Ask the Coaches: Training With a Heart Rate Monitor

How do I figure out what my HR zone should be?

January 25, 2013
media: Coaches

Question: I am training for my fourth half marathon. For the first one I followed my training religiously each week. For the last two races I didn't train very hard yet I finished. I live in the Lehigh Valley and finished the St. Luke's Half Marathon in 2:05 and ran the 2012 inaugural Runners World Half Marathon 2:15. I plan to run the 2013 St. Luke's Half Marathon in April and want to train harder. Bart Yasso sends out weekly emails telling us what to run and I am following the beginners schedule.

Since I want to get better and faster I need help. I recently purchased a Times Global Trainer watch with heart monitor. I never knew how fast or slow in the past so I ran the same speed, just different distances every time I was out training. I've done some research about heart monitors and now understand that you should keep my heart beats per minute within certain percentages.

What percentages I should be at? For example, Week One instructs us to run 4,4,4 & 6 miles, all easy. What should my HB/M percentage be for each of these? I am assuming that there are some days when I should be running harder than on others but I don't know when. To be honest I really only have 3 days a week to train. Some weeks I can squeeze in a fourth, but three is the norm. I would just like to step up my running and get better and more efficient.

Any help you can offer me would be greatly appreciated.

- Michael, Pennsylvania

Answer: There are a whole bunch of different training programs floating around out there. Here is a link to a series of articles on training for the half-marathon.

Sooner or later, you are going to have to figure out what works for you, given the limits you have on training time. In the meantime, my advice is to find a training program and stick with it for two or three cycles. If Bart is your man, stick with him. Give his system an opportunity to see if it works for you.

To over simplify, the half marathon draws its energy sources almost exclusively from the aerobic system and the more aerobic miles you are able to accumulate, the faster you will become. You are in the aerobic zone if you are able to talk while you are running.

Coach Brent Ayer

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