Elevated HR

Dave said:

I've been running for about 6 months, average 20-30 km per week. I've
competed in a couple of fun runs and noticed that when I "race" in a
funrun my heart rate is 15-20% higher than when I'm doing my daily runs.
I run pretty slowly, about 7 minutes per km and that rate is the same
for the races as for my daily routine. Any suggestions why the higher HR?

Yes. Heart rate is approximately directly proportional to pace (goes up in
a linear fashion) until you get close to your maximum heart rate. If you're
racing any distance shorter than a marathon, you should expect your heart rate
to be at least 90% of maximum heart rate, and close to 100% in shorter races
and possibly at the end of longer races.

The reason it increases is that your energy consumption increases in
(approximately) direct proportion to pace, and at least in the range where
aerobic metabolism is the primary source of energy (all popular road race
distances), this means that your heart rate goes up to deliver the extra
oxygen.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions why the higher HR?>

Yes, it's called running faster. Did you ride the short bus to school?

If you'd read my original post you'd see that I said that my running
rate (speed) was the same for normal or race!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions why the higher HR?>

Yes, it's called running faster. Did you ride the short bus to school?

Dot,

Thanks for the reply, makes sense. You understood my post exactly,
unlike some others here!

Dot said:

Dave said:

I've been running for about 6 months, average 20-30 km per week. I've
competed in a couple of fun runs and noticed that when I "race" in a
funrun my heart rate is 15-20% higher than when I'm doing my daily
runs. I run pretty slowly, about 7 minutes per km and that rate is
the same for the races as for my daily routine. Any suggestions why
the higher HR?

Dave

Probably adrenaline, nerves, excitement of race, esp. when you're new -
if I'm understanding your post correctly. That is, you say your pace
(7min/km) is about same for races as for daily routine, but hr is about
15-20% higher.

FWIW, on my first race not in my town, my hr in the parking lot was
about 20bpm (at least) above normal standing - and stayed that way
throughout the race. I wear my hrm even while racing, since it's my only
watch with numbers big enough to see while running and a lap button. I
do look at the hr values occasionally, but in context of what they've
been reading that day, not their normal values - and with respect to my
breathing. It's not usually as far out of whack these days as I've
gotten less traumatized by the race routine and driving to the city.

It's helpful to learn to run by effort rather than depending on your
hrm, if you haven't already. Use the hrm as a tool. I use breathing and
ability to talk (or not) to judge effort level, but I'm sure others use
other things.

Dot

"Dave" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I've been running for about 6 months, average 20-30 km per week. I've
competed in a couple of fun runs and noticed that when I "race" in a
funrun my heart rate is 15-20% higher than when I'm doing my daily runs. I
run pretty slowly, about 7 minutes per km and that rate is the same for
the races as for my daily routine. Any suggestions why the higher HR?

Dave

Dave - Besides Dot's suggestions - Temperature can also play a part. If
it's warmer your body (ie heart) has to work harder to cool you down. If
your daily runs are early morning or at night when it's cooler that could be
a factor. And are the fun runs longer than your daily runs? As you run
your heartrate can creep up, even if you maintain a steady pace.

Anthony.