Using HRV to Make Smarter Training Decisions

Using HRV to Make Smarter Training Decisions

by | Jul 21, 2025 | Uncategorized

by Sandi Nypaver

Learning to Listen to Your Body with Help from HRV

Learning to listen to your body is an essential skill for every runner, but it’s not always easy. Sometimes your mind tells you to push through or stick to the plan, even when your body isn’t quite ready. You might wake up feeling fresh, only to realize mid-run that your legs are still fatigued from a previous effort. Or maybe you’re just feeling a little off and aren’t sure if it’s worth adjusting your schedule. In those moments, tools like Heart Rate Variability (HRV) can help you make more informed decisions.

What is HRV?

Heart Rate Variability is the measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat. Rather than your heart beating like a metronome, there’s natural variation. HRV is typically measured in milliseconds and reflects how well your autonomic nervous system is functioning, especially the balance between the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) branches.

A higher HRV generally indicates that your body is in a more relaxed, adaptable state, able to handle stress and recover well. A lower HRV can signal fatigue, illness, emotional stress, or overtraining.

HRV can also help reveal which lifestyle habits are helping or hurting your recovery. For example, prioritizing sleep and managing stress often lead to higher HRV, while things like alcohol, poor sleep, or prolonged stress can contribute to lower values.

How to Track HRV

You can measure HRV with wearables like WHOOP or the Oura Ring, but you don’t need expensive gear. The HRV4Training app is a budget-friendly and scientifically validated option that uses your phone’s camera or a heart rate monitor.

One potential downside of HRV4Training is that you see your HRV score immediately after taking the measurement. In contrast, with WHOOP or the Oura Ring, you can go about your morning routine, reflect on how you feel, and then check your data later which may help avoid jumping to conclusions based on the number alone.

For accurate information over time, it’s important to measure HRV the same way each morning. A reliable approach is to sit quietly in a relaxed position shortly after waking up, ideally before eating or having caffeine. Sitting offers a good balance of sensitivity to stress and recovery, making it a solid option for most people tracking training and readiness. A consistent routine to follow is to wake up, use the bathroom, then sit comfortably in a chair to take your HRV measurement.

Use HRV as a Guide, Not a Rulebook

HRV can be incredibly helpful for recognizing trends and making informed training decisions, but it’s also important not to let the data take over your decision-making. Some runners fall into the trap of letting HRV dictate every single training choice, which can create anxiety or unnecessary second-guessing.

Use HRV as one piece of the puzzle, alongside how your body feels, your sleep quality, your mental state, and the demands of your current training cycle. Think of it as a conversation between your data and your intuition, not a final verdict. You lead that conversation by checking in with yourself and asking, ‘How am I feeling today?'”

Ignore HRV Readings Before Races

It’s also smart to avoid checking your HRV the morning of a race. Race-day nerves, poor sleep the night before, or travel stress can all temporarily lower HRV even if your body is ready to perform. Seeing a low number might shake your confidence or lead you to second-guess yourself. Trust your training, go through your normal pre-race routine, and skip the HRV check that day. The data can wait.

What to Do with HRV Trends

One of the best ways to use HRV is by tracking trends over time rather than reacting to a single day’s reading. For example:

Sample HRV Trend Patterns and What They Might Mean:

  • 3+ days of noticeably lower HRV than your baseline
    Your body may be under high stress. It might be a good time to reduce volume or intensity, prioritize rest, or swap in a cross-training or mobility session. At this point, you likely wouldn’t get the desired benefit from doing a speed workout or long run.
  • Sudden drop after a hard effort
    A normal acute response to training. Consider keeping the next 1–2 days lower intensity to help recovery.
  • Consistent, high HRV with good energy and motivation
    Likely a green light to maintain or slightly increase training load if that aligns with your plan. As Marco Altini, creator of HRV4Training, says: “I tend to always stress its utility to hold back, more than to push harder.” In other words, a high HRV doesn’t mean it’s time to go wreck yourself in a workout, but it may be a good window for a productive speed session or long run.
  • HRV is stable, but you feel off or have low motivation
    Use how you feel to guide decisions. HRV is helpful, but not perfect. You know your body best.

