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I’m 28yo, 5ft 1in, and weigh 130lbs. I’m not on any type of medications and I’m very active, at least in my opinion. I work out 5 days/week for at least an hour each time. On Monday’s and Wednesday’s I run anywhere from 2-4 miles, in addition to calisthenics. On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s I attend spin classes which last about 45-50 min, and I combine that with strength training. My main problem/concern is when I run. I always get so tired so fast, about 5 min into the run. I always feel like I’m suffocating, or just can’t breathe and I feel like someone has drained all of my energy. I purchased a heart rate monitor, and I've noticed that I start to get tired when my heart rate gets around 170. Once it reaches the 190’s-200, it’s very uncomfortable and sometimes hurt, and I have to stop to catch my breath. I run at a very slow pace but it doesn’t matter, b/c I still can’t complete 1 mile without having to stop 2 or 3 times. If I increase my pace, I just get exhausted even faster.
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Your heartbeat getting up to 200 during exercise could be an indication of a heart issue. I wonder if you could be having "exercise-induced" fast heartbeats, which doctors call tachycardias. If your heartbeat is fast and irregular (feels like butterflies in your chest, or a flopping fish), that could be atrial fibrillation (afib).
Afib "fakes out" heart rate monitors, so your heart rate could actually be faster (or slower) than what is recorded, but since afib decreases the oxygen that gets distributed to the body, it makes you feel tired or exhausted.
If your doctor did your EKG while you were stationary, it wouldn't have picked up an exercise-induced heartbeat issue. You may want to ask about a treadmill stress test or to wear a Holter monitor for a day or two to capture what happens when you work out, especially if your heart seems to race out of control.
If this is a heartbeat problem, it needs to be diagnosed and treated since heartbeat issues (such as atrial fibrillation) can be very serious stuff.
Here's where to learn more about afib - especially check out the section on Why is afib a problem: Get Started Learning About Atrial Fibrillation: http://stopafib.org/newsitem.cfm/NEWSID/277
Mellanie True Hills
August 24, 2010 - 8:01amThis Comment
Alison & Mellanie,
Thank you both for your replies. My resting heart rate ranges between 68 & 78 in the morning b/f I get out of bed. Once I get up and moving (getting dressed; walking to my car) it jumps up to 100-110, which I guess is normal b/c I don’t really feel anything.
During the times I run, I feel ok in the beginning, but of course as I’m running, my heart rate gets higher and higher, and my breathing gets faster/heavier until eventually I’m so tired and I have to stop and walk. It doesn’t take very long for all of this to happen. Otherwise I’m in pretty good shape…but I just struggle so much with running. Could I just be one of the people whose heart rate normally exceeds 200bpm?
Is it safe to push yourself to the point where you feel nauseous and maybe vomit? I’m asking b/c I’ve worked out with someone who told me that I need to push myself, and if I need to vomit, then I should just vomit and I’ll be fine. This person is an excellent runner and I wanted to take their advice but I just didn’t know if pushing past that nauseating feeling was actually safe, or if was a sign to stop.
My EKG was actually done while I was stationary. Atrial fibrillation sounds very scary and something I’ve never known about until now. I really really hope I don’t have any type of heart issue. Since my heart rate has only been this high (190’s-200) while running which I guess would be “exercise induced,” maybe I should just stop running all together and just stick with other methods of aerobic activities.
Thanks for the information…
August 25, 2010 - 7:43pmThis Comment
The American Heart Association (AHA) has set target heart rates, as well as maximum heart rates, that we should strive to obtain while exercising.
For a 25 year old, the target zone working at 85% (the maximum you want to train at) is 166 bpm. For a 30 year old, it is 162 bpm. If you are working at 200 bpm, it means you are working too hard, at the maximum heart rate (100%) for a 20-year old. You can see the complete chart at AHA: Target Heart Rate.
The quick calculation is 220-your age for the maximum heart rate (100%). Your 200 bpm is over this maximum (192 bpm).
This is one gauge to know if you are working/training too hard, and also can be a test for your level of fitness. Another gauge is your resting heart rate. Do you know what your RHR is?
"AHA: Resting Heart Rate:
This is a person's heart rate at rest. The best time to find out your resting heart rate is in the morning, after a good night's sleep, and before you get out of bed.
The heart beats about 60 to 80 times a minute when we're at rest. Resting heart rate usually rises with age, and it's generally lower in physically fit people. Resting heart rate is used to determine one's training target heart rate. Athletes sometimes measure their resting heart rate as one way to find out if they're overtrained. The heart rate adapts to changes in the body's need for oxygen, such as during exercise or sleep."
Your RHR is a measure of fitness, and may be more important number to you. "Your MHR is genetically predetermined, and has basically nothing to do with your level of fitness. Some athletes have had MHR's in the 160 BPM-range, while others have rates that exceed 200 beats per minutes. The sole variation in your MHR is a decrease of approximately 1 BPM a year, a process that accompanies aging." (from marathonguide.com).
What's most important: how are you feeling during the times you run? Many marathoners DO walk and run throughout the course. If your body is being taxed by running, it sounds like you have tried many alternatives, but you may just try walking a mile, and see what your heart rate is. Then, walk 1 minute, jog 1 minute (12 minute pace or slower). Monitor your heart rate through this time as well.
You want to train smarter, and use the heart rate monitor as your guide. (You probably already know this?!). When you train at your maximum, you are working anaerobically, and can tax your body if at this level for more than a few minutes, leading to possible injury. You want to make sure you train aerobically, within 50-85% of your target heart rate. Whatever that exercise is...cycling, walking a mile, etc.
Did this information help? Are you able to start slower with your goal of running a mile....and walk a mile first, monitoring your heart rate? You can increase your pace by 30 seconds every-other week, until you are jogging, then running. Or, just mix in a 1-minute jog with walking. You still gain all of the benefits of going a mile, and many athletes walk/jog/run!
You might find this article interesting as well: Duathlon: Heart Rate Training by Mark Allen
August 22, 2010 - 7:41pmThis Comment