Choose a Running Heart Rate Monitor

For a new, or even experienced runner, there are few items that can be as vital as a running heart rate monitor.  Granted, when one starts out on the journey of becoming a runner, they will obsess about having the right shoes or the right pair of shorts.  These are definitely important items in the runner’s arsenal.  However, one cannot overlook the sheer importance of a running heart rate monitor.

If nothing else, a running heart rate monitor provides needed structure to a workout.  What many runners don’t realize is that it is entirely counterproductive to go all out every single workout.  This is true for several reasons:

• Overtraining - As with any type of exercise, the body needs to recover from strong workouts.  If one is continually pushing themselves to the limit, the body never has a chance to recover.
• Injuries - It takes awhile for the body to get used to running.  You need a way to add needed structure and limits to a running workout.  As you progress through your running journey, this structure and these limits move with you.  Staying within these limits reduces the chance of injury.
• Burnout - If one continually exercises at a high level, burnout will eventually occur.  Keeping your workouts within a set intensity will help reduce the chance of burnout.

There are a few criteria to use in choosing a running heart rate monitor.  Each person has their own set of goals and finding the right piece of equipment is a personal decision.  No single heart rate monitor is right for everyone.  Here are a few criteria to keep in mind.

• Budget - Obviously, this is one of the most important criteria.  The price range for running heart rate monitors is vast, to say the least.  One can pick up a functional piece of equipment for as little as $35.  Simply put, these models will be very light on the features side.  If money is no object, you can pick up a souped up model for as much as $1,000.  Once you have decided on how much you can spend, you can move on to the other decision criteria.  
• Method of Readings - There are several ways that running heart rate monitors pick up their readings.  If you want reasonable accurate readings, you should stick with a chest strap reader.  These readers are usually attached to an elastic strap that fits snug around your chest.  Any other method of readings should generally be avoided if you care at all about accuracy.  This may cause you to pay a few more dollars, but it is worth it.  
• Stopwatch - The most basic models of monitors merely keep your heart rate.  The next step up is adding a stop watch function.  This shoudl really add little to the overall cost of the monitor.  In its most basic form, the watch will just keep elapsed time.  If you want to pay a few more dollars, you can get lap functions which will enable you to keep split times if you choose to do any track workouts.

If the above features are all that you need, you should have no trouble at all finding a running heart rate monitor under $100.  If you are willing to spend a bit more, you can gain several neat features.  Here’s a few:

• Memory - You can find monitors that will remember your workouts.  This will make it easier to track your progress as you start to pile up your workouts.  
• Workout Variety - Many monitors allow you to choose the type of workout you wish to have.  You can choose a steady state training run or a speed building interval workout, as a couple of examples.  All of the workouts are governed by your own heart rate, age, and ability.
• Distance Tracking - Gone are the days of having to hop in your car and gauge a route distance by your odometer before running it.  For $200 or $300 you can get a running heart rate monitor that has distance tracking capabilities.  In some cases, you can even upload the routes you ran to a website to track your progress.  There are, of course, options within this genre of monitors

• GPS Enabled - In the same vein as your trusty GPS in your car, there are now running heart rate monitors that have GPS capability to track your running route and distance travelled.  They have shown to be quite accurate also.  Keep in mind, however, you need to be outside to have GPS work.  For myself, living in the Northeast, I am pushed to an indoor track during inclement days in the winter.  A GPS enabled monitor would do me no good in these cases.
• Footpods - These are basically souped up pedometers that generally attach to the shoelaces of your running shoes.  For me, this is my distance tracker of choice.  They work indoors and outdoors, and in all kinds of weather.  I have even used mine in snow without a problem.  The footpod tracks distance in the same way as a pedometer and communicates it to your watch.  The accuracy isn’t too bad either.  In a recent half marathon I did, the footpod was within 0.1 miles of the race distance, which rivals GPS results I have read about.

Get Started!!

Hopefully, this guide will help you choose the right running heart rate monitor for you.  Whatever you end up choosing, don’t obsess over it too long!! Get a monitor and get out on the road.  It truly beats staring at your basement wall on the treadmill.  Enjoy!