If you run with no other goal in mind than to enjoy a nice day and a little exercise, a heart rate monitor probably isn't necessary. But if you have any goals at all for your run, whether it's weight loss, increased endurance or increased speed, a heart rate monitor can be a valuable training tool.
Pacing
A heart rate monitor gives you a way to monitor your exertion so you can maintain the proper pace for the duration of your run. Your heart rate climbs the harder you work, so your goal heart rate for a marathon would be different than your goal heart rate for a 5K. The longer the distance, the slower you must go to reach the finish line without collapsing.
Without your heart rate monitor, all you have to go on is your perceived exertion, which can vary according to heat, humidity or even stiffness. Your heart rate monitor can also tell you when you're not working hard enough and it's okay to pick up the pace.
Performance
Tracking your heart rate also helps you monitor your performance as you progress with your training. The fitter you become, the lower your heart rate will be. The stronger and more efficient you become, the easier it is for you to maintain a certain speed. For instance, the same speed that made your heart rate climb into the 170s when you started running may only get you into the 150s now. That's because your workouts have trained your body to use oxygen more efficiently and your muscles are strong enough to power your stride with less effort. The reading from your heart rate monitor is proof.
Zones
Your heart rate monitor can tell you how your current level of exertion is benefiting you. Between 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate is the endurance zone, where you burn fat and increase your endurance with relatively modest effort.
The area between 70 to 80 percent of your MHR is the aerobic zone, which is a vigorous-effort zone used to increase your overall fitness and oxygen capacity. The area between 90 and 100 percent of your MHR is used for speed training and is not sustainable. Most heart rate monitors sound an alert as you cross over into another zone, and many models allow you to preprogram a specific zone to train in, depending on your goals for that run.
Alternatives
You could always track your heart rate without a monitor by timing your pulse. To get an accurate result, you would have to wear a watch anyway, so you might as well wear a heart rate monitor. Some people prefer to use Rate of Perceived Exertion, which is a personal scale from one to 10 that helps you rate how hard you are working. The problem with RPE is that your definition of any given rating can easily change day by day, and it doesn't really provide exact or concrete information.
Safety
Never slavishly rely on the reading on your heart rate monitor. If you feel you are working too hard, you probably are. Heart rate monitors are fallible, and readings can be disturbed by incomplete contact with your skin, a low battery or interference from other heart rate monitors. Think of it as a guide rather than gospel.
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