# Heart rate



## 63expert (Jun 4, 2020)

I’m 57. Somewhat often I’ll let my HR get to 170 while riding or working out. It doesn’t feel bad. 
How much risk am I taking?


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

I think only a qualified doctor who has examined you could answer that question

That said I'm older than you and push myself to 170bpm and beyond regularly. I've never seen a cardiologist and I don't worry about it.


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## Fairbanks007 (Sep 5, 2009)

J.B. Weld said:


> I think only a qualified doctor who has examined you could answer that question


^ This is the definitive answer.



J.B. Weld said:


> That said I'm older than you and push myself to 170bpm and beyond regularly. I've never seen a cardiologist and I don't worry about it.


If you're not having any symptoms, I wouldn't worry about it either. Age predicted max HR is just a prediction.


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

I'm 60 and do intervals at 185bpm and have reached 199 in the last few months. You're not taking risks assuming you have no heart issues.


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## ravewoofer (Dec 24, 2008)

How do you guys get your rate so high? I’m 58, in tip top shape through spinning and mountain biking. 

I’ll ride for two hours running 90%+ effort the whole ride and my ave bpm is under 150. 

I don’t think I could push hard enough to get up there like you folks. 


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

ravewoofer said:


> How do you guys get your rate so high? I'm 58, in tip top shape through spinning and mountain biking.
> 
> I'll ride for two hours running 90%+ effort the whole ride and my ave bpm is under 150.
> 
> ...


Heart rate is an individual attribute. My max is 175, maybe 180 and obviously I only hit that during max efforts. Average for me on a tough ride is apx 130-140bpm, moderate rides are around 120.


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## Fairbanks007 (Sep 5, 2009)

ravewoofer said:


> How do you guys get your rate so high? I'm 58, in tip top shape through spinning and mountain biking.
> 
> I'll ride for two hours running 90%+ effort the whole ride and my ave bpm is under 150.
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk





J.B. Weld said:


> *Heart rate is an individual attribute*. My max is 175, maybe 180 and obviously I only hit that during max efforts. Average for me on a tough ride is apx 130-140bpm, moderate rides are around 120.


JB Weld is right on again.

The formula for age predicted max HR is 220 - your age. In your case, your predicted max is 162 bpm.
There's a *LOT* of variability in true max HR. The standard deviation is 12 bpm, so roughly 68% of 58 year olds have a true (versus predicted) max HR somewhere between 150 bpm and 174 bpm.


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## 63expert (Jun 4, 2020)

I really appreciate the responses. I have talked with my family MD about it and he says exercising at or near my max HR is OK. I just thought I’d seek more info on the subject.


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## Old Marine (Jan 22, 2021)

63expert said:


> I'm 57. Somewhat often I'll let my HR get to 170 while riding or working out. It doesn't feel bad.
> How much risk am I taking?


Since you are alive and making posts on this blog I'd say you aren't training hard enough to kill yourself.


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## wayold (Nov 25, 2017)

At 58 I wondered if my heart rate was "too fast" on climbs. So I got an HRM and found I was hitting around 175 - well above the 162 or so it was "supposed" to be. So I got a cardiologist to check me out on the treadmill. No problems, cleared to hit 175 as often as I could. Everybody's different, you're probably fine, but it's easy enough to get checked out so you should.


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## NordieBoy (Sep 26, 2004)

My age predicted max is 168.
Actual max is around 185, LTHR is 164.


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## Arm&Hammer (Dec 19, 2020)

I am 50 and have hit 195 during extremely hard efforts but usually top out at 185.


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## D. Inoobinati (Aug 28, 2020)

The 220-age predicted max HR is pretty useless and likely wrong, AND very likely individual AND activity dependent. My max HR for biking is different than hiking and different again for uphill skiing. I've done those (informal) stress tests so I know where those HR zones are when doing those excercises. Your local university physiology department may be able to set you up with a bonafide cardio stress test for under $500, or at least point you in the right direction.

All the same, having a doctor check you out first is sound advice.


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## rob214 (Apr 18, 2019)

HR is very individual, my max is 145 and it's rare that I get there, I did a stress test a few years back and was getting blown out and couldn't go anymore I ask the doc what our target was and he said in the 160's I hoped off the treadmill and told him it wasn't going to happen and showed him my Garmin data that I've never been over 145 on any max effort ride. my HR is hereditary from my dads side of the family. I had a colonoscopy after the stress test an the doc woke my up to check on me because my HR was 39 and I told him that meant I was sleeping well that my average nighttime HR is in the low 40's. my average daytime HR is in the low 60's


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

63expert said:


> I'm 57. Somewhat often I'll let my HR get to 170 while riding or working out. It doesn't feel bad.
> How much risk am I taking?


Get a stress test I you're concerned, tachycardia can cause arrhythmia which could be fatal. Arrhythmias kill a lot of folks, hence the widespread availability of the AED.

BTW, some of you folks are kinda cavalier about things, saying "well you're posting on the internet so you must be fine".

I know that you know that these kinds of statements are ignorant and insensitive, so why post them?

To the OP: Posting to the internet ,
won't assess the condition of your heart, and it won't treat any issues you might have.


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## Stonerider (Feb 25, 2008)

I'm 53 years old, race XC, road, and CX, and rarely see a max over 160bpm. I do ok in the races so I guess I just have a big, efficient heart muscle that doesn't need to beat as fast as some others.


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## FJSnoozer (Mar 3, 2015)

ravewoofer said:


> How do you guys get your rate so high? I'm 58, in tip top shape through spinning and mountain biking.
> 
> I'll ride for two hours running 90%+ effort the whole ride and my ave bpm is under 150.
> 
> ...


