Do you monitor your HRM or pace when running races?

powered85

This year I've wore a hrm and monitored my stats while doing 5k and 10k runs. In some ways I wonder if it's distracting so might try without.

Those with a hrm/fitness device, do you keep and eye on the stats when doing actual races or more so use for training?

3dogsrunning

I do both but I pay more attention to my HR zone. I will often look at my km splits but skip one or two so I don't know exactly how fast (or slow) I'm running. Sometimes I don't look at pace at all and run by HR and feel. I tend to get discouraged if I'm not hitting the paces I want so it's not always best to know.

I have certain HR zones I aim for. I have certain HR zones I try to avoid unless I can see the finish.
I *try* to stay in HR zones but I also balance it with how I feel. I let it creep up a bit if I'm feeling ok. I do try to stay out of my red zone though.

powered85

3dogsrunning wrote: »

I have certain HR zones I aim for. I have certain HR zones I try to avoid unless I can see the finish.
I *try* to stay in HR zones but I also balance it with how I feel. I let it creep up a bit if I'm feeling ok. I do try to stay out of my red zone though.

What distances are you running? I did a 5k recently and spent the majority in the red zone. Imagine on longer races staying out of the red zone is more important?

3dogsrunning

powered85 wrote: »

3dogsrunning wrote: »

I have certain HR zones I aim for. I have certain HR zones I try to avoid unless I can see the finish.
I *try* to stay in HR zones but I also balance it with how I feel. I let it creep up a bit if I'm feeling ok. I do try to stay out of my red zone though.

What distances are you running? I did a 5k recently and spent the majority in the red zone. Imagine on longer races staying out of the red zone is more important?

I do anything from 1 mile to half marathon (and half Ironman).
I made the mistake earlier this year of starting out in the red zone on a 5k race and died the second half. I mean, I was running my max HR for the first km. I just couldn't keep it up.
Usually on a run, your HR goes up as the race goes on, even for a 5k. On this run my HR went down continuously. I physically couldn't move fast enough to get it higher.

ETA - but yes, I think for longer races it's more important. But shorter races can be affected too.

JimmyLedford

I just got my Polar 7 heart rate monitor this past week and love it. The exercise calories are better measured with my monitor. I am bringing together so many variables right now and beginning to see progress. I have been on this journey for 100 days now and have committed for the next 15 months. I have 100 + pounds to loose. Would love some friends to share with and encourage.

NorthCascades

HR every time, and here's why:

(1) "Right now" pace is really hard to measure, so a lot of watches (including mine) don't always do a perfect job of it. Mine is good under an open sky but not so good near trees and buildings. I don't have a foot pod, and lap/mile pace isn't responsive enough for me.

(2) Hills.

(3) I know my LTHR, it's 165 bpm. In theory, the fastest I can run any race would be with an average HR of 164. I can usually feel when I cross my threshold, I'm burning matches above 165, recovering below.

As a cyclist that trains with power, I feel like pace should be a better way to pace your effort, but in practice HR works much, much better (for me).

MeanderingMammal

Personally generally it's pace, as I run trail endurance races HR varies so much that it's meaningless.

That said it is useful to have an awareness of LTHR as going over it is going to impact. For a 10K I can hold myself there and finish, but if I approach it in a Half or a Marathon I'll burn out far too quickly.

That said, testing it is a challenge. Mine is similarly 168 bpm, but on steep climbs it's easy to exceed.

dewd2

When it is hot like today, I will use HR more than pace. I'm running a half marathon today and with the weather I can't say for certain how fast I will be. Basing my strategy on pace could be an issue.

When I run shorter races, I look at my HR but do not pay much attention. I run by feel since the course is short. FWIW, I run 5ks at 92-96% of my max. No sense saving anything.

olymp1a

In longer run I usually monitor my HR zone I have an alarm set when I go over so I don't get that distracted. Shorter runs I don't mind monitoring HR unless there's a lot uphill.

