Playing in Zone 5...
 

How much should I be there, and how does it help? 187 is the highest cycling heart rate I've ever recorded, 191 running.

I find myself latching onto group rides that are one step too fast for me usually. This gives me heart rate data like this.
Two average group rides for me.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/106892501
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/102437332

Now I don't mind getting my ass kicked, then getting dropped. But am I in any way hurting myself or my progress on these rides? I feel tired after them, but neither sore, nor nauseous.

Most of my solo rides are spent in zone 3 - 4 with short bursts into 5 (usually climbing, I'm a big dude, 205)

Solo ride.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/106708139

Thanks!

It depends, what are your goals?

Id like to be a 20+ solo average MPH rider instead of a 16-18 MPH solo average rider.

Two of your garmin links are the same.

Anyway, the 2 unique rides you've posted both look perfectly reasonable to me. I can't see how they'd hurt progress.

Crap, thanks. I updated the solo ride link.

I just want to make sure that it's not a waste of my time trying to hang on, blowing up, and then riding in my normal zone for the remainder of the ride. My honest goal is to get faster, and sometimes mentally it sucks not being able to keep up. I'm cool to HTFU if it means I'll get faster, but if I could be spending the workout time more wisely, that would obviously be smarter. I hope that makes sense.

Now that I see your solo ride, I'd say having both types of rides each week helps you rather than hurts. Most of the training plans I've seen usually have a nice mix each week....some days of Endurance miles, some days with VO2max/Anaerobic interval work, etc.

If you're worried about how you're spending your time, I'd pick up the Time Crunched Cyclist book and pick one of the plans in there. For whatever its worth, every Sunday it suggests a non-super-hardcore group ride (or similar solo ride).


PS, the TCC book is what I've used to work my solo average up to 20mph (if I'm really going for it). I seem set a lot of new personal bests when I'm 6-7 weeks into the 12 week program (I'm finishing up my 2nd time using it over the past year).

Thanks, I'll be sure to check it out.

I'm currently reading he Heart Rate Monitor Book for Cyclists and I'm learning some stuff in there as well.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1931382042

For your goals, L5 isn't necessary, but won't hurt you either. Lots of long steady state intervals are in your future.