Pace vs Heart Rate vs Rate of Perceived Effort

So, you are starting to train for an upcoming race and you are trying to decide where to start. Or perhaps you have been training by one method, such as pace, for 10 years now, but just don’t feel it is serving you now. Perhaps it’s time to change it up. Three common ways to measure and plan your runs are by 1) pace, 2) heart rate, and 3) rate of perceived effort. I’ll dive into each of these methods a little bit so you can decide what’s best for you. Plus, you can check out our videos of each method below as well.

Training by Pace

Here you will use your current fitness level to determine your paces and then your goal pace. Over the training cycle you will ideally move closer to your race goal paces

Pros

1) You have a more defined target and it is easy to measure

2) Paces are sexy. If someone hears you are running 5 min miles, it sounds cooler than saying you ran at a RPE of 8/10 for 60 min. 

3) Helps runners dial in what race pace feels like.

Cons

1) Easy to compare to past and get frustrated

2) Easy to overtrain too early

3) Harder to adapt based on terrain and climate. Ex: Your workout is a 4 mile tempo at 7:00 min pace. You have to take a last minute trip out of town where its 85 degrees instead of 55 degrees and you have to run on a hillier route. Your typical pace won’t work here, and if you try to hit it, you’ll likely go too hard and lose the benefit of the workout.

When I coach runners by pace I tend to give a decent range so that they have some say in it. Depending on how they’re feeling that day or the change in temperate or terrain, they will attempt to adapt.

Heart Rate Training-

With HR training you will use a HR strap (from what I’ve seen, chest straps are still more accurate). You then will need to do a Vo2 Max test or adjust and do a time trial on the track or treadmill to line up your zones. The heart rate zones will give you a range that basically scales from easy to hard. Depending on the workout or coach’s intentions, a different zone will be prescribed.

Pros

1) This is better to help adjust during changing terrain or humidity and temperature

2) Less likely to overtrain

3) Good for data-oriented runners

Cons

1) Challenging if you really want to get a vo2 max test and lactate threshold test

2) Most people struggle to move away from pace training

3) HR training (like RPE training) doesn’t feel as sexy

If you have a very specific race pace you need to hit, then you will likely need to reach that pace range during workouts.

Heart Rate training takes a little more upfront work, but can take away some of the guessing game for athletes who overthink or who are new to training.

Rate of Perceived Effort or RPE

Similar to HR but allows the athlete to have a little more say and responsibility. I have a general Rate of Perceived effort chart that helps athletes decide what zone is what. Some measurements that help you determine the rate can be things such as how easy it is to carry on a conversation. RPE is mostly reflecting your heart rate, but allows you, the athlete, to navigate the effort on your own as well. 

Pros

1) Gives training a more wholistic approach

2) Keeps runners from comparing quite as much to pace

3) Helps runners learn to listen more to their body and see the necessary signs. 

Cons

1) The RPE scale leaves room for the runner to interpret on their own

2) The RPE scale can’t exactly show up on your watch, so it takes a little more internal and in the moment analyzing from the athlete.

3) It’s not as widely used and often runners say they’re not interested in training this way (I think just because its different).

How to Choose for you? 

Unfortunately there isn’t a right or wrong here, and often times I will change up the training measurements depending on what I am wanting to do with the athlete during a specific workout. On occasion I want them to hit a specific pace, but more often I want them to dial in a specific effort. Here is what you’ll want to do before you decide.

1) Speak with your coach about it… Do they offer different training target metrics? 

2) What sounds most appealing to you? Have you tried some of these methods and struggled? Or perhaps you’ve had success in the past with one method but now you aren’t in that same place. Consider switching it up.

3) Consider if you are a new or veteran runner. I encourage lots of my veteran runners to shift to RPE because of the personal benefits I have seen. Less comparing to the past helps stay engaged in the moment in that workout. 

When I was competing in college for the mighty UT Longhorns we were all running the exact same race on the same terrain or track, and we were all training to run a race that would be within a few seconds of each other… so, there wasn’t much variation in what we needed to do. Our coaches were able to do just about the same workout and same efforts for everyone. Adults however are typically training for a ton of different races that are longer and in different climates and different terrains. So take into consideration some of these ideas and luckily for you, you can make your own decision! Drop a comment or questions below!