What % of a race should be anaerobic?

[Strumpetto]

Hi again,

In every race I've done, I've probably been anaerobic about 80% of the time. Is this normal ? Ideally, how much should you be suffering when you race? Thanks

 

[Animator]

What do you mean by anaerobic? It has different meanings to different folks.

 

[Eden]

If you mean in hr zone 5 then if I were you I'd reevaluate my hr zones. No way I could spend 80% of a race in zone 5.....

 

[Strumpetto]

If you mean in hr zone 5 then if I were you I'd reevaluate my hr zones. No way I could spend 80% of a race in zone 5.....

See, I'm not yet familiar with all of this. When I trained, I simply went far and hard. Whether or not I improved, I simply do not know. However, when I raced XC MTB, I was winning every race (only beginner), probably not because of my fitness, but because of my determination. I would fly off the line and make sure I was first going into the trail. I never looked back. And to be honest, most of the time I thought I was going to die I was breathing so hard. There was no point in the race where I was not suffering intensely.

My question is this: When one races, is the point to go as hard as you can the entire race, suffering and hating life, or to go as hard as is comforatable for you? Thanks

 

[NJK]

Hi again,

In every race I've done, I've probably been anaerobic about 80% of the time. Is this normal ? Ideally, how much should you be suffering when you race? Thanks

I don't think you have been racing an-aerobic for 80% of your race unless your race is 10 seconds or less.

 

[Strumpetto]

I don't think you have been racing an-aerobic for 80% of your race unless your race is 10 seconds or less.

haha. I'm not familiar with most of this yet. I'm simply wondering if most racers push themselves as hard as they can go.

 

[Eden]

My question is this: When one races, is the point to go as hard as you can the entire race, suffering and hating life, or to go as hard as is comforatable for you? Thanks

Depends on the race then doesn't it... a TT sure yeah, you pretty much suffer the whole way, solo break away same thing, being in the pack - not so much. Sounds like you're not doing road racing though? I don't mt bike so I'm not too familar with the way you race - I think its more like a TT, where yeah, you pretty much have to go as fast as you can without completely blowing up.

 

[Strumpetto]

Depends on the race then doesn't it... a TT sure yeah, you pretty much suffer the whole way, solo break away same thing, being in the pack - not so much. Sounds like you're not doing road racing though? I don't mt bike so I'm not too familar with the way you race - I think its more like a TT, where yeah, you pretty much have to go as fast as you can without completely blowing up.

Thanks for the response! And yes, this is mountain biking.

However, is this kind of all-out effort not detrimental to your overall fitness level? What if your overreaching is extreme. For example, one year I didnt' ride at all and simply decided to go race. I had no aerobic base at all. At the end of the race, I could hardly stand up. I laid on a bench until the awards ceremony, went home, was ill, and slept for 8 hours. Obviously this is because I had no base at all, but what if I was trained and this occured? Thanks again!