RoxieDawn

I am a runner and not a cyclist. So for me I do both. I am adapted to hot weather so weather is not issue for me. But my conditioning during training or races all matter. Short 5k or 8k, all pace. 1/2 HR and 10K both.

I did run 10K race yesterday, and did not do any running 10 days prior the race. I trained to do this race in splits. So because of my situation it was all all important at this point for me. I did finish 20th overall and surprisingly and placed in age group.

powered85

Wow great points here thanks all. I run a Fenix3 with a footpod & rhythm+ so have access to estimated LTHR and close pace via the footpod. I should look at LTHR a bit more closely to see if that gives any benefit in the 10k runs.

I do feel it creates a bit of anxiety looking down at the watch though depending on how pace/time/hr is doing. Might need to get past that lol.

litsy3

I don't train by HR, but if you do, ideally you'd use it to help you learn what your target race pace (based on HR intensity for the distance) actually feels like to run. If you do enough training at race pace (and other paces) with your HRM, you'll be well trained to run at the appropriate intensity and, in theory, shouldn't need to check your HR or your pace at all during the race because you'll be able to get yourself into the right rhythm, though it can be helpful to have the occasional quick glance at your splits to make sure you're staying focuses.

You also should be able to run faster than your LT pace if you are only doing a short race - it doesn't matter if the lactate builds up faster than you can clear it if you'll be finished soon anyway - you'll just be sore afterwards when it won't affect your racing.

NorthCascades

powered85 wrote: »

I do feel it creates a bit of anxiety looking down at the watch though depending on how pace/time/hr is doing. Might need to get past that lol.

If you want to target a specific pace or HR you can set it to buzz at you when you go out of bounds.

I've run with a Fenix 3 and a F3 HR and both of them put my LTHR at the same number every time. The consistency is impressive.

powered85

NorthCascades wrote: »

powered85 wrote: »

I do feel it creates a bit of anxiety looking down at the watch though depending on how pace/time/hr is doing. Might need to get past that lol.

If you want to target a specific pace or HR you can set it to buzz at you when you go out of bounds.

I've run with a Fenix 3 and a F3 HR and both of them put my LTHR at the same number every time. The consistency is impressive.

Do you run a footpod too? Notice since I added one my LTHR and Vo2 max are significantly different.

BasicGreatGuy

I wear a Polar M400. I monitor my heart rate and pace during training and only monitor pace during a race. I don't see much point in monitoring heart rate during a race.

3dogsrunning

And i forgot my HRM for my 5k race today.

I didn't end up looking at my paces either.

After I responded last night I thought of the point that I like being distracted. Thinking about my HR keeps my mind occupied.
Plus, I do well if i know that I'm working at a certain effort and know I can hold it even if it's feeling hard.

scorpio516

I train by hr, race by pace.
Although, I raced a new to me distance this summer and went by hr(kept it right below lthr for an hour). And I race by both during a duathlon - pace running, hr biking (no pm)

dewd2

powered85 wrote: »

NorthCascades wrote: »

powered85 wrote: »

I do feel it creates a bit of anxiety looking down at the watch though depending on how pace/time/hr is doing. Might need to get past that lol.

If you want to target a specific pace or HR you can set it to buzz at you when you go out of bounds.

I've run with a Fenix 3 and a F3 HR and both of them put my LTHR at the same number every time. The consistency is impressive.

Do you run a footpod too? Notice since I added one my LTHR and Vo2 max are significantly different.

What is the purpose of the footpod when running outside (other than a quick calibration)?

FWIW, I use a footpod only when I am forced to run on the dreadmill.

NorthCascades

Foot pod is more accurate than GPS.

MeanderingMammal

NorthCascades wrote: »

Foot pod is more accurate than GPS.

In principle I'd agree, although I'm not sure of the materiality, particularly on anything other than the track. My inclination would be that it's just a different pool of error as stride length varies while cadence shouldn't.

dougii

I ran for over a year with my Garmin 225 using pace; this year I switched to HR. What a difference for the better. I am able to train longer and harder using heart rate.