Intermittent Drops in Performance

[Shibumi]

Does this sort of thing ever happen to you:

Tuesday TT. First time above 25mph. Av HR 174. Felt great!
Thursday TT. Even better!
Saturday TT. Less than 23.5mph. Felt awful. Av HR 164.

The same sort of thing happened to a mate in the same race (he'd gone above 25mph on the Tuesday as well, but he blamed his performance drop on a cold, wereas I'm feeling fine)

So - I'd appreciate some thoughts on why I had a bad day on Saturday. Could it be:

1. I'd done too much (although I rested on Wednesday and Friday, and I 'd had an easy week the week before).
2. The Tuesday and Thursday races were in the evening, and I always seem to go better in the evening. The Saturday race was early afternoon, and I think maybe I'm mis-timing my food intake (2 1/4 hours before the race).
3. We all just get bad days
4. 3TTs in a week is too many?

I'd be particularly interested to hear from anyone who can explain the physiological reasons behind the HR drop. I'm hoping to hear that this is fairly common out there, and it's something you all get from time to time! Appreciate any advice, as I've got a big race next weekend, and I want to get it right this time.

 

[jtfleming]

It sure does happen to me from time to time. I ride 30 or so miles 4-5 days a week on a touring bike at an average of 16.5 mph, and then every once in awhile I find myself creeping along at about 13.5. When this happens, I usually take 2-4 days off to recover.

I had this happen this week, but the situation was a little different. I got caught in crazy rainstorms 12 miles from home twice. I got soaked to the bone, but on top of it, I wear hearing aids, which I can't wear when I ride. I guess some water got trapped in my ear, and when I put the hearing aids back in it caused me to develop a double ear infection...OUCH. Now I get 4 days off and a course of antibiotics.

 

[Aztec]

Absolutely, although I can offer no scientific reason beyond insufficient recovery.

This happens to me with weight training as well. Out of the blue, even if I feel great, suddenly the weights feel like a ton.

On the bike, I have the reverse HR problem. Mine seems to skyrocket on a poor-performance day.

 

[zakeen]

hmmm.... can you give some more info....ahhhh same course?? same distance, same temp?? same wind???

I dont know the distance, so its hard to say if 3 in a week is too many, but that also comes done to have you done good backup training, that you are able to do three in a week??

 

[J-MAT]

Shibumi:

3 crits a week is ok, but 3 TT's a week is not for the most part. TT's are pure power events, crits are wheelsucking events. Putting out full TT power 3 times a week is too much for many/most riders, even if they are only "10's."

Congratulations on your pb. The decline in performance and heart rate are due to insufficient recovery between TT's. After thurday's TT, you body had had enough.

I think it would be a lot better to shoot for one "championship" performance every week and recover more, than race with tired legs and see your performance drop. When you are tired, you won't get anything out of more training except more fatigue.

Be glad you have afternoon/evening TT's. Where I'm at, they all start early in the morning and are many, many miles from home. I'm not a morning person either, which makes it worse!!!

Good luck (and TT'ing)!!!

 

[Shibumi]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

As you suggest, I'm putting it down to too many TTS in one week. So this week its one TT on Tuesday, moderate stuff for the rest of the week, aiming for a big one in the TT on Saturday, when hopefully my muscles will be fully rested.

I'm quite interested in the HR aspects, though, so I'm going to try and explore that in a separate thread.