high HR and percieved effort in endurance events...

ozzy1000_0

hi all,
I know its a stupid title for a post but I couldn't think of what else to called it, so please hear me out..;

I've been cycling for about 18months now. I'm 35years old. exactly a year ago I did my first 100mile sportive in 5hrs 33m total. I was very pleased with it and thought maybe I was onto somthing as it seemed relatively good compared to people that had been cycling for a lot longer..

yesterday I did the same sportive in 4hrs 59m. Its was a massive effort, I stayed with the front group for about 40miles and then they dropped me on the exmoor bit and I rode the last 60ish 2up with a friend of mine facing big head winds over exmoor, we were 10th and 11th back and only 13minutes off the first person back.. needless to say I was very chuffed (and can't resist bragging to everyone including you lot!)....

my question is why am I the only one in that front group grimacing like an idiot with pain the whole way around (to the point that I nearly wobbled into someone at one point) with a avergae HR of 89%? I've had a HR monitor since last march and the absolute highest HR i''ve ever seen is 203, so thats 89% of 203bpm for 5hrs... which seems very high to me.. my theory is that I'm just not as fit but more prepared to suffer than the others and that possibly most people in the front group have been riding for longer and have a larger base fitness.. if so could anyone offer advice, do I do more intervals to raise my comfortable power threashold, or do it just focus on long steady rides?? (difficult with fultime work and two kids).... the most trianing I'm likely to be able to fit in is 5-8hrs a week... or is it just a question of sticking at it until my heart grows bigger and doesn't need to beat so fast?

any advice is welcome,

thanks,

O

Sevenplusthree

You were the only one grimacing because everyone else in that group was fitter than you - which caused the inevitable 'being dropped over a hill'. If you can train 5-8hrs a week, then train 8hrs every week, mix in intervals with tempo rides and next year you'll be fitter - therefore hopefully stay with front group. Easy peasy

Pross

1. 20mph average on a hilly sportive is very impressive.
2. A few people were fitter than you, you had to ride harder than them.
3. You don't know your max HR, the highest HR you've ever seen isn't necessarily your maximal HR.
4. Average 89% of maximum for 5 hours is highly unlikely, either you have a dodgy HR monitor or you haven't got close to working out your max HR.

jibberjim

Remember it's also a sportive, not a race, so those other guys may well be taking it (relatively) easy compared to their all out effort.