by PhilBixby
Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:54 pm
Hi John! Since you're propped up there with nowt to do, it seems a shame to waste the opportunity; every blister has a silver lining and all that.
Question is about heart rate in relation to overall levels of effort. I've been using a Garmin Edge all year, measuring and recording HR during training sessions and races (and using Joe Friel's [i]Cyclist's Training Bible [/i]as a training structure). It's been very useful during training as a way of setting targets for training sessions (on the road or the turbo) and keeping to them - be it HR zone, cadence or whatever. Getting a line on a graph is a good motivator (sad git that I am) - you can't kid yourself about what you actually did.
So... ...during the training period the HR info seemed pretty easy to interpret. I worked out my LT and used it as a basis for HR zones and intervals. As the spring wore on and I re-tested it, it crept upwards as would be expected (from about 169 to about 175) and this seemed right - above this was painful, below it was maintainable for 20 mins or so. Self-employment meant I could train in a pretty structured way - a couple of days training, a day rest, repeat etc - so I was never really training hard when knackered.
The bit that interests me is relating the info I get during races to this, as during the race season my level of freshness and fatigue varies much more dpending on what's on - it's harder to plan. During some events I'll get a graph which looks as I'd expect; short sessions up above LT during climbs or chases, much of the race at about 20bpm below threshold, and recovery periods well below that when I get the chance to sit in. But in others - despite feeling that I couldn't go much harder, even the bits where I remember working hard will be well below LT, and the big efforts on climbs will be barely nudging it.
So; question one:- Should I be giving myself a good arse-kicking for not trying hard enough on these ones, or is it simply evidence that I'm sometimes not well-enough-recovered? Or do other factors contribute - for example I've learned I go much better in the hot than I do in the cold?
Question two is that I've noticed towards the end of races my HR falls - and particularly the "peaks" of efforts are lower, despite feeling harder. Is this because fatigue makes it physically harder to get HR up, or is it all in my head - because my legs hurt I don't try as hard?
Any thoughts gratefully received!
Thanks
Phil B
Question is about heart rate in relation to overall levels of effort. I've been using a Garmin Edge all year, measuring and recording HR during training sessions and races (and using Joe Friel's [i]Cyclist's Training Bible [/i]as a training structure). It's been very useful during training as a way of setting targets for training sessions (on the road or the turbo) and keeping to them - be it HR zone, cadence or whatever. Getting a line on a graph is a good motivator (sad git that I am) - you can't kid yourself about what you actually did.
So... ...during the training period the HR info seemed pretty easy to interpret. I worked out my LT and used it as a basis for HR zones and intervals. As the spring wore on and I re-tested it, it crept upwards as would be expected (from about 169 to about 175) and this seemed right - above this was painful, below it was maintainable for 20 mins or so. Self-employment meant I could train in a pretty structured way - a couple of days training, a day rest, repeat etc - so I was never really training hard when knackered.
The bit that interests me is relating the info I get during races to this, as during the race season my level of freshness and fatigue varies much more dpending on what's on - it's harder to plan. During some events I'll get a graph which looks as I'd expect; short sessions up above LT during climbs or chases, much of the race at about 20bpm below threshold, and recovery periods well below that when I get the chance to sit in. But in others - despite feeling that I couldn't go much harder, even the bits where I remember working hard will be well below LT, and the big efforts on climbs will be barely nudging it.
So; question one:- Should I be giving myself a good arse-kicking for not trying hard enough on these ones, or is it simply evidence that I'm sometimes not well-enough-recovered? Or do other factors contribute - for example I've learned I go much better in the hot than I do in the cold?
Question two is that I've noticed towards the end of races my HR falls - and particularly the "peaks" of efforts are lower, despite feeling harder. Is this because fatigue makes it physically harder to get HR up, or is it all in my head - because my legs hurt I don't try as hard?
Any thoughts gratefully received!
Thanks
Phil B