Final Thoughts

HRV can be a powerful tool for learning to listen to your body more effectively helping you spot patterns, adjust training before issues arise, and learn what truly supports your recovery. Just remember, like any tool, it works best when used with context and care.

The Sauna Protocol: What I Have Discovered

The Sauna Protocol: What I Have Discovered

by | Jun 30, 2025 | Training, Uncategorized

 The Sauna Protocol: What I Have Discovered

by coach Rachael Warner Sanchez

Hello Higher Running Family! Coach Rachael here and we have an article for you that may be of some interest for those of us who are now being thrusted into summertime training! The long, beautiful days do come with one notable challenge……heat! Training in the heat can lead to some wonderful fall/winter performances but we must be careful to stay healthy while our bodies take on the additional load of both cooling us while staying dedicated to our day-in and day-out training. That leads us to today’s topic of using a sauna to help the body better adapt to heat.

 

What are Saunas (hint there are multiple)!

Dry Sauna: this is a traditional sauna people will most readily find at their local gyms, YMCAs, etc. The temperature typically ranges between 150-185F (65.5 – 85 C) and the relative humidity is low 10-30%.

Infrared Sauna: a type of “radiation” that is also dry but at a lower temperature ~120-150F (49 – 65.5 C) and reportedly produces a more direct body heat. They are gaining popularity.

Wet Sauna or “Steam Room”: these are also typically not as hot as a regular sauna BUT they are very humid as the name indicates.

 

What Does the Research Say:

Something that should be noted about studies is their potential limitations. Sometimes data can be “self-reported” and, even with the best of intentions, this can lead to data error. Secondly, it is very costly to do long studies with numerous participants. Another consideration is individuals who have been training for a long time and do not opt to participate in studies that require deviation from their normal routine/training methods. The data in less experienced runners will show significant improvements because they are not close to their “genetic ceilings” while individuals who have been training a long time may show more subtle changes. With that said, these studies are still worth our time!

One study (cited below) showed very promising results by breaking up participants (both men and women) into two groups. One group received a dry sauna protocol while the others did not. They were given the same testing protocol at the beginning and then again after the seven-week study. What is particularly interesting is that they tested the participants at a particular blood lactate level: 4 mmol of lactate (30-minutes effort on a treadmill). Peak core temperatures and heart rate were lower in the group that received the sauna protocol and who also ran at a faster pace in their second test. The group that did not receive the sauna protocol did not show the same improvements.

It is believed that some of these adaptations occur from a positive change/increase hematocrit and hemoglobin levels (these are beneficial blood profile markers). Bonus! There are other noted health benefits to sauna, but for the purposes of this article, the athletic side is being discussed.

What Have I Personally Noticed:

I have been getting into a sauna 2-3 times a week for the past month, typically, after workout sessions. The sauna is rather dry and is about 170F (76.6 C). The first time I stepped into the sauna, I had to remind myself to take a few deep breaths (I have only ever stepped foot in a sauna once or twice in my whole life) and then I calmly sat for 20 minutes. I admit this was probably too long for the first session. Interestingly, it took me almost half the time I was there to get a noticeable sweat rate. During the second sauna session, I sweated much sooner (within a few minutes). My sauna sessions since then have been about 25 minutes.

