I have been running 3.5 miles 3-4 times a week around my house for a couple of weeks now. I am noticing that my heart rate is staying up in the higher end most of the time (170 up to a max of 192 on one run). Is this ok, am I doing something wrong? Obviously I don't want to do "more harm than good". And I also noticed that my HRM will tell me how many calories I burned during my run as well as my % of fat. My % of fat is always like 20 or 25 -- again is that normal?
My HRM is about 2 months old and when I was running my 5K's the end of last year I did not have it so I don't know what the norm is.
When I am running I could talk to someone but it would be an intermittment conversation with breathing more pronounced. After my run I feel great.
I guess I have always been running with my previous time in my mind and striving to beat that.
So should I be working slower and keeping my heart rate in my "zone" or go for speed? I certainly want to make sure the next 5K race I run I run it faster than my last race.

Thanks

I don't know specifics about percentages and stuff so I can only answer your question based on personal experience. However you may want to try runnersworld.com to know more about your stats.

If you can't talk when you run, and your heart rate is way up, I would slow down. However, if you are combining sprints with endurance training, than I would suspect that is pretty normal.

I think only you would know what your comfort zone is. If you are able to carry on a conversation and not feel light headed and feel good after you finish, I would think you're doing ok.

If you are going too quickly and are short of breath, heart rate high and dizzy, you are probably pushing yourself a little too hard and need to refuel and rehydrate or take it a little slower.

You're over my head!

I know when I run, my heart rate is always on the higher end, but I really push myself. I've been running like that for quite a while so I'm so used to it, if I do slow down, I don't even feel like I did anything.

It wouldn't hurt to call your doctor's office to get specific numbers though. Like Christy said, if you are running sprints, it's pretty normal.

Debi
Did you find anything out?

No I haven't. I have talked to a few experienced runners at the Y and they all say that it is ok. Today I went for the same 3.5 mile run and it took me 5 minutes longer due to me not running as fast. I will say my heart rate did not get as high. So I am going to just keep watching it.