my 1hr test



ccrnnr9

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May 5, 2004
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I performed a one hour TT test on my trainer today in order to get some round-about #'s for my zones according to Coggan (I know it isn't perfect, but for data uploading purposes on my Garmin, I like to see where I am spending my training time at different points in the workout graph). I did 15minutes warm up, and 10minutes cooldown with my 60minute interval in between without rest. My avg HR was 168bpm for the whole workout but it was 179bpm for the 60-minute effort.

My question is regarding whether my effort was strong enough. I am unexperienced with long time trials so I am checking to make sure. I found that my HR started creeping upwards around my avg HR. At the 30minute mark I felt fatigued but I could maintain the effort. It was not until around 40minutes that I was becoming more and more fatigued. With 15 minutes left, my HR was averaging around my max HR for the workout (189bpm). My max HR is 199. I felt that it wasn't until the last 25minutes that it became hard. Is this normal for longer efforts? I don't know that if I had started out stronger I would have been able to finish better. Also, is it normal that I would barely hit zone 5? I hit the very bottom of my zone5 (I know HR is highly variable).

I am mainly learning how to pace myself on longer efforts.
~Nick
 
Without a power meter, that sounds just about right for your RPE. In a 1hr ride at max sustainable power, the 1st 30mins feels about as you describe (not too difficult). It starts to get hard at 30mins and it gets really hard the last 15mins. When I get into the last 5mins of a 1hr max sustainable power effort, I am counting down the seconds.:D Also, HR drift (or creep) is completely normal in a 1hr constant power ride. My HR drifts at least 5bpm in even a 20min ride.
 
ccrnnr9 said:
Also, is it normal that I would barely hit zone 5? I hit the very bottom of my zone5 (I know HR is highly variable).
Typically - people would say that an average of the middle 20 minutes of this test would be the bottom of Zone 5.

Friel's CTB says if you do a 1 hr TT as a workout, the average heart rate for the approximates to 97% of LTHR. (bottom of zone 5).

Heart rate varies, indoors, outdoors, cold, hot, dehydrated, not... etc. If you were outside, I'd go with the 97% mark and adjust LTHR/zones accordingly. (unless you've got a more accurately defined LTHR)
 
NomadVW said:
Typically - people would say that an average of the middle 20 minutes of this test would be the bottom of Zone 5.

Friel's CTB says if you do a 1 hr TT as a workout, the average heart rate for the approximates to 97% of LTHR. (bottom of zone 5).

Heart rate varies, indoors, outdoors, cold, hot, dehydrated, not... etc. If you were outside, I'd go with the 97% mark and adjust LTHR/zones accordingly. (unless you've got a more accurately defined LTHR)
According to Friel's zones (I don't use those) I spent a majority of the last 5minutes in zone 5.
~Nick

P.S. I never felt overheated, I was well-hydrated, and I have good nutrition.
 
ccrnnr9 said:
I performed a one hour TT test on my trainer today in order to get some round-about #'s for my zones according to Coggan (I know it isn't perfect, but for data uploading purposes on my Garmin, I like to see where I am spending my training time at different points in the workout graph). I did 15minutes warm up, and 10minutes cooldown with my 60minute interval in between without rest. My avg HR was 168bpm for the whole workout but it was 179bpm for the 60-minute effort.

My question is regarding whether my effort was strong enough. I am unexperienced with long time trials so I am checking to make sure. I found that my HR started creeping upwards around my avg HR. At the 30minute mark I felt fatigued but I could maintain the effort. It was not until around 40minutes that I was becoming more and more fatigued. With 15 minutes left, my HR was averaging around my max HR for the workout (189bpm). My max HR is 199. I felt that it wasn't until the last 25minutes that it became hard. Is this normal for longer efforts? I don't know that if I had started out stronger I would have been able to finish better. Also, is it normal that I would barely hit zone 5? I hit the very bottom of my zone5 (I know HR is highly variable).

I am mainly learning how to pace myself on longer efforts.
~Nick
Description of your PE f(t) sounds good to me as well - at least on a good day. Same with a lot of workouts/intervals, it's the last half that bites you :)

I wouldn't worry much about HR drifting - it just does that whether you want it or not :)