effort vs HRM

ddraver

Hi Guys

This concerns a 24hr MTB race but I reckon the road gang might know more about it!

On my 6 th lap of the race, (Sunday morning after sleeping badly and riding from 1 am to 3 am the night before) I was climbing the first hill. My legs were absoloutely screaming and I swear I could nt have gone any faster but my HR was only around 150bpm. I think my lactate threshold is around 170bpm which is where i was the day before on the first three laps (the night laps I went much slower as we were doubling up)

How is there that much difference between HRM and the effort I was putting out? Am i just unfit? is it a physiological issue (never gonna be a pro rider)? Do i need to Man up and push through the pain? just tiredness?

Any ideas, I am at a bit of a loss, be mean if you have to!

DaveK

Garz

Bonking is down to running out of energy stores (glycogen) to sustain the effort. To help maintain this you need to eat/drink frequently (I guess you cant rest up in this type of race).

ddraver

you think it was a bonk? Interesting - It would explain why I woke up later in the lap, Perhaps I need to get up earlier and have somthing to eat before starting the laps so Its digested and such.....

Would that explain the low HR, I'd assumed that a bonk would give a high HR, lots pf heavy breathing etc?!?

meanredspider

I was discussing this type of thing with some of my mates that do this type of thing solo/in pairs and do other extreme events. They say they frequently see their heart-rate drop off as their muscles tire.

amaferanga

I think its called fatigue.

ddraver

amaferanga wrote:

I think its called fatigue.

So I just need to get fitter then - fair enough! (boo!)

meanredspider

ddraver wrote:

So I just need to get fitter then - fair enough! (boo!)

That and make sure you eat & drink enough. Lots of the endurance folk "carb load" with pasta ahead of an event but that's outside my experience.

ddraver

I wonder if the 4-5hr sleep is too long as well, just gives a chance to coll right down without the chance to warm all the way back up again - perhaps doubling up on laps "for sleep" is actually not such a good plan.....?!

So many variables, think I ll just become a track cyclist! :P

Alex_Simmons/RST

ddraver wrote:

So many variables, think I ll just become a track cyclist! :P

Track is deceptively simple.

the_big_gun

ddraver wrote:

Would that explain the low HR, I'd assumed that a bonk would give a high HR, lots pf heavy breathing etc?!?

When i bonked a couple of years back i noticed my HR went much lower than normal. Funnily enough, my legs weren't hurting that much, but i just couldn't make them turn and get my HR back up, no matter what i tried!

It's a rubbish feeling that i don't want to repeat!!