Resting heart rate recovery after long (3h+) ride?

bflk
bflk Posts: 240
edited November 2014 in Training, fitness and health
Does anyone track how long it takes their RHR to get back to normal after a 'long' ride say 3-4h? I've started doing this recently - its easier with one of those cheap finger pulse oximeters you can get online - and it seems to take up to 12h to get back under 50 which is the normal baseline sitting in a chair. That's after a standard steady ride eg 70% MHR average. First couple of hours typically its high 70s.

Comments

  • FatTed
    FatTed Posts: 1,205
    I don't not sure why you would, but then I don't measure my Resting Heart Rate either.
  • madasahattersley
    madasahattersley Posts: 51
    It's not really a useful indicator of anything. The number of variables at play is probably well over 1000. I've seen mine as low as 34 first thing in the morning and other times in the evening after a stressful day I can't get even below 60.

    Using training zones based on a % of MHR isn't really much use either, but that's another discussion.
  • thegibdog
    thegibdog Posts: 2,106
    I think 12 hours sitting in a chair after a 3 hour ride is a bit much...
    https://gibworth.mypixieset.com
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    I got so wound up by an idiotic comment by a motorist during a quick ride after rush hour (mind you) last night, I probably reached a new MHR after getting back home and thinking why do I bother riding on the road at all when all you get is aggression from people about taking up their road.

    Exercise is supposed to alleviate stress and have you feeling good with them endorphines not flood your system with stress cortisol.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    thegibdog wrote:
    I think 12 hours sitting in a chair after a 3 hour ride is a bit much...

    You're right, I usually skip the ride and go straight for the chair.
  • bflk
    bflk Posts: 240
    madasahattersley wrote:
    It's not really a useful indicator of anything. The number of variables at play is probably well over 1000....

    True, you need several baselines such as readings through the day on a non-training and 1h training day as the heart rate follows a circadian cycle triggered by sunlight. The rest of my day is highly sedentary (plus I only drink decaff!) so yours may flucuate a lot more than mine. Certainly after a 1h session it drops back under 50bpm within a few minutes of sitting down.
    The reason I started doing this was my long ride at the end of October seemed to take a lot out of me and I think I may have got out of shape a bit during the month due to the bad weather cutting rides short. So I'm curious to see if my recovery improves as I get back into the longer rides. I suspect that at the 3h+ level though it will always be hours rather than mins to recover.

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