Heart rate - is it normal to be in Zone 5 more than 3 Hours

[The Saint]

Was this done at Dischem Ride For Sight?

 

How often do you train? What is your level of training just an indication - Weak, Moderate, High etc?

Edited February 15, 2011 by The Saint

[Lenard]

Read this, help'd me allot.

 

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/training-heart-rate-monitor-basics-28838

 

COOL STUFF

[Tuxstir]

My age : 43

Max Heart Rate : 182

 

Zone 1 = 111 - 139

Zone 2 = 139 - 154

Zone 3 = 154 - 168

zone 4 = 168 - 174

Zone 5 = 174 - 182

 

 

FORMULAS DO NOT WORK

go for actual test

[The Saint]

A really quick assessment from my side looking at your graphs is that you are not all that fit - sorry

 

Your recovery is not really a recovery which is why you have been redlining for such a long period of time. The quicker you can recover the better you will perform. Your graph only starts from 30 mins in so I can't see in which zone you started at but from 30 mins you never got better than zone 4. You should be aiming to average in zone 4 with recovery in zone 3 and when you are sprinting to the line or going up a hard climb to only then enter into zone 5.

 

Re-look at your train regime or program, you are doing something wrong - sometimes you need to go slower to go faster.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

After looking at your graph I would 2nd the idea of getting someone to work out your proper max HR. Not saying its not possible you where in Zone5, but looking at the altitude gain, altitude loss and flat distances, not even on my MTB being overweight and suffering from asthma would I stay in Zone5, more like Zone4.

[Supervan]

A really quick assessment from my side looking at your graphs is that you are not all that fit - sorry

 

Your recovery is not really a recovery which is why you have been redlining for such a long period of time. The quicker you can recover the better you will perform. Your graph only starts from 30 mins in so I can't see in which zone you started at but from 30 mins you never got better than zone 4. You should be aiming to average in zone 4 with recovery in zone 3 and when you are sprinting to the line or going up a hard climb to only then enter into zone 5.

 

Re-look at your train regime or program, you are doing something wrong - sometimes you need to go slower to go faster.

 

Thanks, was interested to find out it this was normal.

[Supervan]

Was this done at Dischem Ride For Sight?

 

How often do you train? What is your level of training just an indication - Weak, Moderate, High etc?

 

 

Yes... Ride for Sight.

I'm training every weekend in suikerbosrand. It takes me 3h10 to complete the 57km route.

[ricochet_rabbit]

You need to do a decent HRmax Test.

 

Please make sure you are medically fit before doing this.

 

Find a suitable circuit where you can do intervals of 3-5 mins long. The recovery distance must be approx 50% of the interval distance.

 

Do a 20 min warmup and then start your intervals.

 

Please do these at perceived effort (don't look at your watch - just feel you are at about 60%)

 

2 x intervals @ 60% effort

2 x intervals @ 70% effort

2 x intervals @ 80% effort

2 x intervals @ 100% effort

 

You should have put enough effort in so that you feel sick and really can't continue. If you can keep doing the intervals until you puke.

If you analyse the results you should see what your HRmax is or very close to it.

You should get a graph something like this.

Edited February 15, 2011 by ricochet_rabbit

[Older]

What he said.

 

what they said.

[Zerin]

I am wondering the same thing. At the R4S my heart rate was 165 - 175 almost the entire race. I did the 63km and it took me over 3 hours, being new to cycling and only getting fit / training for 6 months now. Today i still do not feel right, am still a bit dizzy and light headed and am now worried i have done myself a damage. And i want to do the Macsteel 65km too.

[ricochet_rabbit]

I am wondering the same thing. At the R4S my heart rate was 165 - 175 almost the entire race. I did the 63km and it took me over 3 hours, being new to cycling and only getting fit / training for 6 months now. Today i still do not feel right, am still a bit dizzy and light headed and am now worried i have done myself a damage. And i want to do the Macsteel 65km too.

 

If you are worried abt having done your self damaged there is only one sensible thing to do....go and see a cardiologist before you even get near a bike again.

[Delgado]

yes if you're doing something like the Jock while unfit......but then you would be on the bike a loy longer than 4 hours?!

[SUPER M]

Just go for a VO2 Max test, that will accurately determine your max heart-rate, and at which heart-rate you enter into a different training-zone.

[Bennie Dikwiel]

Is it normal to be in Zone 5 "Maximum aerobic Heart rate", for more than 3 Hours during a 4 hours race

 

My amateur view is that I see max HR as the red line on a rev counter. You can go there, but if you keep it there most of the time something could break...

[The Saint]

Supervan - on the question of max heart rate looking at your graph you can see that in some instances you have spiked over the top of your red zone - this could be an indication that you may have a higher max heart rate than expected or it may also simply be that you passed under a power line at that time. Personally I find the 220 less age formula to be a general indication which for us mere mortals is sufficient to work with. No need for a 43 year old recreational cyclist to go to the extent of having to throw up all over the place only to find out that you are 190 and not 188.

 

However at this stage of your cycling your max heart rate is not really a major concern. You should rather be more concerned at your recovery. Recovery is an indication of fitness. Fitness comes from rest not from hammering it all day long in a training session. Your training should consist of a base phase, a build phase, peak phase and a taper phase. You should in short plan your races well ahead of time and like anything in life prepare for it and not just arrive and expect to do well.

 

Once again you would need to look at your training and how you are doing that training - one visit to Suikerbos per week is not really going to help. Yuo should be doing at least 5 days per week with 2 days rest, much like your normal work week - Suikerbos is also a different type of terrain as opposed to a fast leg speed race like the Ride for Sight, so you need to train differently for different races - once again good preparation.

[DaLoCo]

Ok Saint, I agree with you, as I am a 43 yo recreational cylist. I know my max is in the 185 to 190 region (Garmin says 185), which works for me.

 

On you suggestion to prep for races, I have entered the Argus.

 

My general training is a 41 km route at least 3 times a week with 320m of climbing. My ave HR sits at 160-ish, with max generally between 175 and 180. It takes me about 1hr 50 to complete, and of that I spend about 1 hr in zone 4.

 

I want to shoot for around 5 hrs at the Argus (less would be great), so how would you suggest I spend the next three weeks training?

 

Should I train base? (my route at 70-80% intensity)

Do I push intevals? (have never done them till this morning, 40s sprints with 120 sec recovery)

Do I go and climb Hills? (I have a nice hill that is about 5-6% and about 3kms long)

 

Sorry if this is a hijack, but I am actually trying to work on my HR related training, so I think it fits with the topic, plus some guys get some advice too