The Chances

Today was my lunchtime 5-miler (well, 5.34 miles). I thought I had complained about my heart rate here last week, but it looks like I didn't.

I'd noticed that lately my heart rate was a lot higher than it's been. Whereas before I was 154 to 156 average, lately it's been more like 166 to 170 (my max HR is 182). I was getting a bit worried about it.

On today's run I decided to slow down and instead of running for time or pace, run for heart rate. I tried to keep around 156, which is in the aerobic zone for me.

When I got back, I plugged the GPS into the computer and checked the data. My average was 159, which while not "there", it was a lot closer than 170. Then I compared it to my other runs, and come to find out the reason my heart rate was so high is I was pushing myself a lot more than I should.

What a strange thing. On a running forum I lurk in (can't bring myself to post at this point), they keep telling people, slow down if you're not in the aerobic zone. Over and over, slow down, slow down. Now, comparing the data, there's really no mystery as to why my heart rate was so high: I had to slow down!

The last time I ran this route I did it with 9:33/mi average, and finished at 51:05. My average heart rate was 170 with a max of 207! This time with purposely slowing down, it was 10:19/mi, 159bpm average, and my max was 187. That's quite a difference, and I feel SO much better afterwards.

So lesson learned, I guess. 55:06, 10:19/mi, 677 calories burned.