Curious how much a heart rate can jump around

[Pamz]

I'm just curious, is this normal?  Tonight, I warmed up for only 4 or 5 min before jogging.  My bpm was 66 and in 4 min, it was 186.  I stopped, felt my pulse - it was very fast but I wasn't even breathing hard.  It pretty much dropped back to 119 immediately so I started jogging again.  I have my monitor set to beep at 185.  Went down a hill and 1/2 way back up the other side & it started beeping again, up to 192.  This has been 8 minutes.  I stopped and it dropped slowly to 160.  Started jogging again, back downhill & hit 195 but I just kept going.  It bounced up and down, 190 to 120 and then it'd maintain in the high 180's, low 190's & then bounce again.  After 2 miles, I sprinted for 1 block and hit 222 for a few seconds.  When I stopped, it dropped back to the 170's and then I walked for about a block and it quickly dropped back to the 80's.  Most of the time I jog, I can maintain 120 to 150 - if I have the dog, it's even lower cause he stops so much.  But, about every 4th or 5th day of jogging, what happened tonight occurs.  Of course, this didn't happen when I wore the 48 hour monitor.  

[Pamz]

Well, I'm 47 and I think I'm in pretty good shape.  My resting hr is between 40 and 50 and 220-47 is 173, so I guess middle 180's isn't too high and, that's only 1 run out of every 4 or 5.  I did have an ekg earlier this year that showed atrial fib and 1 last year that showed flutter but then on a redo of the ekg and on the holter monitor, nothing.  Thanks, I was just curious what any one else thought.

[Jerry_NJ]

Given your target HR you must be young(er)... under 40.  Even that, 222 doesn't sound like any rate you'd want to maintain on purpose.

Sounds too like you are in great physical condition, so that puts me off the list of those who can share similar experience.  That said, up to about 3 years ago I was a regular jogger and I can say that I never had any HR jumps, except for one "fit" of tachycardia...something like your 222.  This was at a gym, and I shortly thereafter went back into my old problem, atrial fibrillation.  I'm not suggesting you have AFib, it is possible you have lone AFib but that would have to be diagnosed.  I have permanent AFib.  No need for a long term monitor for me, when I'm in AFib any random EKG will see it.  

I think it is good you keep a "eye" (monitor) on your exercise HR, and never hold it over your 220-age number. That's what I think.

If it continues or gets worse I think another attempt to catch it on a wearable monitor is advisable.

Good luck, and keep up the good work/exercise as long as you can.