I'm sitting at my desk right now and counted my heart beats for a full minute and it was 42. That is super low, right? I'm training but not super hard and I'm in decent shape but not tip top or anything - just about to start the Advanced Marathoning 18 week/55mpw training program.
Normally I think low resting HR is a good thing but it seems too low for my fitness level. I used to get down in the low 40's after marathon training for a few months. Is there any reason for me to be concerned?
No
It's pretty normal.
But if you're getting life insurance and have to do a physical examination first, make sure you do a workout beforehand so your resting heart rate is elevated when they examine you. With a heart rate that low, anyone but a sports doctor tends to assume you have heart problems and they won't pass you.
I wish mine was around 42... I'm sitting on the couch watching the stock market off 2% today and am unsure if my resting rate of 56 bpm is due to a) my declining portfolio, b) my only running 15-20 miles per week during the past four months or c) both... when in doubt, pick (c)...