High Heart Rate? How to Deal with Persistently High Heart Rate

A persistently high heart rate is often the result of aerobic deficiency syndrome, or more simply a lack of aerobic fitness. In this video, coach Jason Fitzgerald discusses why this happens and how you can fix the problem.


Jason Fitzgerald is a USATF running coach, 2:39 marathoner, and the founder of Strength Running (one of the web's most popular running blogs and coaching businesses). A member of the Greatist Expert Network, he's also the 2017 Men's Running Magazine's Influencer of the Year and a contributor to Competitor Magazine, Active, Runner's World, Lifehacker, and other major media.

[krissy]

You have no idea how many times I’ve asked about this and no one ever had an answer. Couch potato teen to adult runner.

[Jimmyfpv_]

The key takeaway is “underdeveloped aerobic system”. I’ve always been good at pushing myself anaerobically, and I can maintain 180 bpm (my max is 200) for about 30 minutes. However, I would struggle to keep my HR below 170 no matter how slow I ran.
I really had to swallow my ego and do some slow runs, and I’m slowly but consistently seeing the results.
Today I managed to do a 45 minute run below 160 (avg 150) at 6:40’/km. I haven’t done intense runs, but I feel like when I do, I will be much faster

[shazzy]

Thank you for giving an explanation that finally makes me realize I need to slow down! This is exactly my situation. I’m in my 40s and have virtually never been active (even in highschool).
I look like I should be fit, but I’m really really not! I decided last year I want to be a runner and it has been an incredible journey so far. I’m don’t want to quit but I NEED to figure out a way to make my heart stop jumping to 170 after 1 minute of the slowest “run” ever! So I would walk, heart would come down a bit, I’d try to run again and up it jumped. So frustrating.
So now I can give myself permission that walking most of the time is ok. Even if it’s hard on my ego 😝
I liked hearing someone say “Your body doesn’t know if it’s walking or running, only exertion.” I’m going to lean into this over the winter months.
THANK YOU!

[-__-]

Thank you so much. Genuinely. You probably won't see this, but I had a terrible 40 minute run (heart rate around 180-190 most of the time), and I have been dealing with this issue for a while. It has been really hard to swallow my ego and do easy runs, but I have realized that the more I neglect this issue, the deeper the problem is getting and I will eventually injure myself. I will swallow my ego, no more early morning HIIT sessions until I have a good aerobic base. I have been feeling really bad, and you made me feel much better. Thanks for this video. Have a great day.

[harveyemm]

This video really describes my situation. I began running as an adult with very little activity before. I just used to run out the door and I thought the purpose of a run was to run as fast as possible. My heart rate was always high even if I tried to slow down. I used to try and run faster each run and an injury soon occurred.
I began following a program with my heart rate monitor watch and I was running almost in slow motion to keep my heart rate down. I have been doing this now for about 6 months and I am really seeing improvements. I have to run quite hard for my heart rate to go up. My speed is improving and most of my runs are at an easy pace. It is really worth trying to train in this way even though I have felt a bit of an idiot running so slow. I have increased my runs to 4 times a week with no extra strain or aches. Great video --thanks.

[denvergermany]

I am training for my first half marathon, and I‘ve been struggling with my heartrate a ton! Because I didn‘t know what to do about it I even consulted a doctor, physio and coach, and none of them had a real solution to help me. They all wanted to do specific expensive testing...
And now you‘re giving me the advice I needed in less than 15 minutes? 😀 Go slower than you feel comfortable and take your ego out of it... My new mantra! Thank you!

[dannycruse]

I just started monitoring my heart rate after years of running and boxing experience. I fall into this category. I’ve always tried to dig deep in my workouts. 160 BPM jogging a 11:30 pace. It’s frustrating because I’m barely breathing and feel like I’m not doing much, but my heart says otherwise. It’s like I’m starting over.

[MISSTANIMA]

Thanks for the video. I am 32 and have never run before in my life, but I have liked walking. I was detected with asthma when I was 30. Recently I tried to start jogging. My heart rate spiked to 160-170 even when I jogged at a 10min/km pace, and my VO2 max was super low (25 to start with). Now I am just walking for long (1-2hours) as much as possible. I can see improvement in my VO2 max (28.3) after 3 weeks. I will continue doing this because it feels like I am finally strengthening my aerobic system.

