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Large HR discrepancy running

doctordarko
1 month ago

New to Garmin with Instinct Crossover here and already having my doubts...

These are 2 Garmin Coach benchmark runs, 3 hours apart. Pretty much identical pace for the 5 min run, yet average HR in the first run was some 20 bpm lower. Higher HR matched Fitbit...and RPE.

ShrugShrug

Then tonight, watch took 10-15 min before HR matched the strap on the Zwift 1 hour ride. 

Is this a common thing with Garmins being lazy at times with HR?

 

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  • 0 1 month ago
    doctordarko said:
    Pretty much identical pace for the 5 min run, yet average HR in the first run was some 20 bpm lower.

    Same temperature too? That can have a great impact, as well as the fatigue from the first run too. If you want to be sure, use a HRM chest strap. That avoids cases of cadence lock, common with optical sensors. 

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to trux

    Just checked, less than a degree difference. No rain or large pressure or humidity variation either. 

    I understand few beats difference but a consistent 20 lower was not expected. 

  • 0 1 month ago
    doctordarko said:
    Pretty much identical pace for the 5 min run, yet average HR in the first run was some 20 bpm lower. Higher

    15s/min difference is not “pretty much identical” especially if the runs are not too far apart so the difference in HR could well be reasonable. 

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to philipshambrook
    philipshambrook said:
    15s/min difference is not “pretty much identical”

    Average pace is skewed by the walk either side but the 5 min run pace was 4:23 and 4:21 m/km, respectively for 2 runs, so pretty much identical I would say. The major 20 bpm difference I am referring to is during the run portion of the test. I had Fitbit on the other hand for both runs and HR on that shows very similar trend with 160+bpm for both runs.

    I may be a beginner runner but do have plenty of cycling experience so I am in touch with my fitness and RPE scale. I have done enough runs so far to know that 4:20 pace is not my comfortable aerobic run. I wish!

    The reason for second benchmark test was the first Garmin Coach was fired as he had me running 30min non-stop at 5-5:30 pace in the first week. No wonder, given it just saw me run a km at sub 4:30 pace. The 5 min pace for 30 min is my end goal! 

    Since, forums have revealed plenty of stories of consistent and sporadic low HR data issues across all models. :(