NOW for the good part! Just a few days ago, I had a 5 x 1-mile repeat workout. The temperature was about 75F (24 C) and humidity was around 85%. Just a nasty day! Now that I have years of running under my proverbial belt, I know that I struggle in the heat and really pull back paces in the summertime. So, an average of ~6:20 minutes per mile pace for the 5 reps would have usually met expectations in a heat adjusted sense. However, I split 6:03 down to 5:52 which made that one of the best ever performances in the heat ever. Those paces were assigned without adjustment. Needless to say, I could not believe it when the paces were hit. I won’t lie, halfway through the final mile repeat, I was feeling the heat and effort, but this was a huge victory. The recovery time was about 2:15 – 2:20 minutes between each one. I started sweating early on during my warmup and sweated a bit more while working hard and this was desired. It is ideal to sweat a bit earlier to keep the body’s core temperature lower, but the heat adaptation occurs when the body may not need to sweat “as much”. I did go to the sauna right after this workout.

Now here is the thing: the gains will not be exponential from the sauna. There is an upper limit to how much the body will assimilate the benefits of the sauna and translate that into faster splits, lower heart rate at lactate threshold, etc.

Going forward, I plan to continue using the sauna about 2 times a week to maintain the newly acquired heat adaptation. The sauna is another training stimulus of sorts, and I will be watching for fatigue levels and adjust accordingly. Just like speed workouts and long runs, this is an additional stress to the body, and I will always put recovery first. If a sauna session needs to be missed, then that is ok!

Now onto an explanation for the below image! I usually do not bring electronics into the sauna, but this time, I used my running watch and chest heart rate monitor strap to record the heart rate during a 25-minutes session. As you can see, my heart rate crept up the whole time, and it correlated with sweating and the sensation of getting hot. Around the 10-minute mark, I was sweating noticeably and at the end of the session, I had sweat “pouring” off me. I felt a bit uncomfortable around the 20-minute mark but perfectly safe to go the last 5 minutes. For context, this sauna session was after an 11-mile run which was a workout (8 x 800 meters and 2 x 200 meters intervals).

ChartAI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

How to Implement, Cautions, and Who Benefits:

Please consult with your doctor if you have any concerns utilizing a sauna. While the sauna is well tolerated, there are certain medical conditions in which using a sauna is not advisable. For those who elect to use a sauna, hydration is very important! Not only do endurance athletes have to re-hydrate from their runs, but they also need to account for the sauna. Those prone to anemia/low iron stores, are well served paying special attention to their blood work. Lastly, please consider your total training volume. If the sauna proves to be too much of a stressor, it is arguable that more damage may happen than the modest gains from sauna exposure. Furthermore, if you are in the biggest block of training and only a few short weeks away from a major goal race, I personally would not recommend sauna exposure. A notable exception to this could be for athletes who are going to race in much hotter conditions than their current climate. Heat adaptations from the sauna can happen within just a few sessions and it would be a benefit provided the athlete monitors their recovery. The runner may need to scale back on intensity just a bit to make space for sauna sessions. Key take away: stay in tune with your body! There does not seem to be any need to go more than 4 times a week to the sauna. 2 times a week will also give benefits. If the sauna is completely new to you, 5, 10 or 15 minutes for the first session works just fine. Most protocols do not go past 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I think the principle of diminishing returns comes into play as more hydration and recovery is required. Work the time up carefully and consider adding another day instead of long sauna sessions. The sauna is most effective if done very soon after completing a run.

The climate we live in could also indicate who gets the biggest gains from a sauna protocol. If someone is living in a cool climate and has opted for an early spring marathon in a warmer climate, this would be a great example of someone benefiting much more than a person already training in less-than-ideal conditions. Blood plasma volume (a marker of someone’s body prepared for heat) for someone who lives in Texas is, arguably, built up a bit more in early spring than someone from the far north. Therefore, the person living in the north could “play catch up” and build their blood plasma volume. Again, using a sauna should be done with caution and build up the time in the sauna gradually.

To summarize, I believe sauna training has a place in one’s training! Please let us know if you have used a sauna and what you noticed with your own running!

 

Sources:

1 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33211153/

2 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29269746/

3 – https://www.endureiq.com/blog/post-exercise-sauna-bathing-for-endurance-athletes-when-and-why

Why Do Your Hands Swell During Exercise?

