Do you reach max heart rate at the end of a 5k?

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If you kick it in real hard you could reach your max. That is probably true of any distance.

I have found that I get to within 2-4 beats of max. I have coached several runners and the results have been true for them as well.

I have found that I can get closest to HRmax (within 1-2 bpm sometimes) in the finishing kick of 3k-5k races, but don't generally get as close in shorter or longer races.

As a first estimate, yes that will probably work OK. You may see different numbers over a few 5k races. Pic the highest and adjust upward. You won't approach HRmax in every race

How much difference will 1-2 bpm make? None... (in terms of training with HR--not something I think is that great of a way to train).

luv2run wrote:

How much difference will 1-2 bpm make? None... (in terms of training with HR--not something I think is that great of a way to train).

Why don't you think its a great way to train?

HR is a terrific way to train, but probably only useful for tempo workouts.

-Recovery runs should just be comfortable, no need for HR data.

-VO2/interval and speed sessions will probably be too short (per interval) to utilize any useful data.

Tempo is right in that sweet spot of long efforts and comfortable enough that you can check your watch every now and then for HR feedback.

I use right about 85% of heart rate reserve. So:

[(Max - Resting)*0.85] + Resting = perfect tempo effort for me. Sometimes other factors come into play (heat is a huge one for me, I swear I go up a bpm for every 2-3 degrees over 65).

Why wouldn't you reach max HR in an all out effort relying on your vo2max (3k-5k)?

I like to use HR as confirmation of my effort level. The other day I did a tempo by feel, finishing at 90% HR - so I know that was indeed about tempo effort. And I did an easy recovery run the next day, finishing at 70%, reinforcing what a good recovery pace feels like.

htrhst wrote:

Why wouldn't you reach max HR in an all out effort relying on your vo2max (3k-5k)?

I like to use HR as confirmation of my effort level. The other day I did a tempo by feel, finishing at 90% HR - so I know that was indeed about tempo effort. And I did an easy recovery run the next day, finishing at 70%, reinforcing what a good recovery pace feels like.

It depends how long you hold the all-out effort.

As a challenge, you might wear a HR monitor and run three 5Ks on three successive weekends. Compare your achieved max HR. They're unlikely to be exactly the same in all three races. If one race takes place in warmer weather, for example--75 degrees vs. 60 degrees--you're likely to achieve a higher HR, all things being equal.

When you run an all-out race--truly all-out, holding your max effort longer than you would have believed possible, after running a couple of races where you're acclimating to the very hard effort--then you're probably coming up against your true HR max.

The thing is, you've got to peg your motor in all possible directions, and you can only do that if you're truly hammering as hard as you can for as long as you can. And until you come CLOSE to doing that a couple of times, and know you had a little more to give, you're probably not smack up against your max.

The highest max HR you achieve in that three-race spread is probably within a couple of beats of your true HR max.

maybe maybe not wrote:

If you kick it in real hard you could reach your max. That is probably true of any distance.

It's probably not true of many distances. You won't max your HR after 100m for example. And you probably can't after a marathon - your legs won't have enough left to allow you to fully tax your heart.

3-10k is the kind of range of distances where you probably can get close if you have a nice long kick at the end.

I hit 95% of max in a 5K last Sat., averaging 90% throughout.

I hit 90% during the middle of my reps for 8x 4 minutes at 5k pace , stayed there until 95% on the last one with a progressive 90 second kick finish that was somewhere between mile pace and 5k pace. Haven't worn the HR strap to a race lately.

So you didnt run the 5k at max effort? Average for me is 96% mhr.

I just hit 177 bpm in a 5k. That's just above where I thought my max was as it's been declining a bit in recent years. I'm almost 50 so I'm on the downside. I'll use that as my max for a while and gauge workouts off of that.

I barely hit 158-160 in a warm 5k race because I'm a pvssy (actual max 172, yes I'm old)