WheN HRV TANKS
My HRV is still low. The week of MMD it started dipping into “unbalanced,” then hit “low,” and it’s been clawing its way back for the last ten days.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measures the time between each heartbeat. More variability is a sign your body is well-recovered. Less variability usually means you’re overdoing it.
Here’s my HRV chart from the past four weeks. That lowest dip in red? Morning of the MMD 50k.
It’s been 20 days since the first orange square on that chart. The only other time I dipped this far, it took me 19 days to climb back into the green. The difference this time is how I handled it.
April vs. August
Back in April, when my HRV dropped, I was just starting to ramp up my summer training. I felt good, but I listened to the tech and took a couple extra rest days. It was frustrating, but it worked. I bounced back and stayed steady all summer.
In August, though, the dip started during race week. And honestly? I ignored it. My training load was already reduced, and I was doing the run no matter what. That’s the reality—training is stress, and big events magnify it. Sometimes your numbers will take a hit no matter what.
Now
Race morning HRV was the lowest it’s ever been. It’s creeping upward now—though dipping again a bit—but I’m still ignoring it. Based on past experience, I expect a few more days before things normalize.
Meanwhile, I feel great. Running feels strong (I deadlifted 405 the other day), sleep scores are trending up (lots of 80s and 90s lately), and I’ve been cutting caffeine and getting to bed earlier.
The metric I am listening to is desire:
Do I want to run today?
Do I want to lift, move, and rack up some steps?
Or do I need a nap instead?
If the itch to train is there, I’ll take it. If not, I’ll rest. If I had a big event coming up in 6–8 weeks, I might back off more strategically. But right now? I’m training for fun.
So while my HRV is low, I’m not giving it much attention—other than looking forward to that little win when it climbs back into the green.
—Justin Miner