Training too hard?



kdogkodiak

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Dec 12, 2006
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I am new to cycling (riding just over a year and addicted!:) ) and trying to improve the efficiency of my training. I ride 100-150 miles a week and go to 2-3 spinning classes each week. I constantly find myself working at a very high heart rate. (Example: last weekends ride of 102 miles in 5 hours and 3 minutes at an average HR of 157. In spinning classes I usually average 163-165 for the hour). I just don't feel like I am riding hard enough if I am not pushing myself to average 20+ MPH (which results in my high HR). I see the pros riding 25-27 miles an hour at rediculously low HR's. How do they get there? What am I missing?
 
kdogkodiak said:
I am new to cycling (riding just over a year and addicted!:) ) and trying to improve the efficiency of my training. I ride 100-150 miles a week and go to 2-3 spinning classes each week. I constantly find myself working at a very high heart rate. (Example: last weekends ride of 102 miles in 5 hours and 3 minutes at an average HR of 157. In spinning classes I usually average 163-165 for the hour). I just don't feel like I am riding hard enough if I am not pushing myself to average 20+ MPH (which results in my high HR). I see the pros riding 25-27 miles an hour at rediculously low HR's. How do they get there? What am I missing?

the same cardiac output as the pros.

ric
 
kdogkodiak said:
I am new to cycling (riding just over a year and addicted!:) ).... I see the pros riding 25-27 miles an hour at rediculously low HR's. How do they get there? What am I missing?
Ric's answer's a bit tongue in cheek, but right on target. A year into cycling there's no way you have the cardiovascular system or overall fitness of a pro cyclist. Pros typically take 5 to 10 years of dedicated training to reach top form and most of them probably had a big genetic head start.

I don't put much faith in HR for measuring intensity any more, but it sounds like you're getting on your bike and working as hard as you can every time you ride. You can bet the pros didn't develop their power that way. Sure, they work real hard efforts as the racing season approaches and as they peak for key events but the bulk of the early season work is performed at moderate intensities. Read up on L4 and SST training elsewhere on this forum or hire a professional coach like Ric to help you plan a sensible approach to training that includes a lot of sustainable aerobic training, it's still hard work, but shouldn't wipe you out.

Anyway, good luck and welcome to this addiction we call cycling. I'd also be careful comparing your efforts and progress to the top pros, after all do you compare your basketball skills to Michael Jordan or your golf game to Tiger Woods? These guys are on top of their sport for a reason, a lot of it's years of dedication and some of it is just plain talent.
 
kdogkodiak said:
I am new to cycling (riding just over a year and addicted!:) ) and trying to improve the efficiency of my training. I ride 100-150 miles a week and go to 2-3 spinning classes each week. I constantly find myself working at a very high heart rate. (Example: last weekends ride of 102 miles in 5 hours and 3 minutes at an average HR of 157. In spinning classes I usually average 163-165 for the hour). I just don't feel like I am riding hard enough if I am not pushing myself to average 20+ MPH (which results in my high HR). I see the pros riding 25-27 miles an hour at rediculously low HR's. How do they get there? What am I missing?

I would agree that perhaps you need a coach depending on how seriously you wish to take things.

I would suggest some days you spend at a low heart rate. There is a whole lot of reading of HR zones and how long and how much you should spend in each HR zone. I believe Joe Friel is one author/coach who seems to have a workable system for even beginners to understand.

In the meantime, sometimes you need to go slow before you can go fast. A good aerobic base is paramount for endurance. You probably have heard of those long slow distance rides. There are many benefits to this sort of exercise. Sit up take it easy, let the seniors pass you! Don't let that HR climb up. You can sometime spend up to 1 - 2 months training at this low intensity. As I mentioned, the literature for this stuff is massive and requires too much detail to type here but well worth reading up on. Or get a coach who'll do it for you :)
 
kdogkodiak said:
I see the pros riding 25-27 miles an hour at rediculously low HR's. How do they get there? What am I missing?

They ride in the peleton, there`s less wind resistance in the peleton!
 

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