Ive been training for about a year and a half, I can swim and bike well but I run about like a fish. Ive noticed that my comfortable swim HR is around 155-160, and my bike rate is 163 sharp, but my run is 178-180!! I feel fine at that pace - Im not anaerobic, doesnt feel like Im past my LT, about the same exertion as a bike ride (although my run ability is much worse than my bike ability).
Is it normal to have such a huge disparity between HRs? Will the run HR come down as a become a better runner? Could this all be in my head and Im actually pushing way too hard when I run?
I’ve heard your HR should be around the same. Are you still fairly new to running? If so, the higher HR is probably due to your body not being used to the form of that discipline. As your body physiology adapts to the sport, I expect your HR should come down.
But then I’m no specialist in this - anyone care to correct or agree with me?
I actually understood that sort of range was pretty normal i.e. having a higher HR when running than cycling and when cycling than swimming. My background’s in running it’sby far my best sport and I still get my HR way higher doing that then anything else.
My HR is about 10 bpm higher on the run than bike, I think that is normal (for a MOP not sure about FOP). I’ve never taken my HR during a swim, I do most of my swimming at a moderate pace so I doubt I come anywhere near my run HR.
Based on your info, seem like your HR for all three sports could drop about 10-20 bpm to keep you training aerobically. Nore sure what distance you are training for, but working aerobically is the way to go. As a simple formula, I use 180 minus age as my running max HR. Then I subtract another 10 from that for my bike max HR.
Your HR will be lower in the water. The pressure of the water from swimming on your body will constrict the pressure/speed at which your blood flows. Hence, the lower HR in the water. And to answer your questions on biking and running. Each one of those disciplines uses different body functions and has different needs. Running is something that uses the whole body for support, so it would make sense that the body would work more. Also, when I had my threshold levels tested, there was a disparity between the HR leves for my threshold in biking and running. For example, someone could have a HR threshold level of 165-180 on the bike and 172-179 on the run. What you would be looking at would be to see the level at which the threshold level begins to see proper training occuring. The point is, HR may be different.Do you know for a fact what your HR’s mean, or is it more of a RPE for you? And are you saying that those are your AE tresholds then? If so, that does seem a little high for you running.
I have a high disparity in my run vs bike heartrates. About 10-15 beat difference, with my Run being higher.
I think for me it is because I run hard and have a higher cadence on the run than on the bike. On the bike I am about 75-85 in the cadence dept. where on the run it is closer to 100.
Have you analyzed the difference in yourself. You may find that you may have a long stroke for the swim, moderate cadence for the bike, but maybe choppy short strides for the run.
If that is the case I have other advice, but will wait for a response.
Bobby - “new” is fairly accurate - Ive been running for about 2 years, but never very hard - Ive much preferred to bike and swim, and my focus has been there. Now Im getting to the point where my run really needs to rise to level of my other 2 sports.
Neotri - Ive worked with 185-age (which comes to 163, until it drops to 162 at the end of next week), and it seems comfortable on the bike. Running, it feels like im barely trying.
EJ - I havent had my LT threshod levels tested (I might towards the end of the summer). My LT is based on “can I keep up the same speed (on flat or a track) without additional pain/effort” and my AE threshold is “comfortable breathing/able to breath through nose”. My comfortable swim level is what I keep on a 2-mile swim. Not the most scientific method, but thats how I got the 15 BPM difference.
Come next “season”, Im gonna be a little more focused on my HR in training. For now, I just got the HR monitor, and Im just sort of gathering info and using it as a rudimentary gauge.
My stroke is quite long - something Im very proud of. Im working my ass on upping my bike cadence, but Im around 70-75 (I push a huge gear at that cadence though). My run stride is fairly long - if anything, my run cadence needs more work than anything.
What you are showing is what I do. You may have a fairly long stride for your run, but it is still faster than your bike and swim cadence.
Obviously the way to improve the run, is to run with better form by maybe video taping yourself and analyzing it, in addition to running more frequently but not necessarily longer runs. Count the cadence by seeing how many times one leg hits the ground in 10 seconds and multiply by 6. Then try to find a consistent cadence.
Jimmy