Also, me riding at 90% would put me in the 160s, but riding at 100% would have me in the low 180s. End of race sprints pushing maximal watts off a 100% effort, I will hit 195 in road race ending sprints.

As others mentioned HR is so specific to the individual, (hydration and extreme fatigue affect this as well in short bursts.)

I have friends in their early 30s who are very fast and never see much over 160.

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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

I hit 208 last July and that was on flat pavement in less than a mile at half effort....of course had AFIB and immediately backed off when it was so high. The crazy thing is I felt absolutely fine.

Backstory: I was in Durango last year where I go every year for 2 weeks. I went out on day one and rode Twin Buttes in town. I felt fantastic, best I'd ever felt out there. Went out two days later and was riding in the high country. Once again I felt great after a 6 mile climb and stopped to rest to let my friends catch up. Once I started up again, I felt like I was operating at 1/2 capacity, was short of breath and feeling dizzy after punchy short climbs. I attributed it to the altitude and kept riding. The entire 2 weeks I was in Durango, I never did get over what I assumed the whole time was altitude related. 
When I returned home and went on a local ride, I was forced to walk sections I had ridden 100 times and never walked once so I knew something was wrong. Went into Urgent Care where they were basically like "yeah, yeah, whatever" until they hooked me up on an EKG and saw I was in AFIB; that is when they went kind of crazy and wanted me to go by ambulance to the ER. I spent 2+ days in the hospital before they sent me home and expected some medication to re-set by heart rate. When that didn't work, a cardio-version (shock me back into rhythm) was scheduled. Since I felt mine otherwise, the cardiologist (who specializes working with triathletes) said I could go for a road ride. That lasted less than a mile as stated above because I shut it down when I saw my heart rate was 200+. I had the cardio-version and haven;'t had any issues since. On my rides here in Prescott, where I have since moved, my heart rate averages 118 on rides and hasn't hit 160


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

k2rider1964 said:


> I hit 208 last July and that was on flat pavement in less than a mile at half effort....of course had AFIB and immediately backed off when it was so high. The crazy thing is I felt absolutely fine.
> 
> Backstory: I was in Durango last year where I go every year for 2 weeks. I went out on day one and rode Twin Buttes in town. I felt fantastic, best I'd ever felt out there. Went out two days later and was riding in the high country. Once again I felt great after a 6 mile climb and stopped to rest to let my friends catch up. Once I started up again, I felt like I was operating at 1/2 capacity, was short of breath and feeling dizzy after punchy short climbs. I attributed it to the altitude and kept riding. The entire 2 weeks I was in Durango, I never did get over what I assumed the whole time was altitude related.
> When I returned home and went on a local ride, I was forced to walk sections I had ridden 100 times and never walked once so I knew something was wrong. Went into Urgent Care where they were basically like "yeah, yeah, whatever" until they hooked me up on an EKG and saw I was in AFIB; that is when they went kind of crazy and wanted me to go by ambulance to the ER. I spent 2+ days in the hospital before they sent me home and expected some medication to re-set by heart rate. When that didn't work, a cardio-version (shock me back into rhythm) was scheduled. Since I felt mine otherwise, the cardiologist (who specializes working with triathletes) said I could go for a road ride. That lasted less than a mile as stated above because I shut it down when I saw my heart rate was 200+. I had the cardio-version and haven;'t had any issues since. On my rides here in Prescott, where I have since moved, my heart rate averages 118 on rides and hasn't hit 160


Wow. out of nowhere, huh?


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

MSU Alum said:


> Wow. out of nowhere, huh?


Yep...of course I didn't realize that at the time.


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## moab63 (Dec 29, 2003)

HR is very tricky in general, by that I mean individual. At our age, a stress test would be appropriate. How high or how low it is personal and affected by training. Mine right now 49 rest and 193 top. Thats the reason, that if you do Hr based training it should be your own no pre made formulas.


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## dang (Jan 20, 2004)

ravewoofer said:


> How do you guys get your rate so high? I'm 58, in tip top shape through spinning and mountain biking.
> 
> I'll ride for two hours running 90%+ effort the whole ride and my ave bpm is under 150.
> 
> ...


everyone is different.


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## oc63rag (Aug 31, 2014)

What are you using to monitor your HR? My Apple watch shows me pushing 200+ occasionally on tough climbs but the last time I wore a true HR monitor it showed a max of 180.


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## Old Marine (Jan 22, 2021)

I'm 67 years young. The last time I checked my heart rate was...NEVER. Everything I do is based on my ability,
motivation, and warrior spirit.

I plan on dying with a **** eating grin on my face and Semper Fi! on my lips.


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## jimPacNW (Feb 26, 2013)

Assuming you don't have any underlying conditions: you have a built in 'rev limiter', it adjusts (decreases) over time. When I was a 'respectable' cat1 at age 24 I could hit 210bpm and recover quickly, 30 years later if I push to above 180 (very hard effort) 'the fuse is lit' and I'd better back off before I blow up. 
If you're not recovering and feeling fine within a few minutes, you went too high for too long.


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## Outhouse (Jul 26, 2019)

sucks man, I had blood clots in lungs last year and lost 5-10% of my right lung. my resting rate is 95 toes up on couch now. once in a while ill get it down to 85 at night. on the trail now I have no climb out of canyon stamina, basically no power and I breath like a freight train on steep sections. on the flats or slight hills I can ride 60 miles without wearing myself out. Me? ill just keep after the hills and see if I can get strength up


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## MTBeing (Jan 11, 2012)

I’m 50 and routinely get into the mid-high 170s. Asked several cardiologists about this and most say it’s fine if you don’t have any underlying conditions, such as systolic H/F. Also, make sure your BP and cholesterol are well-managed.


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