High Maximum Heart Rate

High maximum heart rate :

"Hi,
I am a 43 year old woman. I have never tested my maximum heart rate properly, but I have measured (several times, at the end of a race, or when running uphill) a heart rate of up to 210. Compared to the "formulas" for calculating your heart rate, and compared to most other peoples maximum heart rate, and also given my age, this seems to be very high. My heart rate also varies a lot during a run, switching quickly from low values (say 140-160) to higher values (180-200) and back. I have been running more or less regularly for around a year.

I cannot find any information online about whether this is something that should concern me or not.. My doctor wasn´t very informative either when I tried asking :) I don´t know my resting heart rate either, but it is at least not more than 50 (because that´s what I _have_ measured during sitting down and resting during the day). What´s normal variation in maximum heart rate? And what´s not ..?

Also, when running a 10K or half marathon race, is an average heart rate of approx 190 abnormally high? "

Answer: Even though 210 for a max at your age is in the higher end, it is absolutely within a normal range, so no worried at all. In your case, drop using any type of formula and just go with your measured max HR : )

all the best,
Marius