No $ For power meter
Looking to improve my bike this out season. I am a beginner and have completed a number of Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. I'm scheduled to do a half Ironman and full Ironman next year. I've completed my bike test and my average speed is slow! 15.7 mph.
Since training with heart rate is so inconsistent, I want to use a more accurate measure of pace but can't afford a power meter. Do I just use that average pace from my test as my threshold and build pace zones from there? Any input would be appreciated.
Since training with heart rate is so inconsistent, I want to use a more accurate measure of pace but can't afford a power meter. Do I just use that average pace from my test as my threshold and build pace zones from there? Any input would be appreciated.
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Hi Roseanne, I wouldn't use bike speed as a training tool unless you're working out on a trainer with the same resistance and gearing all the time. The reason is that pace is subject to terrain and winds that why power is such a better measuring tool. Since you can't afford a power meter you should go by heart rate. I read that you said your heart rate was all over the place. What did you mean by that? Is your heart rate fluctuating during a test or as you're riding? If it's fluctuating during a test and you feel like you're riding all out then it could be that your monitor is not working properly. I've had that problem when my strap needed to be replaced or the battery in the transmitter or receiver is getting weak.
The figure below is from the FTP portion of my last test. The red line is my heart rate, the magenta line is power, and green is speed. I was on a flat course on my Computrainer so the resistance was the same throughout. As you can see from the red line, my heart rate climbed over the first couple of minutes and then stabilized at a little over 150. That's what your HR should look like during a test. It could have a slight upward trend after the first couple of minutes but it should be negligible. You should be going as hard as you can during the test for the whole period. It's tough to do those. I have a love hate relationship with them and I really like it when it's behind me.
HI Rosanne, HR can be a consistent measurement. I used HR for the first 10 years that I did triathlons, it's just that power is more accurate on the bike. As for pace, here's a perfect example of why pace isn't a good indicator of work especially on the bike.The two shaded areas are 10 minute intervals on an out an back course. There was a head wind going out but I was also going up a hill overall. On the way out I covered 2.77 miles (16.x mph average) and on the way back I covered 3.62 miles (21.x mph avg.) however the normalized power between the two was just 1 watt different (the way back was 1 less watt). My heart rate average was 150 on the way out and 145 on the way back. That's still within my Z4 HR range, but it was more spiky on the way out because I was hammering the hills. If I had been watching my HR I could have been more consistent.
Pace on the run isn't equal across the board either. If you're running on a flat then you can compare on pace with another, but if you're running up hill or down hill at the same pace there is a greater or lesser "speed". That's why there is a calculation called Normalized Graded Pace in Training Peaks (Strava calls it something else) that takes into account elevation gain or loss. When I'm going up or down hills I usually rely on HR or RPE and not pace. Winds can also affect running pace but to a much lesser degree than on the bike. (and you can draft on the run
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Wouldn't you call that an inconsistent HR??
Hi Rosanne, can you tell me a little about your test? Was it inside on the trainer or outside? Did you feel like you were pushing as hard as you could for the whole time?If it was outside was it a flat course with no wind? Did your speed change with the spikes (or shortly before)? Do the spikes correspond to hills? If it was on a trainer did you keep the resistance, gearing and cadence constant and still get spikes? Since I can't see the files I can't tell from here. If you used Garmin connect or some other online program you could send me the link to the file and I could view it that way.
Regarding you HR monitor, how old is it? What brand? Do you see spikes or other funny readings when you're running? If you were on the trainer indoors, was there any other electronic equipment close? If your monitor is not new, when was the last time you changed the batteries? Is your strap (assuming it's a strap and not a wrist model) in good shape?
I know it can be frustrating. I had a lot of problems with the HR on my Garmin when I first got it. I got a new strap earlier this year and it works great now. I've also had problems with Polar when the batteries start getting weak.
I highly recommend you look into trainer road. It costs $10 per month and you can purchase a Garmin speed and cadence for $40 on amazon. There are over 500 wkouts you can do all based on power (EN outseason bike wkouts are on there). You use your current trainer and the Garmin communicates to the computer through ANT. If you have a garmin watch it talks to that as well. It's really easy to set up.
My HR monitor is only 3 months old ... a Garmin that I got with the Garmin Fenix2 watch. The strap is in good shape. There is a TV in the room with my bike and my cell phone.
Now that I look back on my other activities I can see that my speed was consistent with my heart rate, except for the Test so I don't think I can rely on this test. Thanks for all your help Mark.
@Kristin thanks for the advice. I've been thinking about that too.
As much as it hurts, try testing over and focus on NOT spiking your HR during your test. Try to build it rather than spike it if that makes sense.