Now that I have a HR monitor, I'm probably going to start obsessing about it, but I noticed something. Last night, after a five minute warm-up, I started running and my HR seemed to rise in a predictable manner-- during the warm up it was in the 70s, then it went up to 120s, 130s and then settled in the 140s-- toward the very end of my run, when I was getting tired, it was around 146-147.

So, today, I went for a run. During my warm-up my HR was in the 50s, but when I started running, it shot up to 165... higher than it had been during the entire 45 minute run the day before. I backed off the pace a little, and eventually it settled in around 146-147-- where it had been at the end of my run yesterday. I did feel more tired more quickly, but I also did a short run today, so I don't know if it would have evened out eventually.

Just curious if that's normal. Should I have warmed up more to get my HR out of the 50s before I started? Is it normal to have the HR go up quickly right at the beginning of a workout.

Thanks!

Depends on so Many factors it couldn't all be put here. Heart rate is one if this things that is really totally personal to you. They say youax
heart rate is 220- your age. However I've seen 30 year old hit 205bmp in testing. If it feels ok you dont get dizzy. Faint or feel I'll etc I wouldn't worry to much about it.

Did u drink water or a sports drink before your running? Hydration affects things and sports drinks have caffiene etc in them which can cause a rise in heart rate.

Other than hydration -- were you out? How was weather?

Were you breathing well? Allergies?

A.

In hot weather or if I'm getting a cold my avg HR is higher. Sometimes it's also high during the first mins of my run and then settles back.

I know just where you're coming from Uber. When I first got a heart rate monitor I was paranoid because everything I read about training zones showed that I generally do my workouts at about 90-100% of my max heart rate lol.
So I have since spoken with several of the instructors at my gym and also a personal trainer, who have all confirmed they are a guideline only and if you exercise regularly at a high intensity then you will become very fit and be able to push your heart rate much higher than the norm, while have a resting heart rate that is very low.
They all said that generally you should focus on how you are feeling while you exercise and if you feel that you can carry on without feeling any ill effects and you want to then go for it.
The only thing they did say which I've noticed to be true, is that if I'm overtired due to maybe working out too hard for a few days or coming down with a cold or something, then my heart rate is generally higher than normal and after exercising it takes longer to return to resting rate.

Many people have HR spike near the beginning of exertion. I know so many people who have been told not to exceed "X" HR who feel they cant run for more than 1 minute at any pace because they spike. But if they would just let themselves settle in they would come back down.

I am very fit, have a very low HR and when I run by the time I leave my street my HR is like 170. After 3-4 minutes it will be at the 130's.

Basically the phenomenon is the HR and the lungs dont have sync as to adjusting to increased oxygen demands. You start to exert and the lungs dont really respond so you temporarily go low in oxygen which sends the signal to your heart to beat faster. Which it does. Like crazy. And then the lungs kick in and it comes back down. It is nothing to worry about.

But it is a reason to remember to warm up. I see so many runners go hard right from the get go. I dont warm up before running often, but I do run the first mile(ish) easy and slow. Quite often my first mile is 1-2 minutes slower than the rest of my workout.

The higher HR throughout the workout is a sign of fatigue from the previous day. It is not necessarily something to be concerned about but if you have a string of increasing HR at the equivalent pace, its a sign that you may need a rest day or to run a little slower for awhile. Rising HR at the end of a workout is a symptom of running a bit faster than the body is ready for if you were planning on doing that workout day in and day out or if you are training for something specific.

HR is one of those things there is no RIGHT answer unless you have a specific goal or question. '

Probably the most important HR info is your complete RESTING HR. This is the one that will let you know if your body is being overtaxed.

Ennay said what I was going to say much better than I was going to say it.

Mine spikes early sometimes, too. And I quite often exercise at higher than the 'recommended' intensity level, and I'm terrible about warmups.

Thanks Ennay!

I think what you are talking about is the spike phenomenon-- for the first few minutes my HR higher and then it settled-- but it settled a little higher than the day before. Could have been fatigue. Or maybe because I seem to unconsciously run faster outside.... I'm not positive that I was a lot more fatigued-- I think I was more FREAKED OUT, like OMG my HR is so high, I MUST be getting exhausted.... I'm going to have to get over that, LOL, if I'm going to wear an HR monitor.

But I didn't understand your last sentence-- the most important HR infor is your complete resting HR. This is the one that will let you know if your body is being overtaxed....

Can you explain what this means? I have not taken an "official" resting HR after lying down for 20 minutes, but I know if I'm sitting around doing nothing, it seems to hover in the 50s....

I know that implies good fitness, but I really don't feel very fit.... I can only run if I keep my pace slow, and while I can run longer now, minor factors, like a little wind or small hills really throw me for a loop....

There are two things that can happen with resting HR (and it really should be first thing in the morning but if you are like me the alarm or the kids send my HR racing.)

The one that athletes need to watch is rising resting HR. If you are not recovering properly workout to workout. If you are going too hard too often your HR will start to rise. If you catch it early you can take a day or two off or easy and everything is fine. If you dont you can enter overtraining syndrome (which is much more specifically defined than the term "overtraining" that is bandied about). I know competitive athletes who NEVER measure their HR working out but religiously measure it first thing in the morning. Extended overtraining can be serious.

While you are in weight loss you can have the opposite effect. Quick weight loss can drop your RHR lower than normal. Which can make catching the rising HR problematic. ARe you normalizing or are you overtraining.

In practice if you are going all out every day you could have a problem. If you make sure to at least 2 days a week bring it down to a lower level of exertion it is unlikely to occur. It tends not to be a function of volume but of intensity.

Ok! Thanks for the explanation... I did not know that.