Unusually high HR

SCR Pedro · April 2010

Hey there,

After a winter of mainly Turbo Trainer work, I was able to start racking the miles up towards the end of February, and until now I've been managing 5-6 hours per week, going for quality not quantity; but every time I get out on the road my HR pretty much shoots up to 90% and stays there, even if I'm not really giving it much effort (say 75-80% if I were going by PE).

It doesn't feel like I have much (or any) less power than I did last summer, and my lungs never feel like giving up, so what's going on? I've had lean winters before, and came out of them ok.

If it helps, my rides last around 2-2.5 hours and inevitably include a few hills. During the week, I'll do at least one Turbo session, either 2x20s or 5x3s and the HR behaves as I would expect. Maybe I just need to get out more?

Cheers
Pedro

oldwelshman · April 2010

Doesn't sound strange to me and not high HR issue, maybe you were pushing harder than you thought !!

Just ease off more and see if hr drops. You did state you were going for quality not quantity .

Guz · April 2010

What are you basing your max heart rate on ?

Have you done a field test to obtain your max ?

I always have a higher heart rate on the road than on my turbo, it's purely down to the fact that you actually have to push your body weight and contend with the force of the wind even on a calm day.

You should ride without your HRM one day to see if you notice any difference to how you feel, I find if I ignore my high readings it doesn't bother me.

SCR Pedro · April 2010

My max is 197. I've reached it a couple of times, sprinting to the summit of long climbs, so I have no doubts over the figures.

When I'm on the road, I don't feel like I'm pushing very hard. Even when I am taking it quite easy, I'm getting high readings. I reckon if I didn't wear the HRM, It would be even higher, and blow up within 20 miles!

Fair point about pushing my own bodyweight and air resistance. That at least partially explains things. I hadn't thought of that.

Cheers
PEdro

oldwelshman · April 2010

I think most people generally get higher HR indoors in the warm when ion turbo compared to outdoor?
I maybe wrong as I get bored on turbo before my HR get anywhere near max

Also not sure what the wind and bodyweight has to do with HR, its how hard you push that counts not what your pushing against, even with a tailwind downhill you can push and raise HR.

crumbschief · April 2010

I bet if i pop round in my new vintage italian jersey it will go higher than that.

PTB · April 2010

Guz is right, on a bike out on the road there is a lot more your physiology (and every aspect of you) has to respond to... speed, distance, rolling resistance, depth perception etc etc. Heart rate data is response data, it is a response to other things that are going on and not purely the work rate you are maintaining. Adrenaline, maybe caused by fear, excitement, anticipation or apprehension for example will likely put your heart rate way up for a given work rate/load.

Try not to be a slave to heart rate. It is always best to view it along with some other more absolute data, like speed, distance, time, watts etc. Then cross reference with RPE-how you actually subjectively feel. If these other informational references all seem within parameters you usually feel comfortable with, then don't worry too much about the heart rate. Expect it to be higher and higher more easily on the road over indoor training.

SCR Pedro · April 2010

Thanks for the replies. I knocked the pace back just a little bit on my last ride, and the HR reflected it. I reckon I just needed a few more decent length rides to get some fitness and regularity back. Hopefully I should be ok now.

Pedro

Unusually high HR

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