Runner's World reported on what you need to know about your average running heart rate and how it compares to others, featuring insight from Vikas Shahi, MD, primary sports medicine physician at HSS.

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. 

If you’re trying to stay within a certain heart rate range while running, you need to figure out your maximum heart rate, Dr. Shahi said. The 'quick and dirty' formula for doing so is 220 minus your age, he explained. 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.

Dr. Shahi 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 doctor," he said.

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