What's a good heart rate to aim for while running?

mssgeni

When I ran with my polar I would try to stay with a 180 range when sprinting, max 190, and I lost a ton of weight. It left me exhausted though. I could keep at even pace at like 170, but is that a good enough challenge? I'm not a very good runner.

What heart rate to you shoot for when you run and use a heart rate monitor?

autumnblade75

The number will change as you gain cardiovascular fitness. It will not be a number that someone on the internet can hand you - it will be personal to you. It will change as you age.

I do not know what your goal is, regarding running to a heart rate target - the number may change based on your goal.

Most of the benefits of running are attained through running lots of slow, easy miles. As such, I'd like to recommend that you aim to keep your heart rate UNDER 150 for the majority of your runs. That's just a random number that a stranger on the internet threw at you, though. It might not be low enough.

TavistockToad

autumnblade75 wrote: »

The number will change as you gain cardiovascular fitness. It will not be a number that someone on the internet can hand you - it will be personal to you. It will change as you age.

I do not know what your goal is, regarding running to a heart rate target - the number may change based on your goal.

Most of the benefits of running are attained through running lots of slow, easy miles. As such, I'd like to recommend that you aim to keep your heart rate UNDER 150 for the majority of your runs. That's just a random number that a stranger on the internet threw at you, though. It might not be low enough.

my easy pace on the flat is 140-150, so that's not a bad random number IMO!

mssgeni

So it's like an light jog on the treadmill, or some incline? I'm so out of shape though, just brisk walking gets my heart rate up to 140. I feel like I need a challenge.

BrianSharpe

Rather than worrying about a specific heart rate (for most of my runs now my max is less than what my average was a couple of years ago) run on perceived effort.

If your goal is to gain cardiovascular fitness and endurance most of your runs should be at a pace whereby you can carry on a conversation and speak in complete sentences. If that means going slow then slow down.

If you need to start with walking then do so and gradually introduce short, slow running intervals and add a minute or so to the running intervals each week.

Your body will thank you and you won't feel exhausted after a run.

unrelentingminx

A quick Google search gave the following:
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/heart-rate-training---the-basics/176.html
For my long runs I aim for a heart rate of between 135 and 155 bpm, based on my personal resting and max heart rates.

MeanderingMammal

mssgeni wrote: »

What heart rate to you shoot for when you run and use a heart rate monitor?

I wouldn't worry about it to be honest, you'll get more benefit by spending more time on your feet, so pick a comfortable pace that you can talk in short sentences and run at that pace for your session.

Once you can consistently run for an hour at a time three to four times per week then start thinking about more advanced training.