Training & Nutrition - High HR for same exertion?

On my Saturday ride yesterday, I was hitting heart rates at least 10, maybe 15 BPM faster than usual on the same hills and flats. I did not feel like my HR was that fast, as I didn't feel like I was pushing it very hard at all. On one tougher hill I saw 183 BPM, which for this 47 year old is the highest I've seen yet on a bike. And I was trying to hold back to keep the HR from going any higher.

Any ideas on what might cause my HR to jump? I may be starting to come down with a cold, as I had a little congestion yesterday after the ride. I ride about 15 mile per day 4 days during the week, and about 30 to 40 miles one day on the weekend. I've been doing this for a long time. No recent changes in ride intensity or frequency. I guess I'll be watching this over the next week and see what it does.

Any ideas on what might cause my HR to jump?

Most likely a short term rise in exercise HR is caused by a drop in blood plasma volume, brought on by detraining or dehydration.

If you're not ill or dehydrated, and have got to a stage in your fitness which is somewhat stable (as opposed to your fitness improving dramatically when you first start riding), HR ordinarily varies day to day in relation to perceived exertion, mostly depending on the freshness of your legs.

When your legs are fresh, pushing the pedals feels like a breeze (low perceived exertion), and it's easy to get your HR up. These are good days when you can smash all your friends. :) When your legs are dead after a day or two (or 3) of hard riding, pushing the pedals feels hard, and it can sometimes be impossible to get your HR up. These are crap days when you most likely won't set a p.b.

I've owned HR monitors since 1992, and I've seen this a million times
http://sputnikmusic.com/forums/images/smilies/thumb.gif

Did you consume any caffiene before your ride?

Most likely a short term rise in exercise HR is caused by a drop in blood plasma volume, brought on by detraining or dehydration.

Possibly so. I'll keep an eye on this. If I was dehydrated, the scales didn't show it.


When your legs are fresh, pushing the pedals feels like a breeze (low perceived exertion), and it's easy to get your HR up. These are good days when you can smash all your friends.

I've owned HR monitors since 1992, and I've seen this a million times
http://sputnikmusic.com/forums/images/smilies/thumb.gif

I didn't really feel like I could smash anyone, but may have been a bit fresher than average days. It just seemed that my heart rate was way higher than my perceived exertion. I don't think I was going any faster, though.


Did you consume any caffiene before your ride?

I think I did have a cup of coffee, but this is not unusual for a Saturday ride as they start later in the morning. I never have coffee before my early morning rides, and I was noticing my high heart rate as I rode to my group ride along my typical morning route path. You may have a point. I might drink a cup of coffee before one of my early morning rides next week, and see if I see a trend.

I may be starting to come down with a cold, as I had a little congestion yesterday after the ride.

HR is a tell tale sign for me prior to symptoms--and I am a diabetic so my glucose levels are as well.

I that is not it, feel better anyway!

HR sucks as a fitness guide for just this type of variability. I respect what mine is doing when it spikes like this, but that's about it. Otherwise, watching resting heart rate for spikes has been a great way to watch for early signs of over-training.

HR sucks as a fitness guide for just this type of variability.I agree, I guess with the New Year starting one could expect an increase in "HR-reading-based questions" during the onset of 'exercise season'.

However, having a few years of exercise-training logs, that list both my HR and exercise performance as well as the weather and route for my workout have provided me some understanding about my "normal" HR, and what's normal or out-of-range for an effort.

Most likely a short term rise in exercise HR is caused by a drop in blood plasma volume, brought on by detraining or dehydration.


Or a cup of coffee....not everything is a disease.

Or a cup of coffee....not everything is a disease.


How is dehydration a disease?

How is dehydration a disease?

a condition or a syndrome or a cluster of symptoms or a disorder.....

from dictionary.com.....dehydration is a disease



dis·ease /dɪˈziz/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[di-zeez] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, -eased, -eas·ing.
–noun 1. a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.
2. any abnormal condition in a plant that interferes with its vital physiological processes, caused by pathogenic microorganisms, parasites, unfavorable environmental, genetic, or nutritional factors, etc.
3. any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society: His fascination with executions is a disease.
4. decomposition of a material under special circumstances: tin disease.


My point remains the same....not every minor issue has to be an illness(disease, disorder, symptom, insert acceptable word here). Sometimes you need to look at the simple explanations first.

My point remains the same....not every minor issue has to be an illness(disease, disorder, symptom, insert acceptable word here). Sometimes you need to look at the simple explanations first.


I won't argue with you on that one. Thanks for the clarification.