Why Do Your Hands Swell During Exercise?

by | Jun 28, 2025 | Uncategorized

Coach Sandi Nypaver gives a few reasons why you may notice your hands swelling while exercising!

Reason #1: When you run, your body sends blood and oxygen to the hardest working muscles and systems. Your hands are not included here, so the blood vessels in your hand widen to maintain normal blood flow.

Reason #2: As the blood vessels expand, they can leak some of the fluid into the surrounding tissues, causing your hands to swell.

Reason #3: To cool down when you’re getting hot, blood vessels in your skin swell to allow heat to leave the surface.

Reason #4: Swelling in the hands during a run is generally a normal and temporary reaction, but if it is persistent or accompanied by other symptoms, it may be a sign of hyponatremia or an underlying medical condition and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider
Here’s why your workout paces are SLOWER in the heat…

Here’s why your workout paces are SLOWER in the heat…

by | Jun 3, 2025 | Uncategorized

Temps are heating up again, so we wanted to dive a little deeper into the reasons why you may find yourself running slower.


1) Increased body temperature: The body’s internal temperature rises during exercise, and running in hot conditions can cause the body to overheat more quickly, which can lead to fatigue and a decrease in performance.

2) Dehydration: Running in hot conditions can lead to an increased rate of sweating, which can cause dehydration if fluid intake is insufficient. Dehydration can affect performance by causing a decrease in blood volume, which can reduce the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach the muscles.

3) Increased heart rate: The body’s cardiovascular system has to work harder to cool down in hot conditions, which can increase the heart rate and make it more difficult to maintain a steady pace.

4) Difficulty regulating temperature: Running in hot conditions can make it more difficult for the body to regulate its internal temperature, which can cause fatigue and a decrease in performance.

5) Increased perceived effort: Running in hot conditions can make the activity feel more difficult than it would in cooler temperatures, which can cause runners to slow down or feel like they are working harder than they actually are.
Often, the first few hot runs will be the most challenging as your body adapts, however, you will still be significantly slower in warm or hot conditions compared to cool conditions.
Correct This Exercise to Run Faster

Correct This Exercise to Run Faster

by | Nov 5, 2024 | Uncategorized

To run faster, you’re going to want to hone in on your single-leg squat form.
A few weeks ago, Coach Sandi Nypaver wrote about some of her favorite strength assessment tests for runners. Today, she discusses in depth the single-leg squat — an exercise most people struggle to do incorrectly!
This newsletter will cover:
✅ The common mistakes people make while doing the single-leg squat and other single-leg exercises.
✅ How to correct your single leg form.
✅ How to apply the strength and technique exercises to your weekly routine.
✅ Read for more!
As you run, you’re constantly in a single-leg squat position. This is why the single leg squat is one of the exercises in the movement assessment I give the athletes I coach. If someone is struggling with the single-leg squat exercises, I almost always see the same problem when they’re in the single-leg stance position as they’re running. This usually correlates to pain or tightness around the knee, low back, hips, and even the lower leg.

All of my athletes go through a strength and movement assessment, and there’s one exercise where many runners tend to struggle. Unsurprisingly, it’s also the movement most specific to running. The exercise in the movement assessment that challenges many people is the single-leg squat, which is what I’ll be focusing on in today’s newsletter. Runners are frequently in a single-leg squat position while running, which is why training the correct movement pattern is so essential!
So, what are the common mistakes I see when people perform a single-leg squat?

Mistake #1 A common mistake I see is when the hip drops down and the knee moves toward or even past the big toe.
Mistake #2 Another mistake is swinging the hip out wide instead of simply bringing the glutes back.
Before moving on, remember it’s okay if you’ve been making these mistakes, even for a long time. Don’t dwell on it—the power to improve is in the present! Focus on what you can control now, and get excited about the potential improvements this can bring to your future performance.
Now that you know what not to do, let’s work on correcting your single-leg squat form. I prefer to focus on solutions, so let’s dive into making your single-leg squat and running form stronger.
Here are some key points to remember, which apply to all single-leg exercises: 1. Keep your hips as level as possible.2. When you bend your knee, direct it toward your second or third toe. Avoid letting the knee move inward or toward the big toe.