[adua]

In addition to Jason’s great suggestions...Poor hydration can play a role in high heart rate. The heart has to work harder when dehydrated. The viscosity of blood thickens. Try increasing water intake prior to a run. 64-92 oz (women) and 100- 125 oz (men). Happy running!

[leonardmilcin]

Persistent high heart rate means 1) you go to the doctor, 2) the doctor says you are fine and now you have to understand why you are not training correctly. Most of the time it is because you go out and you want best bang for the buck or you need to satisfy your ego or you think that shuffling your feet is somehow not running. So you run all out, every time. You think you are doing great, hard training sessions but in fact you are just hampering your progress.
Our bodies have evolved to adjust to loads that are placed on them. If all you do is sit by the computer and when you run outside, you run at your max speed, then that's what the body will learn to do. It will never adjust to those sort of middle heart rates, these regimes that include low, long, sustained efforts. And it will learn to immediately increase your heart rate to high the moment you start to run.
My advice I give to people:
1) Start going for long, brisk walks every day. If you have persistent high heart rate during run you will most likely have increased heart rate during walks. But now your body has a chance to adjust and over time you will see your walking heart rate drop down and your heart rate not freak out when you start walking. I suggest replace a bit of your running volume with walks. When I injured my foot and I could not run (but I could walk) I got to walking 2-3h every day (I know... extreme). I have not ran at all for 6 weeks and yet when I started running again I posted my best performance to heart rate results ever. No, I did not get faster, but I definitely lowered my heart rates at sort of moderate efforts.
2) Learn to warm up. When you start running session, you have to do it gradually so that your body has a chance to expand your blood vessels and to move some water to make your blood less viscous. This takes about 10 minutes. If you start running hard immediately, for the first 10 minutes your heart will tire trying to push your thick blood against constricted blood vessels, your body will turn to anaerobic regime, you will burn through your fuel almost immediately and then you will cause high heart rate and tired feeling for the rest of your run.
3) Buy and read The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing by Dr. Philip Maffetone. Seriously, everything you need is in this book.

[WorkandLifeFitness]

This is really correct, I used to be active Smoker til 2016, I totally left .. initially got lot of injuries in high heart rate runs, now all aerobic treadmill runs during lockdowns built aerobic base and just crossed 45 Vo2 max at the age of 39years 👍

[Cobra_Commander]

So many people need to here this. Thank you for making this video.

[johnurch]

Thank you. I am 57 with a max heart rate of 180 and run a 50min 10k. And yet no matter how easy my run it is always a zone 4. I know it should be zone 2 and you have now givern me the confidences to walk.

[kidatheart]

For years I trained HIIT and circuit workouts and I find zone 2 running so difficult. Thankyou for the great explanation.

[blueaxe]

Thank you. I needed this. My HR had been absurdly high even on my easy runs. I am a slower runner so I find it very hard to slow even further for the very stupid reason that it would pull down my average pace for the year. It’s nice to have the reinforcement that it’s okay to slow down.

[dbestbc]

You’ve answered all my questions in this single lecture! This is exactly my story and I finally realized what I need to do from now on.

[bixby]

I can hit 172bpm during an “easy” run and I could never understand how people can run at a steady pace without getting absolutely exhausted when I was out there running out of air at the same speed. I finally have an answer, thank you!

[joachimgutsche]

Great vid! Thank you :)
Exactly what I experienced myself when I recommenced endurance running at 61. Having been a leisuretime marathonrunner until age of 29/30 I had to quit sports until my 45ish. Restarted with powertraining, swimming, cycling. Having had no problems with low heart rate on a bike, a studio bike or in the swimming pool for nearly 15 years I had to go throug heart rates 180+ at 6, 5 km/h. For the last three to four weeks I have started to build up volume by WALKING. Two to three times 10k per week is a real challenge physically but a really wonderfull experience mentally.

[Cloppa]

This is me!!!! And I see many others in the comments too! Nice to met you guys!!
Z2 kills me! I can do Z3, 4, 5 no problem but Z2 Even my HRV the day after a Z2 run is 3-4 whereas after a Z3, 4, 5 run my HRV is a 10!!!
One thing I noticed after doing a few Z2 incline walks is that my resting HR lowered from 60 to 53 in a few days. After 2mths of Z3-5 runs without the Z2 work I was getting a bit fitter but my RHR did not budge! As much as I hate to admit it.. I think I need to do a lot more Z2 work!! Thanks for this video.. 👍

[mattdassow]

Been struggling with this for years, background in swimming with a LOT of VO2 max work. Thank you for the well put together informational video