Forget pace, cadence, training load and, to a degree, even distance. If there’s one thing you should track above all other metrics when you run, it’s heart rate.

“Heart rate is one of the most important metrics for most runners, and certainly for an all-round audience,” says certified running coach James Stirling—aka London Fitness Guy .

Whether a complete newcomer or seasoned marathoner, Stirling says your heart rate is worth keeping tabs on. Here are three reasons to track your heart rate. You may like

This is the exact running plan I followed for two months to finally get my 5K run time under 30 minutes

The resistance band moves this pro runner and coach uses to run faster and stay injury-free—try them today

A certified coach says this is the one thing that holds most runners ba

See Full Page