To help with this, try using a mirror while practicing single-leg exercises. For some people, just maintaining level hips and proper knee alignment (toward the second toe) will be enough. But if this isn’t quite working for you, don’t worry—I have more tips ahead.
Here’s a setup technique that works well for those who tend to swing their hip out or experience hip drop during a single-leg squat. I developed this approach for some of my athletes, and it’s been effective:

TIP #1 Start in a chair pose, squatting with both legs and going only as deep as you can while maintaining good form. Look in the mirror, keep your hips level, and ensure your knees point in the right direction. Once set, lift one leg and perform a single-leg squat, using the lifted leg briefly if you need to reset. Many people struggle with single-leg squats simply because they go too low, causing the hip to kick out or the knee to fall inward. Instead, work within your current range to maintain good form. As you get stronger, you’ll be able to go lower with control. Here’s what I mean:
TIP #2 Another exercise I often do that can help with a single leg squat is a squat onto a couch—similar to sitting back until your glutes just touch the couch, then standing back up.
TIP #3 Another quick tip I have is for you to consider your footwear—or going barefoot—for single-leg squats. Thick shoes can increase instability, so if you’re comfortable and in a suitable space, try barefoot for better control.
Apply This
Let’s put what you’ve learned into action. If you’re strength training with weights, aim to do these exercises two to three times per week, with 48 to 72 hours between leg sessions. This recovery time helps your muscles rebuild and prevents fatigue from holding back your progress.

For daily practice, try technique drills and activation exercises before runs. These will help you apply your strength gains to your running form, leading to improvements in form and pace over time.
Remember, a slight hip drop during running can be normal. It’s the excessive drop—when the hip goes too far out and the knee turns inward—that we want to avoid. To catch and correct these patterns, do this movement assessment regularly.

This is just one of the exercises in my strength and movement assessment for athletes. For the full program, including tools and strategies to coach yourself, check out the Ultimate Running Course: Learn to Coach Yourself.

I hope this helps you in your running.
Happy running!
Coach Sandi
Your Guide On Knowing When To Powerhike

Your Guide On Knowing When To Powerhike

by | Oct 20, 2024 | Uncategorized

For today’s newsletter, Coach Sage Canaday gives you 9 elements to consider as to whether you should be running or power hiking.

  1. Altitude ☁️

As you climb to higher altitudes, running becomes more taxing because of the reduced oxygen levels. In these cases, power hiking is often the more efficient option to avoid overexerting yourself. Personally, I’ve found that when racing at higher altitudes, my breathing becomes a major indicator of when to switch from running to hiking. Once I start gasping for breath, I know it’s time to hike. This is especially important early in a race—if it’s a 100-mile ultra, for example, I don’t want to be struggling with my breathing too soon.

  1. Steepness (Grade) 📈

The steepness of the trail is a major factor in deciding whether to run or hike.

5% Grade: This is the kind of incline you see on many highways or roads, and it’s typically runnable for most people. It’s gentle enough that maintaining a running pace doesn’t strain your muscles too much.

10% Grade: At this point, the hill is much steeper. Depending on your fitness level and how far into the race you are, you may start to feel the need to power hike. I personally enjoy running up moderate hills, but at a 10% incline, especially during a longer race, I start to seriously consider power hiking.

15% Grade: This is very steep, and most treadmills max out at this grade. For me, running a 15% incline for an extended period is exhausting, and I almost always switch to power hiking.

