Heart Rate and speed poll for the mid-40s men only

Triathlon Forum
1

So my wife is freaked out at my HR averages in races, and I’m curious how they compare to others out there. For reference, I’m 43 and 1.5 years back into tris after a 13 year hiatus (did 3-4 last year, 3 this year). Mostly cycling background, never been a great distance runner, and nobody would accuse me of being a fast swimmer. Train 6 days a week pretty consistently and weigh in at 6 foot, 181 pounds. Have done a half marathon, 1.6 open water swim, half-ironman all in the past year.

Here are some stats from my last sprint race: 9 mile ride, avg 179 HR, 20.3 mph. 3 mile run, 174 HR, 9:33 pace. These are inline with other races last year of both sprint and olympic variety (in terms of HR, speed has increased quite a bit). Max HR is 188 as measured by my Garmin in a me-vs-motorist altercation. I am also 26 months out from a cardiac ablation for afib. The wife is not sure how I can sustain such a high HR and not keel over.

So I’m curious to see - if you’re in the Male 40-ish to 45-ish range - what are your stats for: age, height, weight, avg HR for a recent bike and run leg of a sprint/olympic race, and at what pace? I’d like to see if my HR is line with you guys, or if perhaps there is something out of whack possibly due to the ablation (realizing that you aren’t all MDs, not looking for that kind of commentary, just the data).

Cheers!

2

Those numbers seem quite high, but HR is very individual (mine trends low).

From my last race: Swim 135, Bike 145, Run 156

FWIW, my bike was 24.0mph. 145 is a hard effort for me and biking over 150 is over lactate threshold.

3

45 yrs old:
Well paced sprint - HR (climbing from 160-180) (avg 172)
Olympic 160-180 (avg 168)
HIM 150 - 180 (avg 160)
IM 140 - 180 (Avg 155)
.

4

42, 6’1", 165. Similar numbers, actually a touch higher. My max is quite a bit higher. Relax.

Were your numbers significantly lower before your ablation? I knew a guy who was hit by lightning and his HR was always off the charts when exercising later.

5

45 years old, 145 lbs, 5’10"

My 20’ FTP tests usually take me to about 165 av HR. On the hardest bike intervals I don’t think I’ve passed 175.

Hard, all-out run intervals can get me close to 180, but I don’t think I’ve passed 180 in years. Marathon pace keeps me around 145 bpm.

6

42 / 5’7 / 155

170 is pretty much red line for me. I might push 175 on an FTP test or open 5k. Ironman target HR is 140-145. Some numbers from last year…

Sprint

Bike 229 NP / 21.3 mph / 155 HR
Run 7:23 pace / 164 HR

OLY (in the TX heat)

Bike 183 NP / 21 mph / 152 HR
Run 9:30 pace / 158 HR (hilly & hot w/ some walking)

7

not sure about number pre-ablation, I was not training back then.

8

Mac what’s your pace at that marathon HR, out of curiosity?

9

42 / 5’9" / 167 lbs

I don’t have a long history in endurance sports - only done one tri.

I have maxed out at 192 a couple of times (sprinting on the end of a run).

I have no idea for swim HR.

My IM bike averaged 139.

My IM run average was only 129 (max of 149) but I was limited my stomach issues.

I normally run in the low 150’s based on steady runs (up to a max of 18 miles).

WD :slight_smile:

10

8:30 min/mile.

11

8:30 min/mile

Solid numbers. I’m wondering if I can get my HR down to 140 on an 8:00 pace. Planning on logging lots of miles this year to find out.

12

Age: 44
Height: 5’ 8"
Weight 170 (scales lie)
Max HR 190 (not seen too often, but will happen on a run if pushed)
Bike HR: Low 170’s for sprint @ 21-22 mph, 160’s for Oly @ 20-21mph, low 160’s for half
Run HR: mid 170’s for sprint (feel like puke) 7:10 min/mile, Hi 160’s for Oly 7:30 min/mile

FYI, you sound normal to me. However I would be worried about your a-fib. I have PVC’s, and that scares me when my hart stops for a second. Uncontrolled a-fib will kill you dead I think.

