When you stop 'to get your heart rate down', are you feeling ok, and stopping just because of the heart rate, or are you actually very very tired?
I stopped because my legs were burning like crazy and it felt my heart was gonna jump outta my chest...I use the HRM more like a tachometer than a pressure valve. I just don't want to 'over-rev' and pop a gasket or use all my fuel at once, because that day, I knew I had @ 30 miles more to ride.
True, but there is something to being well warmed up before an effort that puts one near their max. We used to live at the base of a 13k climb and it was always understood that if we started up cold, the first 3 or 4 k where going to be a slow warm-up, then gradually accelerating and the last 3 k with a more moderate grade would be tongues to the pavement.
And good advice above about the gearing to match current fitness!
I think I'm not giving credit where it's due as far as warming up...when I got to the base of the mountain, I was anxious and really just lagging...so I went into the climb riding weak and got weaker. However, I know NOW that 20 minutes really isn't enough sometimes to warm up, especially since most rides, I don't feel GOOD til I've got @ least 30 minutes in.
With 0.5 miles at 8%-12%, it is going to tough to "control" your heart rate at any fitness level. Even with some pretty big gear ratios to work with, you are asking your muscles to do a lot of work and them muscles need blood!
I wonder how much my diet has to do with it...I've been eating good, but not as much as I should lately. I'm not on any weird diets; I've just cut back. SO without enough calories to burn, maybe my heart had to work harder...?
I know Wednesday, I was climbing a relatively flat section near the house (@ 2 miles, next to no grade whatsoever) and my heart rate was 175 but I was actually comfortable. I was tired, but I still had some stomp in my stroke...not alot, mind you.
Honestly, I use the HRM as a gauge for what it is: heart rate. I stopped because I felt I needed to; I've had my heart rate as high as 185 or 188, but the effort I was exerting was less than this past Saturday...
Like someone said earlier, I think hill intervals would be good and around here, that won't be a problem...