Late-ride HR question
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Son of the Dark One
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Late-ride HR question
I go out for a hard tempo/threshold ride a couple times in each training block. The ride is 2 - 3 hours w/ a 30 min. warm up and the rest at 90% - 105% LT. After a couple of hours fatigue will come on pretty quickly (especially in the hills) and my speed will fall off pretty quickly for a given HR. Suddenly I'm riding at my LT (which, oddly, feels easier than early in the ride when I have to work to get to my LT) and the speed is not very high. Pretty normal result from nearing exhaustion, as I understand (?). My main question: Is there any further substantial training effect to be had from keeping my HR up at this point (late in the ride and at a relatively low speed) or would I be better off backing off to a recovery-pace until I get home and saving myself for the next ride?
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I wouldn't back off. Rather I'd let my HR go up, and keep the perceived effort the same.
Your HR will go higher late in a ride, particularly if its hot, and you're dehydrating. If you don't account for the HR drift, then you'll end up working below the prescribed intensity.
This is one of the problems with training to heart rate rather than power.
It sounds like your workout should be at a 7/10ths to 8/10ths perceived effort. If you feel like you're getting HR drift toward the end of the workout, I'd keep the perceived effort in that range, even if your HR goes above the prescribed level.
Only caveot would be if your also feeling really bad, then I'd probably just spin home.
Your HR will go higher late in a ride, particularly if its hot, and you're dehydrating. If you don't account for the HR drift, then you'll end up working below the prescribed intensity.
This is one of the problems with training to heart rate rather than power.
It sounds like your workout should be at a 7/10ths to 8/10ths perceived effort. If you feel like you're getting HR drift toward the end of the workout, I'd keep the perceived effort in that range, even if your HR goes above the prescribed level.
Only caveot would be if your also feeling really bad, then I'd probably just spin home.