Disclaimer: I’m no Dr., but ride with many MD’s which can give me a false sense of medical confidence : )

So my wife is freaked out at my HR averages in races, and I’m curious how they compare to others out there. For reference, I’m 43 and 1.5 years back into tris after a 13 year hiatus (did 3-4 last year, 3 this year). Mostly cycling background, never been a great distance runner, and nobody would accuse me of being a fast swimmer. Train 6 days a week pretty consistently and weigh in at 6 foot, 181 pounds. Have done a half marathon, 1.6 open water swim, half-ironman all in the past year.

Here are some stats from my last sprint race: 9 mile ride, avg 179 HR, 20.3 mph. 3 mile run, 174 HR, 9:33 pace. These are inline with other races last year of both sprint and olympic variety (in terms of HR, speed has increased quite a bit). Max HR is 188 as measured by my Garmin in a me-vs-motorist altercation. I am also 26 months out from a cardiac ablation for afib. The wife is not sure how I can sustain such a high HR and not keel over.

So I’m curious to see - if you’re in the Male 40-ish to 45-ish range - what are your stats for: age, height, weight, avg HR for a recent bike and run leg of a sprint/olympic race, and at what pace? I’d like to see if my HR is line with you guys, or if perhaps there is something out of whack possibly due to the ablation (realizing that you aren’t all MDs, not looking for that kind of commentary, just the data).

Cheers!

13

no worries on the afib anymore, it was corrected via the ablation. No episodes since. The irony being that both times I went it to afib I was…wait for it…sitting at my desk working on emails. Never had any issues while working out. Go figure.

14

I’d give up a pinkie for 7:10 miles at mid 170s HR…

15

I thought my HRmax at age 42 was 172 based on a sprint-triathlon this past August where I felt like I went ‘all-out’, but then switched to pure marathon training in September, and found to my amazement, that my HRmax is more like 183 based upon a Turkey Trot max effort 5k I did this past Thanksgiving. I actually ran almost the entire race at 170+; I thought my HRM was broken at first, but it’s a Scosche Rhythm, and it’s always worked reliably and the HR trace looks legit.

I suspect spreading yourself amongst 3 sports leads to small limitations that prevent you from really maxxing that HR, whereas with my marathon-mileage-trained legs, my legs were literally forcing me forward and faster despite my heart’s pleas to ‘please stop!’

16

41, 6’3", 186-188#, been training and racing for quite a while now. Max HR of 185 verified by both a run and a bike vo2 test.

Recent race efforts include a trail half marathon where I averaged 164, max of 174, or a recent uphill time trial where I averaged 166, or a flat TT where I averaged 162. My most recent Olympic I average 157 on the bike (24mph), and about the same on the run (my HRM got glitchy) for 46 minutes. My LT is ~162bpm.

I think you’re fine. There’s no particular number that’s alarming unless it’s over 210, I’d say, and even that can be normal for a very few.

-Eric

17

Sprint Duathlon:
5km run - HRav 172
20km bike - HRav 161
2.5km run - HRav 173

Half Ironman
Bike - HRav 152
Run - HRav 162

Age 42 for the Du and 43 for the HIM
.

18

Height 5’10
Weight 140 lbs

HIM
Bike 137 bpm speed 23.1 mph
Run 150 bpm 7:15 /mi

Olympic - sea level non aero bike.
Bike 160 bbm speed 23.0 mph
Run 160 bpm 6:45 /mi

Approximate HR sensor got a little bit wiggy for some period of both races.

19

Here are some stats from my last sprint race: 9 mile ride, avg 179 HR, 20.3 mph. 3 mile run, 174 HR, 9:33 pace. !

Interesting that your Hr is higher on the bike than on the run, does something else limit you on the run ?

20

Great to hear you rhythms are good now!

keep up the training. I run with ‘runners’ who make it look effortless. I try to copy their stride rate, arm carry, etc

Not that I am older, I find pleasure in trying to get more efficient in sports instead of bulling thru it when in my 20’s

Ah Youth is waisted on the young : )