Hi Everyone -
I have an odd situation and I'm not sure how to train for it (or not).
A typical 2 x 20 for me yields about 330-340 watts per rep, 5 minute rest between. My heart rate for a rep is generally around 160 if I can stay cool, since I'm doing them on a traininer. That seems to be the main factor in making my heart rate go up, I'm not a caffeine drinker, sugary snack eater, etc, it's pretty consistent. Cadence is in the low to mid 80's.
If I do another favorite of mine, 2 reps of 2-8 minutes (2 mins at VO2 followed immediately by 8 minutes at FTP), my VO2 power is around 410, and my FTP part of the rep is also about 340. Heart rate for the VO2 will be in the low 170's, then when I get to the FTP, same as above, I level out to the low 160's.
A 3 x 3 VO2 workout has my power in the 410-415 range per rep, heart rate pegs in the 175 range by the end of the 3 minute interval each time.
Now, here's the situation. I compete in hill climbs. I just did one today, and my average heart rate was 173, max was 177. Unfortunately, my climbing only bike (used for events that have 12% average grade) does NOT have a power meter on it, mainly to save weight, and also so I don't get fixated on numbers when I need to be racing. It's not everyone's cup of tea to do it that way, but I fear I'll fixate on data numbers and not "shut up and race". I do log cadence and heart rate and general GPS data though, but don't display it during the ride. My cadence for the race today was avg 94, slightly higher than I train at, I tend to mash my training gears more than my race gears.
I digress. My heart rate in this event is the same as my VO2 number workouts, and I'm pretty spent during those. This event was 26 minutes long, and there's no way I could do a VO2 pace on my trainer for 26 minutes, I'd explode.
So my question is, how can I train my body to be able to function at that high of a heart rate? I have used a power meter equipped bike on other races and the same thing happens, my race efforts end up around my FTP range (let's say 350), but yet, my heart rate is in the low 170's due to the hill factor.
Should I train to adapt my body so I can "function" at that high of a heart rate for upwards of an hour (longest event)? This would require me fudging my FTP to a higher number and training there, and I fear burnout if I do that.
Disclaimer, I'm not in race tuned shape yet, I feel more horsepower than anything right now, just no top gear. It's fine, these weren't A races (I did one 3 weeks ago as well, with same issue), but I'd like to get my numbers to match better.
Any ideas? Hill climbing is such a weird event in terms of body requirements, I haven't found a sweet spot with training is my guess.
Thanks a ton,
10k
I have an odd situation and I'm not sure how to train for it (or not).
A typical 2 x 20 for me yields about 330-340 watts per rep, 5 minute rest between. My heart rate for a rep is generally around 160 if I can stay cool, since I'm doing them on a traininer. That seems to be the main factor in making my heart rate go up, I'm not a caffeine drinker, sugary snack eater, etc, it's pretty consistent. Cadence is in the low to mid 80's.
If I do another favorite of mine, 2 reps of 2-8 minutes (2 mins at VO2 followed immediately by 8 minutes at FTP), my VO2 power is around 410, and my FTP part of the rep is also about 340. Heart rate for the VO2 will be in the low 170's, then when I get to the FTP, same as above, I level out to the low 160's.
A 3 x 3 VO2 workout has my power in the 410-415 range per rep, heart rate pegs in the 175 range by the end of the 3 minute interval each time.
Now, here's the situation. I compete in hill climbs. I just did one today, and my average heart rate was 173, max was 177. Unfortunately, my climbing only bike (used for events that have 12% average grade) does NOT have a power meter on it, mainly to save weight, and also so I don't get fixated on numbers when I need to be racing. It's not everyone's cup of tea to do it that way, but I fear I'll fixate on data numbers and not "shut up and race". I do log cadence and heart rate and general GPS data though, but don't display it during the ride. My cadence for the race today was avg 94, slightly higher than I train at, I tend to mash my training gears more than my race gears.
I digress. My heart rate in this event is the same as my VO2 number workouts, and I'm pretty spent during those. This event was 26 minutes long, and there's no way I could do a VO2 pace on my trainer for 26 minutes, I'd explode.
So my question is, how can I train my body to be able to function at that high of a heart rate? I have used a power meter equipped bike on other races and the same thing happens, my race efforts end up around my FTP range (let's say 350), but yet, my heart rate is in the low 170's due to the hill factor.
Should I train to adapt my body so I can "function" at that high of a heart rate for upwards of an hour (longest event)? This would require me fudging my FTP to a higher number and training there, and I fear burnout if I do that.
Disclaimer, I'm not in race tuned shape yet, I feel more horsepower than anything right now, just no top gear. It's fine, these weren't A races (I did one 3 weeks ago as well, with same issue), but I'd like to get my numbers to match better.
Any ideas? Hill climbing is such a weird event in terms of body requirements, I haven't found a sweet spot with training is my guess.
Thanks a ton,
10k