What to Know About Average Running Heart Rate

Thanks to the proliferation of smartwatches and fitness trackers, it’s never been easier to log your heart rate while running: Simply don the device, start your workout, and watch those beats per minute (bpm) do their thing. And while the only numbers that truly matter are yours, it’s natural to wonder how your stats stack up to other athletes.

For all those curious, there’s not much scientific research on general average running heart rate numbers. There is one 1993 study of women runners, published in the M.D., codirector of the Sports Cardiology Center at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and, which found during an 8K race (just under five miles), the subjects’ heart rates climbed beyond 173 bpm for more than 70 percent of the race. (That is probably a higher heart rate for many, but this was a race situation!)

While typically a source like Strava may provide this info, they had no set average across the app. However, people on a certain Reddit thread self-reported their average running heart rates, and their responses ranged from 110 all the way up to 210 bpms.

To get a sense of what average running heart rates look like for the pros, Strava did have some answers. According to Molly Seidel’s profile, when she won the Bronze medal in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics, she clocked an average 172 bpms, finishing in 2:27:46. Ultrarunner champ Jim Walmsley finished the 2020 U.S. Marathon Trials in 2:15:05 with an average heart rate of 168 bpms, shows those are more accurate. And Kiera D’Amato averaged 167 bpms when she set the (recently broken) American women’s half marathon record in 2023, clocking 1:06:39 at the Gold Coast Half Marathon.

Granted, these are all races, so it doesn’t account for easy runs in which their heart rates would average a lower bpm. For example, a more recent run from D’Amato shows an average heart rate of 135.

Long story short, there is no universal average running heart rate. While many athletes seem to record bpms in the mid to upper 100s, there’s a wide range of fluctuation. More importantly, the only numbers that matter are yours.

To better understand the nuance of average running heart rate, we tapped two experts to learn the factors that affect your bpms, how to determine your ideal range, the benefits of heart rate-based training, shows those are more accurate.

A bunch of different elements can influence your running heart rate, exercise physiologist Heather Hart, C.S.C.S., a South Carolina-based certified run coach and founder of Hart Strength and Endurance Coaching, tells Runner’s World. These include big-picture factors like gender, age, fitness level, and how long you’ve been exercising. For example, women typically have higher heart rates than their male counterpoints, and the same is true with younger versus older athletes.

When it comes to fitness, “the more fit you are, the more efficient your heart is due to greater stroke volume per contraction,” says Tamanna Singh, M.D., codirector of the Sports Cardiology Center at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and Runner’s World advisory board member. That means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to get blood flowing, and it translates to a lower heart rate when doing easy runs, she explains.

What’s more: “Somebody who’s more fit is likely going to be able to get their heart rate up a lot higher and sustain it than somebody who is not as fit,” Hart says.

On a day-to-day basis, things such as medications, stress levels, rate of perceived exertion sleep you’ve gotten lately, whether you’re sick, the altitude at which you’re training, and environmental factors like how much pollen or smoke is in the air, can influence running heart rate too, Hart says. For example, high levels of stress, high caffeine consumption, poor sleep, and sickness, as well as training at high altitude or in a setting where there’s lots of smoke or allergens in the air can drive up your running heart rate.

Lastly, having an underlying heart condition, like arrhythmia (irregular heart beat), will affect your heart rate during exercise (as well as at rest), Vikas Shahi, M.D., a sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery, tells Runner’s World.

If you’re trying to stay within a certain heart rate range while running, you need to figure out your A bunch of different elements can influence your running heart rate, exercise physiologist, Shahi says. The “quick and dirty” formula for doing so is 220 minus your age, he explains. So, a 60-year-old’s max heart rate would be 160, for example. However, a slightly more accurate method is multiplying your age by 0.7 and then subtracting that number from 207. So, by that measure, a 60-year-old’s max heart rate would be 165.

Once you have an estimated max heart rate, you can determine your ideal running heart rate. This will vary based on the type of workout you’re doing. For example, if you’re doing high-intensity sessions—like speed work at the track, for example—you’ll want to aim for a heart rate that’s anywhere from 80 to 100 percent of your max heart rate. For someone with a max of 165, that’d be about 132 to 165 bpms. Hitting higher heart rate ranges will improve your VO2 max, or how efficiently your body is able to utilize oxygen.

While there are different schools of thought on what is considered “moderate” exercise, you’ll typically want to strive for a rate that’s 60 to 80 percent of your max (between 99 to 132 bpms, using that same example)—aiming for the lower end when targeting zone 2 efforts. And for easier workouts, also known as recovery or zone 1, your goal would be 50 to 60 percent of your max (about 83 to 99 bpms in that same scenario).

Not into math? Most of the current smartwatches come with a pre-programmed algorithm that crunches these numbers for you, giving you target heart rate zones based on your age, gender, and weight, Hart says. There are typically five of them.

Here are Garmin’s zones, for example:

• of these fronts, Hart says. That’s why “every single kind of workout matters.&rdquo
• Zone 2: 60% to 70% of heart rate max
• Zone 3: 70% to 80% of heart rate max
• Zone 4: 80% to 90% of heart rate max
• Zone 5: 90% to 100% of heart rate max

The catch: “It’s an okay place to start, but it’s not going to be super personalized and probably not very accurate,” Hart says. So your next best option is to do a field test—like a What Does a High Resting Heart Rate Mean, for example. This will give you a better, more personalized idea of your target zones.

