Originally Posted by
zimbo
... The point of contention on this an other forums seems to be centered around this statement in the article: "Pushing yourself towards the red zone negates aerobic gains during long easy rides." I don't see how that could be pysiologically possible. I can see the concern for burnout, I can buy into the need to do some long rides, but I don't see how occasionally dipping into the red zone during a long ride could "negate aerobic gains."...
This was exactly why I posted the question. No one seems to be able to explain to me why I shouldn't ride hard during my limited time on the bike. As long as I am not burning out, why not ride hard 8 hours a week?
Originally Posted by
Squint
What do those scientists know? ... The wider your base, the higher your peak!
[edit] Can't tell if you are being sarcastic... [edit]
Squint, I'm sorry but saying "who cares about the scientists" is just asinine. I understand that anecdotal evidence can go a long way, but comparing my 8 hours a week to a pros 30+ hours a week and saying "the pros do it, it will work for you" doesn't make sense to me. I agree that a poorly conducted study or one that draws conclusions incorrectly is as dangerous, but I would like to evaluate that for myself. Our understanding of how our physiology works is always increasing, trusting Friel regarding his "wider base, higher peak" stuff is a good rule of thumb but doubtfully applies to everyones lifestyle.