Flash

I'm curious whether others experience this in a time trial situation: obviously training sessions that take place on the trainer, say 2x20s, tend to be unpleasant. During these sessions I find that reaching, and maintaining, 95% heart rate comes with the usual physical discomfort: heavier breathing and a creeping sensation in the muscles that suggests there is a limit to how long you can keep it up.

On the road, I find that even though I tend to reach 95% heart rate much quicker during a TT-specific training session, I usually feel much better in terms of my breathing and overall sense that my legs can handle the situation for a longer period of time.

So, my question: do other TT participants find that once they hit 95% max heart rate during a race on the road, they are able to soldier on at this rate for a relatively long period of time, the idea being that even though you are close to max, you really don't feel close to max and therefore you are able to break through what usually feels like a definite physical limit on the trainer.

I realize this is a very subjective question, and I may not have posed it in a completely clear manner, but I figured I'd give it a shot.

Thanks

umd

HR is so variable, the same number can feel completely different day-to-day, or even at different points within a ride. As for riding on a trainer, that always sucks, and for me it always feels harder at any given HR.