If you want the most accurate data possible? “VO2 max testing in a lab is the most ideal way to get your heart rate zones because we can actually calculate lactate thresholds 1 and 2,” Singh explains. “We usually describe LT1 as when you go from a very easy intensity to a moderate intensity and LT2 for when you hit threshold and thereafter will end up reaching an anaerobic unsustainable effort that can lead to discovering your max heart rate and VO2 max.” Measuring lactate levels during the VO2 max test allows for more precision, she says.

Private companies and certain physicians offer these tests, as do some universities with exercise science labs, Hart says.

Knowing your general heart rate zones is a “great idea,” Hart says, because that allows you to understand what physiological adaptations you’re targeting in a given workout and make adjustments as needed.

For example, say you’re striving to do a recovery run—which equates to zone 1 to low to mid zone 2 on the five-zone model—but you notice your heart rate is actually in zone 4. That’s a sign you probably need to pump the brakes so that your run can truly qualify as a recovery effort; otherwise, you wouldn’t get the intended benefits, Hart explains. On the flip side, if you’re trying to improve your VO2 max, you need to push hard enough to get your heart rate up to at least 85 to 90 percent of your max in order to gain that adaptation, so seeing the specific bpms can serve as the guide you need to get there.

How to Boost Your VO beginner runners Factors That Affect Your Heart Rate While Running think they’re doing their easy runs at a slow-enough pace, How to Run Slower on Easy Days.

The caveat to all this, Shahi says, is that your heart rate is just one tool in the toolbox. Basically, it can provide helpful intel but “shouldn’t dictate everything you do,” he explains. That’s because other factors, like pace and they’re doing their easy runs at a, matter too.

“I would probably prioritize how I feel while I'm running versus the heart rate that I’m getting from my watch,” Shahi says. For example, if you’re out on a recovery run and your heart rate confirms you’re working in that easy zone, but you feel like you’re working harder, then it’s probably smart to slow things down or even stop your run altogether. “That would be a reason to think about, hey, my body just doesn’t feel good,” Shahi says. “I know my heart rate is saying that I’m in the range that I should be. But clearly, my body doesn’t just feel right today.”

Moreover, many devices that measure heart rate aren’t always accurate. Smartwatches are getting better, but they aren’t perfect, Hart says, which is why she recommends that anyone who’s really serious about heart rate training get a chest strap. Research shows those are more accurate.

Knowing your running heart rate means you’ll better stick to the zones you’re aiming to train in, and that’s beneficial because heart rate zones target different physiological adaptations, Hart explains.

In the lower heart rate zones—typically defined as zones 1 and 2, and sometimes even up into zone 3—you’re helping your body recover from harder efforts, strengthening type I muscle fibers, stimulating mitochondrial growth, and improving your body’s ability to use fat as a fuel source. In short, you’re boosting your endurance.

In the higher zones (like zone 4 and 5), you’re targeting your ability to clear lactate, which allows you to hold a faster pace for longer. And in zone 5 you’re also enhancing your VO2 max, which basically makes you a more efficient runner. To be a better athlete, you need to improve on all of these fronts, Hart says. That’s why “every single kind of workout matters.”

If you’re new to heart rate training, heads up: “It can be a little frustrating at first, especially when you’re focusing on making sure your heart rate is low enough for those recovery runs and high enough for the harder runs,” Hart says. (In general, she sees people struggle more with slowing down than they do speeding up.)

Give it a solid try for four weeks, and if it’s still not clicking for you? Then consider using pace or perceived exertion to guide your runs instead. “Heart rate training is not for everybody,” Hart says. “You don’t have to do it just because it’s a very popular method.”

DAA Industry Opt Out always on the high end—think: zones 4 or 5—first check the accuracy of your data. It’s possible your fitness tracker isn’t measuring your heart rate correctly, or that the algorithm dictating your zones isn’t accurate for you. Consider trying a different tracker (maybe borrow your running buddy’s watch for a workout) to see if that changes your results. Or, considering doing a field test or better yet, a lab test to get more accurate target zones, Hart suggests.

Also consider whether you had caffeine before your run, keeping in mind many preworkout supplements are caffeinated, Shahi says. “That could be an easy solution and simple explanation for why your heart rate’s so high,” he says.

averaged 167 bpms, diabetes, high cholesterol, or coronary artery disease, it could be a sign that your heart is just very deconditioned, Shahi says. (For these folks, he recommends getting checked out by a doctor first before starting a new exercise program.)

From there, if you’re still noticing an always-high heart rate, take stock of your perceived exertion. For example, if your watch is saying you’re in zone 4, but you’re still able to easily carry on a conversation and the run doesn’t feel all that taxing, then it may be that whatever heart rate your watch is detecting as your zone 4 is actually your easy zone. “You know your body better than this watch does,” Hart says.

The caveat: If you’re showing a really high heart rate (somewhere around 180 or 190 bpms) at your easy effort, and you’ve confirmed it’s not a watch error, get checked out by your doctor to rule out any possible cardiac issues, Hart says. Though some individuals may have naturally high heart rates during exercise, “typically, normal heart rates shouldn’t be that high during easy efforts,” she explains.

Shahi, for his part, suggests checking in with a doctor if your running heart rate is always high despite not taking caffeine beforehand and despite being in relatively good shape, especially if it’s been going on for months. “That’s a good reason to go see a physician,” he says.

Jenny McCoy

Contributing Writer

Jenny is a Boulder, Colorado-based health and fitness journalist. She’s been freelancing for Runner’s World since 2015 and especially loves to write human interest profiles, in-depth service pieces and stories that explore the intersection of exercise and mental health. Her work has also been published by SELF, Men’s Journal, and Condé Nast Traveler, among other outlets. When she’s not running or writing, Jenny enjoys coaching youth swimming, rereading Harry Potter, and buying too many houseplants.