heart rate for runners

Heart rate is one of the most powerful tools a runner can use to guide training intensity, monitor progress, and avoid overtraining.

Here’s a complete guide to heart rate for runners:

Heart rate (HR) is measured in beats per minute (BPM).
It increases with exercise intensity and reflects how hard your heart is working.

The most common formula:

HRmax = 220 − age

For a more accurate estimate:

HRmax = 208 − (0.7 × age)
(E.g., For a 30-year-old: 208 − 21 = 187 BPM)

These zones help tailor your training to specific goals:

Zone	% of HRmax	Intensity	Purpose
Zone 1	50–60%	Very Light	Recovery, warm-up, cool-down
Zone 2	60–70%	Easy	Aerobic base building, fat burning
Zone 3	70–80%	Moderate	Tempo runs, aerobic capacity
Zone 4	80–90%	Hard	Threshold training, lactate improvement
Zone 5	90–100%	Very Hard	Intervals, sprints, VO₂ max efforts

Normal RHR for runners: 40–60 BPM.
Track it every morning.
- Higher than usual? May indicate fatigue or illness.
- Lower over time? A sign of improved cardiovascular fitness.

Use a chest strap HR monitor for best accuracy (e.g., Polar H10).
Wrist-based trackers (Garmin, Apple Watch, etc.) are convenient but less accurate during intervals.
Apps like Strava, Garmin Connect, or TrainingPeaks help analyze HR trends.

Heart rate can be affected by stress, sleep, hydration, and heat.
Don’t panic if it fluctuates occasionally.
Use HR alongside perceived effort (RPE) and pace for a more complete picture.