Is my HRM faulty?

NitaCB
NitaCB Posts: 532 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been HR training for running for several months now. I'm aiming for an easy pace of 147, according to Maffetone's method of 180 - your age (and minus another 5 because of sickness/injury). But I actually can't seem to believe my HRM monitor lately because it seems just so far out. Normally when I start out it spikes up high for about the first 5-10 mins, then settles down to where it should be by about 15-20 mins into the run. But most of the runs that I have done in the last 2-3 wks have been unnaturally high, even though I still feel like I'm working at an easy pace. And when I say unnaturally high I mean that it wants to sit at about 175 for most of the run, which is ridiculous! Even more so, when it's up that high the spike at the beginning can get as high as 225!! Uh...am I supposed to still be alive with my HR that high? It totally doesn't feel that way.

I took 3 weeks off for overtraining, and I am sure that I am not overtrained now. I've been running for several years there is no way my HR should be that high. I've had one run this week where it was actually in the right range for most of the run. Today, when I did 85 mins, it was at about 175 for the first 45-60 mins, then finally settled down to where it should be, even though I wasn't running any slower. Could my Garmin actually be giving me a false reading? I do walk breaks to bring it down to a better range, but I shouldn't have to be doing that, it shouldn't be reaching over 220, ever.

Any advice?

Replies

  • mamakayy
    mamakayy Posts: 36
    I've heard that HRMs can go erratic when the battery gets low.

    Have you tried replacing it?
  • Riverofbeauty
    Riverofbeauty Posts: 205 Member
    Also make sure the strap is fitting properly and you've cleaned the sensors.

    Mine used to give me crazy readings when my strap wasn't fitting properly.
  • NitaCB
    NitaCB Posts: 532 Member
    I haven't even had it a year yet, maybe 6 months, so it's probably not that. I feel like I'm always looking for a way to justify the reading, like am I dehydrated, or really tired, or is it a freezing cold morning... But I don't know how it can get over 220.
  • NitaCB
    NitaCB Posts: 532 Member
    I'm beginning to think that it might be the strap that is having issues. I was just checking my recent runs. On one just the other day it said that my max HR for that run was 248. [/b] 248!!! [/b] Shouldn't I be dead?!
  • lisajnz
    lisajnz Posts: 16 Member
    Mine does that too (it is a Garmin as well) - it will spike to about 220 or even more for about the first km, even if I know I'm just running a slow warm up and know there is no way my HR is that high, I'm figuring it is a fault with the monitor, not my HR - once it gets past about the first 10min it seems to settle and stay where I would expect it to be. Everyone is so different too - my "easy" HR is about the same as my running mate's "tempo" HR - not sure whether it is a fitness/weight/fat thing, or whether we're all just built different, but even with all the calculations out there, I think you still have to find what is right for you. I can tell now pretty much by how I feel if I'm pushing it up too much, look down at my watch, and sure enough I'm running a bit faster and harder and the HR has gone up, even with all the great equipment, so much is still listening to your own body :)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Using Polar or Garmin straps, the first part of a ride that entailed decent long downhill always had HR jumping up to 180 and above when I wasn't even pushing hard.
    I chalked it up to the power lines on that side of the street on that route, but noticed it didn't always hit where other powerlines were.
    Also beginning, less sweat, just spit on strap contacts.
    Then thought perhaps bad pairing since I'd sometimes turn on HRM and step away from bike, thought perhaps it didn't pair initially, so did better job there.

    Finally read about static and problem that causes. It's the reversal of your heart's electrical charge that allows it to be read, any static electricity, or high voltage lines that are close, can make that inaccurate.

    Test was to push the clothes against the strap so they would stop flapping in the wind when I saw it go up.

    Indeed that did it with both Polar (total fabric strap with plastic module only in middle) and Garmin (half plastic half fabric).

    Other solutions in Garmin forums was spraying antistatic spray and water bottle.

    I did get it worse in late winter rides when air was dryer - not as bad now, but I got it the other day.

    One press of clothes seemed to fix for about 3 minutes before flapping in wind built up charge again.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Here was site.

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/04/troubleshooting-your-heart-rate.html
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    And now, for rest of the story...
    Garmin told me to take out the battery and turn it upside down for about 10 seconds to reverse the polarity, then put it back in the proper way. Worked for me.

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