progress, and the best is yet to come!

Kind regards,
Dominique