Thoughts on Riding Sensations

[yeaux]

Possibly a weird title for this post, but I could not think of a better one.

This weekend, I competed in a TT. My legs were hurting during the course, but I wasn't breathing nearly as hard as I could have been. It was not a priority event, and TSB was about -20 going into it, so I could have just been fatigued. Additionally, I have only done training at L4 and below so far, mostly with SST/low L4 rides of 60/80 minutes on the trainer and 3-4 hour long L3/Fartlek-style rides; very little forays into L5+ work.

I'm wondering, it seems I have more aerobic capacity than my legs seem to think I do, based on my PE and breathing not being very stressed. Would beginning L5 work help break through this barrier. Or, in your anecdotal experience, do you think I was just fatigued.

Watts-wise, I put out a pretty solid L4 interval, which was higher than what I have done on the trainer, but I feel like I just left some "in the tank" due to the discrepancy in sensations between the legs and lungs.

Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[RapDaddyo]

FWIW, I rely on the feedback from my legs entirely during and after an L4+ effort. I have learned from experience that my HR and breathing provide unreliable feedback. For example, if I have taken a few days off the bike, at the end of an L4+ effort I find my HR is above normal and my breathing is more labored than normal but my legs feel fine. I simply ignore my HR and breathing and pay attention to my legs. Likewise, when I am fit I find my HR and breathing not stressed at all at the end of L4+ efforts. So, I have learned to pay attention to my legs exclusively and ignore everything else.

 

[Felt_Rider]

Yeaux, did your legs open up later in the TT or did they feel that way from start to finish? I don't have advice I am just curious.

I will often get that feeling that my hamstrings or quads are knotted up (for lack of better terms), but just try to hold on to the intensity gritting my teeth to the discomfort and then 10 miles down the road those horrible sensations just let go, the legs open up and I finish with a much better day than expected. I have experienced this with having a good bit of fatigue from back to back training days and also coming from a taper. There are days when they never open up and fatigue has the best of me, but as for going my feedback of my legs I feel like I can't always trust the first few miles and need to give it a little more time to see.

I just wanted to know if your legs ever opened up. It is curious since you held good power output.

 

[yeaux]

RD and Felt - thanks for the replies. After looking at my power file and reflecting back on the ride, I think my legs were just blocked up. I started to open up a bit on the last two laps, which is reflected in my power file.

The reason I asked about legs vs. lungs is because, in the past, my legs were never the part that got tired first - it was always my breathing/heart rate. I think maybe the difference this year is that I have laid down a much more solid aerobic base through SST/L4 work over the winter, so my legs need to catch up to my aerobic fitness now. I'm hoping to accomplish this through higher end work.

 

[Felt_Rider]

Originally Posted by yeaux .

RD and Felt - thanks for the replies. After looking at my power file and reflecting back on the ride, I think my legs were just blocked up. I started to open up a bit on the last two laps, which is reflected in my power file.

The reason I asked about legs vs. lungs is because, in the past, my legs were never the part that got tired first - it was always my breathing/heart rate. I think maybe the difference this year is that I have laid down a much more solid aerobic base through SST/L4 work over the winter, so my legs need to catch up to my aerobic fitness now. I'm hoping to accomplish this through higher end work.

That is kind of what I wondered. If you stated having good power output at some point this is what I have experienced with blocked up legs and so while I agree that feelings can be a source of feedback I have learned to stay involved, be patient and see if things improve.

While all of mine has been during training since I do not race I am always glad to wait it out because there have been so many successful endings to what I thought, based on feelings/perception of how my body is reacting (leg soreness, rapid breathing, etc.). Now that I have had more positive experiences and a few where fatigue was real and I did end up with a tough ride I have been rather glad to stick with it and see if it does indeed end well. It is on the drive home or uploading data when you reflect on the day and you say, "man I am glad I did not give up just because my legs were sore." If I had to wait until my legs felt good I would never get to train because with me being a crossfit guy and lifting my legs stay sore all week every week.

Glad to hear that you stuck it out in this race and hammered through it whether it was rapid breathing, legs or heart. Great work!!
That may not be good advice for general training, but for a race I am glad you stayed involved. You gained some valuable experience about yourself.