  1. Race Distance & Duration 🏆

In shorter races, like a 30K or even a long training run, I might be more inclined to run up hills that I would hike in an ultra. But in ultra races—especially those that are 50K or longer—it’s critical to pace yourself. For races like a 100-mile or 160K ultra, you’re likely to be power hiking a lot of the uphills, particularly early on. In races like the Western States 100, you don’t want to burn out by running up every hill from the start. Power hiking early helps preserve your glycogen stores and saves your legs for later in the race when you really need them.

  1. Fitness & Strengths 💪

Your personal fitness level and strengths as a runner play a big role in how much you can run versus hike. I consider uphill running one of my specialties, and I love runnable uphills. That said, even with strong uphill running ability, it’s essential to know when to switch to power hiking to avoid fatigue. Some runners may excel at downhill running, which means they can conserve energy on the uphills by hiking. For me, if the incline exceeds 20% (unless, say, it’s something like an all-out vertical K race), I’ll start power hiking to conserve energy.

  1. Energy Conservation & Pacing ⏰

The most important thing to monitor when deciding whether to run or hike is your breathing and heart rate. I recommend staying in a zone where you can carry on a conversation—once you’re gasping for breath, you’re likely pushing too hard, especially early in a long race. I rely on this guideline during ultras: if I can’t talk comfortably, I know I need to slow down or start hiking. Power hiking helps me stay in the aerobic zone, avoiding spikes in heart rate that would deplete my glycogen too quickly and force me out of the fat-burning zone. This pacing strategy is essential in longer races like a 50K or 100-mile, where managing energy over the hours becomes critical.

  1. Trail Technicality ⛰️

Another important factor is the technical nature of the trail. If the trail is smooth or paved, it’s easier to maintain a running motion, even on steeper inclines. But on rocky, uneven terrain, power hiking is often more efficient. If the trail requires you to step up or jump over obstacles, power hiking saves energy and reduces the risk of injury. I’ve had races where technical trails, especially with large rocks or steps, forced me to power hike even if I felt capable of running on a smoother trail.

  1. Environmental Conditions ❄️

Sometimes, the environment dictates whether you run or hike. Icy or snowy conditions, for example, make running dangerous and inefficient. In such cases, power hiking is often necessary. I’ve also found that using poles can help in these situations—they provide extra balance and stability, allowing me to hike more efficiently without slipping or wasting energy.

  1. Power Hiking Technique 📚

Like any skill, power hiking requires practice. It’s important to incorporate steep hill repeats, long uphill runs, and power hiking into your training, especially if you’re preparing for a mountain race. Personally, I like to include uphill tempo runs in my training, where I focus on sustaining a high intensity for 20-30 minutes. These workouts build my strength and help me feel confident in my ability to transition from running to hiking during a race. With consistent practice, you’ll find that you can hike efficiently on grades where you might have struggled before.

  1. Fatigue & Bonking 😮‍💨

In longer races, fatigue is inevitable, and sometimes you’ll need to hike simply because running isn’t an option anymore. I’ve experienced this in races where, late in the event, I start feeling muscle fatigue, cramping, or even the early signs of bonking. If you’re low on fuel or dehydrated, power hiking can help you get through the tough moments without completely burning out. At this point, I focus on maintaining forward momentum, knowing that running could push me over the edge.

Personal Experience & Lessons:

In some races, I’ve seen other runners power hiking next to me while I continue to run, and they sometimes pass me. This highlights that power hiking can often be just as fast, if not faster, than running on steep inclines. It’s something that requires practice and confidence, but it’s also about understanding your own limits and strengths as a runner.

In shorter races (half marathon or less), you might push harder and run more of the uphills since you’re less concerned about bonking or glycogen depletion. In longer ultras, though, managing your energy is key. Avoid spiking your heart rate too high, and save your legs for later sections of the race when you’ll need every bit of strength to push through.

All in all, listening to your body, practicing your hiking technique, and staying mindful of your energy levels, you can make smart decisions about when to hike and when to run!

Happy running,

  • Coach Sage